'%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)
Over the years, we have seen the NBA move away from the domination of big men inside the paint to small ball, with quick ball movement facilitated by smaller sized, nimble-footed players who can score from anywhere on the court.
At the heart of this revolution, have been point guards who've come to occupy more and more importance with their ability to stretch the floor, facilitate distribution, and be the first line of defense. Point guards, in essence, run the show in the modern game.
Some of the players we're going to look at now have revolutionized the NBA or been at the heart of multiple championship-winning dynasties. Without further ado, let us have a look at the five greatest point guards of the 2010s.
#5 Kyrie Irving
The first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Kyrie Irving is the first name that pops in the mind when you speak of handles. Perhaps the best guard in the league when it comes to driving to the rim, we've seen Irving break quite a few ankles with his quick dribbles and crossovers.
A potential scoring threat from anywhere on the court, Kyrie meshed with LeBron James and Kevin Love to form a dynasty at the Cleveland Cavaliers and managed to reach three consecutive NBA Finals before eventually asking for a trade. You cannot talk about Irving without talking about THAT trey he drained over Steph Curry to give the Cavs what would eventually turn out to be the title-securing lead in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals.
Currently playing for the Brooklyn Nets, Irving is averaging 28.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game but is, however, out with injury. Irving's had his fair share of trouble with teammates, especially given how his stay in Boston came to end. Nevertheless, whenever he's there on the court, you put the ball in his hands.
#4 Russell Westbrook
If there's one player that screams sheer athleticism, it's Russell Westbrook. Putting his body on the line every night over the last 10 years, seeing Westbrook go coast to coast before exploding for a dunk has been commonplace in the last decade.
He formed a ferocious trio with James Harden and Kevin Durant at the Oklahoma City Thunder and the franchise would've certainly been trouble had the three men stuck together. However, in the 2016-17 season, the Thunder were supposed to crumble following the departure of KD. Westbrook though literally carried the team on his back and led them to the playoffs.
Oscar Robertson's record of averaging a triple-double for a season seemed untouchable until Westbrook did it for three straight years including the aforementioned season where he was deservingly received the regular-season MVP award.
Despite not being the greatest shooter of the ball, Westbrook's still managed to average 22.5 points per game for his career and is currently ranked 17th in the all-time assists leaderboard. The only blip on Westbrook's legacy is the fact that he's never won an NBA ring but he's realistically chasing one with the Houston Rockets this season after being reunited with James Harden.
#3 Tony Parker
Drafted in 2001 as the 28th overall pick, Tony Parker was part of the San Antonio Spurs dynasty alongside Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili that won four NBA Championships since the turn of the millennium. Having already bagged notable accolades in European basketball including the Eurobasket MVP, Parker paved the way for modern-day French NBA stars in Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier among others.
Parker made the NBA Finals twice with the San Antonio Spurs this decade and would have won both as compared to only winning the 2014 NBA Finals had Ray Allen not drained that corner three in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals.
Known for beating his markers with the quick stop-start ignition, Parker's floater game was second to none. A brilliant finisher at the rim, there was no defensive scheme he couldn't bypass. He'd always make you pay if you left him open in mid-range.
One of the most under-appreciated stars of his generation, the 6-time All-Star managed to make a noteworthy impact despite playing mostly in Tim Duncan's shadow. Undeniably the greatest point guard in Spurs' history, Parker had his No. 9 jersey retired recently on 12th November, 2019.
#2 Chris Paul
Easily the most intelligent point guard of his generation and perhaps in NBA history, Chris Paul redefined ball handling efficiency and led the league in assists per turnover ratio in 5 out of the last 10 seasons. CP3 was drafted in 2005 by the New Orleans Hornets and went on to be named Rookie of the Year.
Even at 34 years of age, nobody understands the game better than Paul. He knows how to exploit passing lanes, draw contact in the clutch, get to the paint for his favored mid-range jumper, and just basically manipulate opposition defenses. One can't forget the 'Lob City' era where Paul combined forces with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan while at the LA Clippers.
Paul, for all his exploits, is yet to play in the NBA Finals. He came close with the Houston Rockets in the 2018 Western Conference Finals but an injury to him eventually allowed the Golden State Warriors to seal the series 4-3. We all know about that vetoed trade that would have seen Paul play for the Los Angeles Lakers. Maybe things would have been different for him had that trade gone through.
Paul, who was selected as an All-Star for nine straight years from 2008 to 2016, is evidently past his prime now and is unlikely to be contending for an NBA title anytime soon. Playing the mentor's role on a rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder roster, the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Darius Bazley will surely benefit from CP3's guidance.
#1 Stephen Curry
No point guard has had a bigger impact on how the modern game of basketball is played than Steph Curry. The Golden State Warriors sharpshooter awed the NBA universe with his ability to drain a bucket from literally anywhere on the court and forced other franchises to follow suit.
It is because of fellow Warrior Klay Thompson and him – the Splash Brothers – that we see teams rack up so many shots from downtown. It is because of this duo that stretching the floor is a compulsory trait for modern age centers. Curry laid the foundation for the formation of the most dominant dynasty of this decade in the Warriors who made five straight NBA Finals from 2015 to 2019, winning three of them in the process.
Following an unheralded 2015-16 season where the Warriors achieved the best regular season win-loss record (73-9), Chef Curry became the first unanimous MVP in the history of the league. he also became the 7th member of the 50-40-90 club in the aforementioned season.
Currently recovering from a hand injury, Curry has shot at an accuracy of 43.5% from downtown throughout his career and is certainly the greatest shooter in NBA history.
