'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
We have witnessed some great basketball in 2018 and the Golden State Warriors won their second straight title and their third in four years, after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers. The off-season has seen some of the best NBA stars change teams.
With almost one third of the 2018-19 NBA season done, we are still finding it hard to predict who would make it and who would not make it to the playoffs. This calendar year, we saw some of the biggest NBA names put together some sensational performances.
Let us take a look at five of the best NBA players in 2018.
#5 Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis had by far his best season in 2017-18 as he was named a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player after leading the New Orleans Pelicans to the Conference Semifinals.
One of the top three two-way players in the league, Anthony Davis was a monster this calendar year and had sensational performances on regular basis. He posted double-doubles at will and was particularly a dominant force in the paint.
He averaged career-high 28.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.6 blocks per game. Davis also led the league in Blocks per game and the opponents had a tough time scoring in the paint. This year, he is once again looking dangerous and even though the Pelicans are having a disappointing season, 'The Brow' is coming alive every single night and is giving his all for the team.
With the kind of talent that the Pelicans have, it is safe to say they are under-performing and it is a shame that this is happening to Davis. He deserves better teammates who are consistent and someone who the 25-year-old can rely upon.
The Pelicans are currently placed at the 14th spot in the West and are most likely going to fail to make it to the postseason. With the kind of season they are having, it is safe to say 'It is hard to be in Anthony Davis' situation'.
#4 James Harden
After getting snubbed for MVP award multiple times in his career, James Harden finally got his hands on one of the most coveted individual trophies for his stellar performances in 2017-18 regular season. Playing alongside Chris Paul, he carried the team to the Conference Finals but could not get it done against the Warriors.
He averaged career-high 30.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game and subsequently won the scoring title for the first time in his career. This season, even though the Rockets struggled early in the season, Harden was great and came up big with consistent performances.
The defending MVP is currently leading the league in points per game with 32.3. At one point of time, it looked like the Rockets' season is headed towards a disaster but Harden managed to steer the ship and they are currently at the seventh spot in West with a 18-15 win-loss record.
#3 Kevin Durant
Love him or hate him, Kevin Durant is still a two-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP and is one of the best players alive on the planet. He has been unbelievable last season and was one of the key reasons why the Warriors clinched the title. Durant also upped his defensive abilities after joining Golden State and is now a two-way monster. In the finals, he averaged 28.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game and won his second Finals MVP award.
At times, he looks like he is the best two-way player in the league and even though he could not lead the Warriors to victory in the regular season 2017-18 when they lost Curry to injury, he has been great for the team and did everything he could to help them win.
This season, he picked up where he left off and is averaging monster numbers once again. To end November, Durant had three consecutive 40+ point games, including a stellar 51-point performance on the road against the Toronto Raptors which unfortunately ended up in a loss.
#2 Stephen Curry
The two-time MVP went down in March due to an MCL injury and the Warriors did not look the same without him. After missing the first round of the NBA 2018 playoffs, Curry was back for Game 2 of the Conference Semifinals against the New Orleans Pelicans.
He picked up steam and barring the Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals, he looked red-hot and re-iterated the fact that it is he who runs the show in Golden State. Curry was brilliant and averaged 27.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game in the finals and led the team to their third championship in four years.
This season has been no different for Steph as the baby-faced assassin is putting up big numbers and scoring effortlessly, once again. He is currently one of the front runners to win the MVP award this season and is averaging 28.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game.
Curry had a couple of 40+ point nights and also a 51-point game against the Washington Wizards at home. Only time will tell whether he will add one more MVP hardware to his trophy cabinet.
#1 LeBron James
This should not even be a surprise to anyone. The King does not need validation from anyone to acknowledge the fact that he was the best player this year. He carried a mediocre team on his back to the finals.
James lost to the Golden State Warriors, once again in the Finals (2018) but he was a one-man army and playing against a team that has 4 All-Star starters. There is only so much you can do and the Cleveland Cavaliers got swept away in the finals. Howbeit, LeBron averaged 34.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 10.0 assists on 52.7 % shooting in the Finals and proved that he still runs the NBA.
In the off-season, the 4-time MVP joined the Los Angeles Lakers and after a sluggish start, they are now at the fourth spot in the Western Conference and this success the Lakers are enjoying is because of one man named LeBron James.
He has been terrific since Day 1 and is not showing any signs of slowing down even with age catching up to him. He is averaging 27.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game this season and is having one of his best seasons ever.
