Best Point Guard in the NBA?

[flash]

This year the NBA is littered with amazing point guards.  As a bulls fan I must say that I'm biased tward derrick Rose.  Here 's my top 5
 
1. Chris Paul
 2. Derrick Rose
 3. Deron Williams
 4. Russell Westbrook
 5. Rajon Rondo

honorable mention (steve nash, tony parker)

I don't think anyone can argue that Chris Paul is not the best in the league.  I have Rose ahead of Williams just based on his scoring ability.  He is easially the best scoring point guard in the NBA (25ppg).  I love what Rondo is doing in Boston, but he is so limited offensivley that I can't put him ahead of Westbrook. 

[JustinLewisFanClubPres]

I'll take Williams.

He's a better shooter than Rose and he gets his teammates involved better.  A PG doesn't need to be your best scorer.  He needs to be the coach on the floor.  I don't think Williams wouldn't be able to get his team a win over any of these other guys.

[HoopsMalone]

1-  Deron Williams
2-  CP3
3-  D Rose
4-  Rajon Rondo
5-  Steve Nash
6-  Russell Westbrook
7-  Steph Curry
8-  Tony Parker
9-   Brandon Jennings
10- John Wall
11-  Raymond Felton
12- Tyreke Evans
13- Jason Kidd
14- Jameer Nelson
15- Chauncey Billups

[MUBurrow]

My top dozen:

1. CP3
2. D-Will
t-3. D Rose & Westbrook (I know, I suck. I just can't decide)
5. Jameer Nelson - given the lack of pure offensive options on this team, i think Jameer is totally underrated. I think that if you switch him with Rondo, Nelson is seen as top 5, and Rondo would look like an older Tyreke Evans.  Nelson is a great court general, and seems to have a knack for clutch plays.
6. Tony Parker-Longoria-Barry
7. Rondo
8. Nash
9. Jennings
10. Aaron Brooks
11. Rodney Stuckey
12. Billups

PS big thanks to HoopsMalone for giving me a name template to work off

[mu-rara]

Rajon Rondo
Deron Williams

Play within the scope of their respective teams.  Both could score more, and do on any given night.  They make everyone else better.

[chren21]

Rajon Rondo
Deron Williams

Play within the scope of their respective teams.  Both could score more, and do on any given night.  They make everyone else better.

Have to respect what rondo has done. Having to lead as a young player with those veterans that were brought in is quite amazing.  They all obviously respect him, and began to respect and follow his lead quite quickly. 

[mosarsour]

1. CP3
2. Deron Williams
3. Rondo
4. D Rose
5. Westbrook
6. Felton
7. Wall
8. Nash
9. Kidd
10. Jennings

[reinko]

1. CP3
2. Deron Williams
3. Rondo
4. D Rose
5. Westbrook
6. Felton
7. Wall
8. Nash
9. Kidd
10. Jennings

Wall and Felton in front of Nash?

Curious.

[mosarsour]

I would take 2010 Wall and Felton over 2010 Nash. That's all. If it were a list of all-time greatest point guards, Nash would easily be in my top 4 or 5 with Stockton, Magic, Isiah, and Kidd.

[Aughnanure]

Wow, absolutely no respect for Nash? The guy has carrier his team his whole career, what has CP3 really actually accomplished with his team?

And Im sorry, Rondo over Nash is a joke...he cant shoot at all and if it wasnt for the great amounts of weapons around him he would not be close to a top 5 pg. He's good, dont get me wrong, but on most teams he would only be an above average to a very good pg, not great.

Deron Williams
Nash
CP3
Rose
Westbrook

Rondo
Parker
Wall
Jennings
Billups
Kidd

[TallTitan34]

Carlos Arroyo

[flash]

And Im sorry, Rondo over Nash is a joke...he cant shoot at all and if it wasnt for the great amounts of weapons around him he would not be close to a top 5 pg. He's good, dont get me wrong, but on most teams he would only be an above average to a very good pg, not great.

I completley agree, rondo is a great point guard but if it werent for his surrounding talent theres no way he averages anywhere close to 14 assists a game.  I would take Williams, Rose, CP3, and Westbrook over him any day. Rondo also has very little offensive ability other than the pass, he has no jumper, other teams don't even guard him. 

[mu-rara]

I completley agree, rondo is a great point guard but if it werent for his surrounding talent theres no way he averages anywhere close to 14 assists a game.  I would take Williams, Rose, CP3, and Westbrook over him any day. Rondo also has very little offensive ability other than the pass, he has no jumper, other teams don't even guard him. 

You're kidding about other teams not guarding him, right.

The reason I htink he is great is because he makes the others better.  I think winning championships is the goal.   How close has CP3 come? 

[Aughnanure]

You're kidding about other teams not guarding him, right.

The reason I htink he is great is because he makes the others better.  I think winning championships is the goal.   How close has CP3 come?  

