We take a look at these five players who make up the very best of the shooting guard position in the NBAs Western Conference. PRL (Position Replacement Level) = 11.5 for power forwards, 11.0 for point guards, 10.6 for centers, 10.5 for shooting guards and small forwards; EWA: Estimated Wins Added . You can e-mail himhere, find his archivehereand follow him onTwitter. Thats especially apparent when eyeing the glut of talent vying for backcourt spots in the Western Conference, which, at this point, appears to feature stiffer competition than the Eastern Conference will at that position. Barton joins the Raptors after he was waived by the Wizards on Feb. 21. If the Jazz are going to similarly shed their"very good regular season team, but wake me up when they actually win something" label, they will need Conley to be humming on all cylinders in April, May and June. It's safe to assume that ifthe scrappy guard participates in more games in 2021-22, he'll make his return to one of the two All-Defensive Teams. Hes a serial offender perpetually walking the line between irritant and combatant. We may earn a commission from links on this page. MORE:Ranking the best NBA players entering the 2021-22 season. See where all 30 teams rank as we enter Week 7 of the 2022-23 season. Why did anyone think hed make a difference on a contending Clippers team after Houston paid him to take permanent PTO all of last season? The former No. Take a look back at each of the NBA All-Star Game's MVP winners. Bryant was a stretchy big, who put up flashy numbers in Anthony Davis absence. Even without a scoring title, there is no denying the ease in which Beal scores the rock. Jayson Tatum is a power forward for the Celtics and is considered one of the best playmakers on the team. The NBA's Noches ne B A celebration starts in March, where teams will commemorate fans and players across Latin American and U.S. Hispanic communities. However, the Grizzlies star point guard is facing some legal issues. The first WEST returns for #NBAAllStar 2023! Los Angeles is firing on all cylinders. 11. But for all his elite class and self-confidence, Dame is yet to taste championship success. He possesses one of the best three-point shooting percentages amongst NBA players, having recorded 39.1% of his attempted three-point attempts in those moments. MPG. In just his fifth season, Doncic is now tied with Dirk Nowitzki for the second-most 40-point outings in Mavs history (20), trailing only Mark Aguirre (22). Speaking of"Big Ballers," how will Lonzo Ball adjust to playing for his third team in five seasons? He had those two incredible 40-point outings in Games 4 and 5 of the Finals, but he also had a couple of underwhelming performances in the series (10 points in Game 3; 19 points, six turnovers in Game 6). As one of the best all-around defenders in the NBA, Smart plays with heart and intensity that is immeasurable beyond numbers. Jordan Greer is an NBA content producer for The Sporting News. However, the NBA . The 23-year-old spent the first part of the season starring opposite Bane but without Jaren Jackson Jr., who sat out Memphis first 14 games recovering from offseason foot surgery. Antetokounmpo Williams Randle Harris Wainright Noel Hernangomez Saric Nurkic Capela Payne LeVert Robinson Watanabe White York Siakam Arcidiacono Prince Rozier Dunn Embiid. Many fans hoped Russell Westbrooks numbers would be crazy with Kevin Durant out of Oklahoma City. 5 Los Angeles Clippers and a four-game lead over the No. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Steph Curry has missed the last 10 games for the Golden State Warriors due to a shoulder subluxation. You already know what time it is. Curry led the Warriors to three straight wins before falling Tuesday to Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks in an epic duel that came down to the end. The veteran guard was spectacular in his first season with the Bucks as they captured their first title in 50 years. However, McCollum needs to be better than steady to make it to the next level of shooting guards. Due to last years First Team All-NBA selection, this was going to be hard to do this year. They received guard Spencer Dinwiddie, frontcourt player Dorian Finney-Smith, a future first-round draft pick and two second-round picks in return for Irving. Possessing star-like potential, general manager Bob Myers and the Warriors' front-office really struck gold with Poole at the end of the first-round in the 2019 NBA Draft, as the 6'4" guard. Swipa produced his second-lowest point total of the season in Mondays loss to the Phoenix Suns, and over his last three outings entering Wednesdays win against the Indiana Pacers, he was shooting 35% (17 of 49) after hitting 61% in the three games before that. 1 spot for overall votes. Celebrate the team and get pumped up for the Finals with this 3.5'' x 5 . Luka Doncic (right) and Stephen Curry (left) are among the names to watch for 2023 All-Star backcourt spots in the West. The quality of point guard play is no more evident than in the Western Conference, where you will see multiple quality point guards on a brutal road trip. The Slovenian superstarfilled up the stat sheet last season (27.7 points, 8.6 assists and8.0 rebounds per game), but he also managed to improve his shooting numbers in his third season (career-high 47.9 percent from the field and 35.0 percent on 3-pointers). He is followed by Zion Williamson in second place, while Jaylen Brown is third. Best NBA Players 33 Years Old | StatMuse best NBA players 33 years old Thompson Dieng Ibaka Morris Butler DeRozan Morris Bogdanovic Dedmon Harden Holiday Griffin Thomas Gordon Batum Westbrook Gallinari Marjanovic Beverley Young Love Rose Explore What is the highest PPG in a season by a rookie? The Lakers hope LeBron James can unlock Beasleys latent value. Jason Kidd, Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson are notable names on a long list of guards with stellar NBA careers. The three-time NBA champion and the lads can hope for a different end to their season. View player profile, bio, stats, news and video highlights. DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The Western Conference Player of the Month -- Luka Doni -- is also the youngest player to ever win the award since the NBA started . In fact, they never got to a seventh game in three tries there. Sad. Through the first wave of voting, Curry was voted for 2,715,520 vote to take the top spot in the West for guards. But Booker isnt having it and showed as much in dropping 51 points in Wednesdays win over Chicago. As long as Lillard is in Portland, the Trail Blazers will be worth watching. 2. ET. The Kings are clinging to the No. However, fans havent stopped voting for Curry for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game. Assuming he slots into the starting lineup, Mills offers championship pedigree and can even tap into ascore-first mentality that's made him a superstar with the Australia national team. The Western Conferenceis one of two conferencesthat make up the National Basketball Association(NBA), the other being the Eastern Conference. Given the nickname for his ability to deliver in clutch moments, Lillard has no doubt been one of the best point guards not only in the Western Conference but in the whole of the NBA. 30. 4 Phoenix Suns, a 3 -game lead over the No. Brooks has Draymond Greens intensity, but he lacks the same nuanced versatility. The reigning NBA Finals Most Valuable Player edged out Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic for the top spot for Western Conference guards. Harden came into this season in the shape of his life and has reaped the benefits. He was a whisper of his pre-injury self and he never developed a shot or a style that could survive what a ruptured Achilles took from him athletically. Tyler Schmidt previews the game and offers up his best bet below. His play was a huge reason why Miami went toe-to-toe with the Nuggets and the Heat noticed. > 8 candidates to be All-Star guards in the East. Fans account for 50% of the vote to decide All-Star starters. On Thursday, the NBA revealed the first update of votes for the 2023 All-Star Game in Utah. We now turn our attention to the five best shooting guards in the West. Holiday is not at the same level offensively as some of the other point guards in this group, but he is arguably the best perimeter defender in the NBA. Luka Doncic, De'Aaron Fox, Ja Morant,Trae Young and more have already put their talent on display early in their careers, and now they are looking to take over the NBA. The model enters Week 20 of the 2022-23 NBA season on a stunning 57-30 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,300. What they've been up to: Iguodala, who is the lone Lute Olson-coached Wildcat still playing in the NBA, is the highest-earning ex-Cat, making just over $185 . But other than a historic night against the Pelicans, Curry just hasnt been as electric. Harden has become a point guard. Just ask Paul how much loved being hounded by Holiday. Houston Rockets (13-48, Last week 29th) Houston is a disaster. 1 overall pick is destined for greatness. Theyre averaging the second-most points per game on offense and allowing the third least. Search By: A: NAME: TEAM: COLLEGE . The division consists of five teams, the Boston Celtics, the Brooklyn Nets, the New York Knicks, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors.All teams, except the Raptors, are located on the East Coast of the United States. Northwest Division page with results, picks, power rankings, odds and stats. Along with Golden States backcourt being represented, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney landed in the top 10 for the Western Conference frontcourt voting. He delivered theindisputableDunk of the Yearand also began to step up as "the guy" for his team late in games. Thompson is expected to make his debut some time around Christmas, meaning he'll likely miss half of the season. Their time will come. The position. The 24-year-old averaged 25.6 points, 4.3 assists and4.2 rebounds per game during the regular season to help Phoenix snap a 10-year postseason drought, then in his inaugural playoff run, he elevated his game to another level. 28. After the All-Star break, Edwards averaged 23.