NBA 2018-19: Top 3 Shooting Guards so far

The shooting guard is a position meant for decent long-range shooters, how also possess the ability to handle the ball if need be. Usually taller than the point guards, SGs are expected to be agile and quick in their approach to getting to the rim.

Coaches often use them as backup point guards at times in order to attract attention and open up passing lanes for the other players. Scoring points at regular intervals and taking care of the ball on a few occasions are the prerequisites for being an adept shooting guard.

As the NBA shifts towards perimeter shooting, the modern day shooting guards are often referred to as "3 and D" players, meaning someone who can shoot the three-ball and defend at the same time. As a result, the need for lengthy players with above-average shooting percentages is growing exponentially with every passing season.

The following list contains players who not only satisfy the aforementioned criteria, but are being the best at it this season.

Let's dive in and take a look at the three best shooting guards overall from the 2018-19 season so far.

#3 Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors)

Klay Thompson produces the most points with the least dribbles

Klay Thompson's staggering success in getting heaps of points without even putting the ball on the floor speaks volumes of his off-ball cutting and rotation. He can be always be found cutting under screens for a contested three-point shot or sneaking past the defender for a backdoor cut, all while keeping himself in a position to score effortlessly.

The nightly antics of Durant and Curry often overshadow this man's underrated abilities to blaze the opposition in games when he catches fire from deep.

Klay is averaging a near-career-high 22.1 points per game in the 54 games he has started for the defending champs this season. Having made 161 threes this season (7th most in the league), Thompson is the quintessential stereotype of the new age "3-and-D" line of NBA players.

Highlight: Against the Lakers in January, Klay went berserk, shooting 10-of-11(90.0%) from distance, and finishing with 44 points in just 27 minutes.

#2 Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards)

Bradley Beal has taken charge in DC ever since Wall exited with a season-ending injury

Bradley Beal has been putting up blistering numbers through all the 57 games he has started in Washington so far. He is posting career-best averages of 25.1 ppg and 5.3 apg. Moreover, shooting over 47% from the field this season, Beal has come a long way from being just a sidekick to point guard John Wall.

Bradley Beal houses all the abilities needed to make a quality all-round shooting guard. His long-range shooting is great, he can handle the ball in crunch situations, and is also capable of driving and finishing strong at the rim.

Although Washington are 3 games out of the playoff picture, Beal's heroics have not gone unnoticed. The Washington shooting guard bagged his second-straight All-Star appearance this year.

Highlight: In an overtime loss to the Raptors last month, Beal put up a season-high total of 43 points, along with 15 assists and 10 rebounds in a gruelling 55 minutes of play.

#1 James Harden (Houston Rockets)

James Harden is en route to bagging a second straight MVP award this season

Blessed are the Rockets to have a shooting guard sporting such an astronomically high rate of production with inhuman consistency. As far as his shooting is concerned, James Harden is leading the league in three-pointers made (266) and is averaging 36.5 ppg (again a league-best).

While stacking up a pile of points, the Beard also manages to dish out around 7.8 dimes per game, which is currently the fifth best assists average. He is scoring points at a career-high speed, with his well-known 30-point streak now built up to 30 games in a row.

James is overly competent to both sink a deep three and beat the defender off the first step on his way to finishing at the rim with contact every single time. Defenders often find it nightmarish to guard him on the perimeter due to said quality.

Highlight: Harden torched the Knicks last month via a career-high 61 points and 15 rebounds performance, shooting 22-25 from the foul line.