Who has Rondo made better? All those players were great before him. He is doing a great job at facilitating the offense through all 3 (now 4) of those guys.

Concerning being a great/elite player, Rondo needs those guys more than they need him.

[MUBurrow]

You're kidding about other teams not guarding him, right. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmeKTsxFE7I

[Aughnanure]

I would take 2010 Wall and Felton over 2010 Nash. That's all. If it were a list of all-time greatest point guards, Nash would easily be in my top 4 or 5 with Stockton, Magic, Isiah, and Kidd.

If he truly is in your top 5 of ALL-TIME, it makes no sense that he is in your top 8 now. Why is everybody acting like his career is done? He is not in even the Shaq or Duncan part of his career, smaller players age better...but for some reason people keep trying to put out a myth that he is done.

I wish his contract was expiring soon so maybe he would have a chance with a team with another star or two (No, Amare doesn't count, Nash was that team) because he would make that team one of the top 4 favorites in that league, if not THE favorite. Obviously has to be the right team, but think about him on the Mavs, Magic (no, Nelson is not THAT good), Portland, Atlanta possibly, Heat obviously, Indiana even.

Chauncey Billups is also very underrated.

[Shanunu]

1. Rondo
1b. Nash
2. Deron Williams
3. CP3

I think a point guard should be a facilitator first, scorer second. Too many point guards now look to score first. I think Rondo and Nash are the definition of a true point guard.

[MUBurrow]

see, i think thats just the thing. I think Rondo's rep as a facilitator that makes shots for his teammates is tremendously overrated. time will tell, but I think Rondo's greatest asset is three guys that can make shots for themselves and/or draw double teams.  I wonder how many assists he gets/game where pierce drains those mid range jumpers or garnett shakes a defender without putting the ball on the floor. time will tell i guess, those three won't be as dynamic much longer.

[Skitch]

Only one mention of tyreke evans, or is he considered a shooting guard?

[GoldenWarrior]

1. CP3 - no question
2. D Williams
3. Rondo
4. Rose
5. Nash

[GGGG]

I would take 2010 Wall and Felton over 2010 Nash. That's all. If it were a list of all-time greatest point guards, Nash would easily be in my top 4 or 5 with Stockton, Magic, Isiah, and Kidd.

Oscar Robertson has to be top five all time.  I'm not sure I would call Isiah a point guard.

[groove]

Oscar Robertson has to be top five all time.  I'm not sure I would call Isiah a point guard.

one of the best players of all-time

[ken8406]

Point Guard characteristics (from Wikipedia):

Offense - A true point guard's job is to create scoring opportunities for his team. The role includes passing and running the offense: setting up plays on the court, getting the ball to the teammate that he feels is in the best position to score, and dictating the tempo of the game. This also means knowing when and how to instigate a fast break and when and how to initiate the more deliberate sets.

Defense - A point guard primarily defends on the perimeter, just as he primarily plays on the perimeter on offense. On defense, the point guard is tasked with making the opposing point guard as ineffective as possible. A defensive point guard will try to accomplish this with constant pressure on the ball, making it difficult to maintain possession. A defensive point guard will also pressure opponents in passing lanes in an attempt to generate steals and scoring opportunities for his own team.

Player    APG    Ast:TO    SPG
Rondo    14.1    3.6         2.2
Paul       10.1    4.3         3.1
Williams  10       2.9         1.3
Nash      10.5    2.9           .8
Westbrook 8.6    2.1        2.2
Rose       8.2      2.2        1.1
Kidd        8.8      4.1        1.7
Conley    7.1      2.5         2.1
Felton     8.6      2.4        2
Wall        9.1      2.4        2.4

From these definitions and stats I would say the top 5 right now are:
1. Chris Paul
2. Rajon Rondo (but very close behind)
3. Deron Williams
4. John Wall
5. Steve Nash

[ken8406]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyYgNnwKZVs

[karavotsos]

Wow, absolutely no respect for Nash? The guy has carrier his team his whole career, what has CP3 really actually accomplished with his team?

Nash is an aging point guard on a sub-500 team.  Rondo is the floor general for the best half-court offense in the game.  I get the criticism that he can't shoot after the way the Lakers defended him in the Finals.  Also, I get that if you are on a good team, then people will attribute your success to your teammates.  But, when I watch the Celtics play, those criticisms don't hold true.  Doc as captain and Rondo as floor general create spacing and cutting that is miles ahead of any other team.  The Celtics first unit got layups all day against the Bulls when they played, and the Bulls are a good defensive team.  On the last play of the game against the Sixers this week when they were tied with six seconds left, Rondo to Garnett for an easy layup.

Clearly, there are better one-on-one point guards than Rondo.  He can't make some of the shots that Rose or Williams or any of the other top point guards can make.  Just watching all of them play, though, without reverting to stats, I would rather have Rondo than any of them.