Divisional Depth Chart: Atlantic Point Guards by David Murphy, Saturday, July 24, 2010
The Association Nation's positional rankings continue; today we rank the point guards of the Atlantic Division.
2009-10 was an all-around poor season for the Atlantic. While the Celtics wound up in the NBA Finals, the rest of the division failed to qualify for the postseason. Let's put it this way: Boston won more games in the playoffs than New Jersey did the entire season.
Such a disappointing year across the board, however, doesn't reflect the skill at the point guard spot, as there is some talent here.
Please note: Toronto has been shopping Jose Calderon, so he may be on his way out of the division.
The race for the number 1 spot in the Atlantic isn't even close; Rajon Rondo is the class of the division. Although overshadowed by the likes of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in Boston, he may be the best player on his team. Rondo led the division in assists per game at 9.8, a figure that ranked him fourth-overall in the league. In addition, he led the league in steals, and the habitually reckless defensive gambling is starting to pay off. Rondo is also great because of his ability to play at any tempo. He flies the court on the fast break, and in a set offense is unrivaled in penetrating a defense. The only stain on what is an increasingly impressive resume is the complete void of a jumpshot. Rondo has little confidence outside of 12 feet - last season he connected on 21% of his 3-pointers while managing just 62% from the free throw line.
2. Raymond Felton, New York
The debate about point guards in this division starts at number 2, where Felton gets a slight edge thanks to last year's brief playoff stint. He lacks great "point guard numbers," but Felton was part of a very cohesive unit in Charlotte. Although short, his stocky figure gives him size advantage over opposing guards defensively. However, Felton relocated to the bright lights of New York. Considering the best big man he's ever played with is Emeka Okafor, Felton should enjoy racking up assists in the pick-and-roll with Amar'e Stoudemire and Anthony Randolph. But be warned, his spot at 2 on this list is far from set in stone.
3. Devin Harris, New Jersey
You can look at Harris' place among his Atlantic peers and think two things: either this is too low for someone less than 2 years removed from an All-Star appearance, or way too high for a guy who headlined one of the worst teams in NBA history. Harris saw his scoring numbers take a severe dip last season, although he posted 6-plus assists per game for the third consecutive year. Harris has shown the ability to be a great point guard, but New Jersey must rack up the wins before proper respect can be paid.
4. Jose Calderon, Toronto
Calderon is a deceivingly average point guard. You love the great shooting numbers across the board and 5-plus assists per game isn't anything to be ashamed of. However, the Spaniard has now played less than 70 games in back-to-back seasons, has never been able to hang on to a starting job and refuses to play with any physicality on defense. There is still slight upside here, as Calderon is now entering the "prime of his career" window. With the consistent shooting and solid assist-to-turnover numbers, his services are perhaps best used in 20-minute intervals on a legit contender.
5. Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia
Holiday took his lumps learning the position in his rookie season. Characteristically, point guards usually struggle with turnovers and poor shooting in their first season, and Holiday was no exception. He does bring something to the table defensively, and at just 20, has plenty of room to grow. I would certainly understand the argument of putting him at 4 in these rankings.
