Divisional Depth Chart: Northwest Point Guards by David Murphy, Sunday, July 18, 2010
With most of the first- and second-tier free agents off the market, we have begun to see what the rosters for next season are looking like.
Such as the case, The Association Nation will be ranking the top-5 players at each position, by division, as we slowly shift our focus to the next NBA season. You must be thinking, "Won't that take a while?"
Yes, it will; but being that the season doesn't start until October, that's sort of what we are planning on.
A couple of quick notes about the rankings...
-This is sort of an early preview of the NBA season, so you can start to get a feel for who has the best players at each position.
-There are some debates as to which position a player officially is (i.e. is Tim Duncan a center or power forward?), but we will address those as they come up.
-The tentative plan is that once the top-5 at each position in every division have been ranked, we will then rank which division has the best group of point guards, shooting guards and so on.
-Disagree with a ranking? Join the discussion by commenting on our Facebook page - login to Facebook, search "The Association Nation" and post your thoughts on our wall.
The first position we will look at is often considered the most important: point guard.
First up, the 1's of the Northwest Division...
1. Deron Williams, Utah
Not only did Williams lead the division in assists, but finished third in the entire league to cap an impressive 2009-10 campaign. Among Northwest point guards, Williams was also first in steals per game and second in points. Last season was his third straight averaging better than 18 and 10, and was the only point guard in the division to advance past the first round of the Playoffs. Not only was he the best at his position in the division, but Williams has emerged as one of the best point guards in the league. At just 26 years old, Williams should rule the Northwest for many years to come.
2. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City
Every team with a talent as big as Kevin Durant needs a high-quality sidekick, and the Thunder may have found theirs in Westbrook. His eight assists per game last season was second-best in the Northwest and among the top-10 in the NBA. Defense, however, has been the former-Bruin's calling card; Westbrook harasses his opposition and plays passing lanes extremely well for a second-year player. The only thing holding him back at this point is the lack of a consistent jumper, although that is offset by his tremendous ability to attack off the bounce. The incredible combination of skill and youth gives him the edge over Chauncey Billups.
3. Chauncey Billups, Denver
This may seem a little harsh to put a solid veteran like Billups below a young pup. After all, Billups sports an impressive resume complete with a championship ring and Finals MVP honor. Unlike many other point guards, Billups has the body to bully and post-up smaller guards, giving him a skill possessed by few other perimeter players. His 19.5 points and 5.6 assists per game in 2009-10 are impressive; however, Denver never fulfilled their billing as the West's second-best team. Billups can fall in love with the jump shot too much, which is especially detrimental for the Nuggets, a team already short on players who look to pass first. However, if Chauncey's team can reproduce their Western Conference Finals run of two years ago, there is no reason he can't leapfrog Westbrook.
4. Andre Miller, Portland
In most other divisions, Miller would surely crack the top three. Unfortunately the 11-year vet participates in the point guard-heavy Northwest. Perhaps more than anyone else in the division, Miller looks to pass first, mostly because he has trouble scoring from 18 feet out. Miller struggled in Portland until claiming the starting job after Steve Blake was traded, and is now a key member of their core. To boot, Miller is ridiculously durable; he has missed just two games total in the last 7 years. Although his ball-distributing is as good as anyone, his combination of age and lack of offense keep him below Williams, Westbrook and Billups.
Flynn lacks what every other point guard in the Northwest has in spades: a winning resume. While the Jazz, Thunder, Nuggets and Trailblazers advanced to the postseason, the Timberwolves finished second-worst in the entire league. No question, Flynn should be a quality point guard - he was fourth among rookies in assists per game - but with a bad team holding him back, it may be a few years until he can move out of the cellar.