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting a much-improved 45.4 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from 3. Be the first one to comment on this story. The arrival of Kevin Durant, one of the most talented players on the planet, was naturally going to make Currys numbers dip this year as his usage goes down. (PER - PRL)] / 67). They were the league's best unit in November (106.4 points allowed per 100 possessions), but went 8-6 during that stretch while navigating significant foot injuries to standout guards James Harden and Tyrese Maxey (whose offensive abilities far outweigh their defense). Complete listing of all NBA Players and team rosters. In January, meanwhile, the Sixers torpedoed to 24th in that category (118 points allowed per 100 possessions) but went 11-3 . In a new report that dropped on Wednesday, Morant is being charged with two additional disturbing encounters, according to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. Devin Booker is the first player in Finals history to lose back-to-back games despite scoring 40+ points in both games. Hes been more wince-inducing than the time Giannis Antetokounmpo leapfrog dunked over him. His explosive athleticism always had the potential to turn inward and betray him, but that intensity rarely translated to the defensive end where his line drive field goal attempts were a vibe killer. MORE:Ranking the best NBA players entering the 2021-22 season. The Thunder will be playing the second half of a back-to-back, while the Suns, who went 7-3 in the 10 games before the All-Star break, will be fully rested. Will there be a changing of the guard in the NBA this season? Look no further than Bullock whose minimal intensity on the defensive end is matched by a lack of ability to do anything other than chuck treys. Moreover, advanced metrics place him as one of the leagues best defenders now, too. But hes become a one-dimensional specialist over the last two years and 2023 is his nadir. The six-time All-Star missed his fifth consecutive game (strained right calf) on Wednesday, but the 32-year-old appeared to be back in All-Star form through his first 11 games. Eyebrows were raised when the Hornets gave Rozier a $57 million deal over three years in the summer of 2019. Donovan Mitchell also made his second NBA All-Star appearance as Utah clinched the top spot in the West only to fall to the Los Angeles Clippers in six games in the Western Conference Semis. How good does that Mills signing look now? His nightly averages right now stand at 28.7 points, 12.5 assists, and 7.8 rebounds a game. With that said, let's try our hand at ranking every starting shooting guard in the NBA. Youd think hed have more energy to expend on defense considering his limited usage on the offensive end, but that hasnt been the case. 6 Mavericks. At this point the season is still young, but Harden will probably eclipse those statistics. Here's a quick look at eight guards from the Western Conference that should figure prominently in the mix for the. Frank Isola and Brian Scalabrine breakdown Devin Booker and his quietly stellar season so far. Even after missing the final month of the regular season and series opener in the postseason (certainly a factor in that All-NBA snub), Mitchell was a monster upon his return in the playoffs. James was having a phenomenal season up to this point . The NBA released its first All-Star Game fan vote Thursday. After playing only five games during a disastrous 2019-20 campaign, Curry returned to form last season, averaging a league-leading 32.0 points per game with 48.2/42.1/91.6 shooting splits (field goals/3-pointers/free throws). Push comes to shove, Harden is on the short list of surest buckets to ever lace 'em up in the backcourt. Stats: 2.3 points, 2.3 rebounds. The Magic won't be very good, but there will be some entertaining Suggs highlights. Every NBA player in the league, sortable by conference and position, and organized alphabetically for optimal searching. . Western Conference Point Guard Power Rankings: 15. But after missing the past two full seasons recovering from an ACL injury and an Achilles injury, respectively, what version of the 31-year-old will we see? Your Golden State Warriors kept the momentum going strong and are one step closer to the title after becoming the 2022 Western Conference Champions! Gettysburg, PA (17325) Today. He was still a 3-point marksman and lockdown defender, and Golden State will hope he makes a full return to a similar player. Ja is scoring at a rate of 27.1 points per game this season, just off his career-high 27.4 he set during 2021-2022. In a recent interview to GQ magazine, the Oklahoma City Thunder player called himself the Black Steve Nash. The 2021 NBA All-Star starters, comprised of two guards and three frontcourt players per conference, are set. It was the deepest postseason run of Lillard's NBA career, a career mostly filled with quick, first-round playoff exits. As the Golden State faltered in their run to the playoffs, Curry was unable to inspire a turnaround. LaVine continuesto improve each and every season and in 2020-21, he was finally rewarded for it by earning the first All-Star bid of his career. However, recent times have seen changes to the technicality of the position, and the rise of the shooting point guard, capable of scoring points and dictating the games. Overall, Doncic scored 41 to go with 12 rebounds, 12 assists and four steals in the win. Yes, but skills come first, as does your mentality. . But even though Thompson has missed the last two seasons, there is no denying his genius and greatness. December 3, 2019 / 4:03 PM / CBS Texas. Emmanuel Mudiay, Denver Nuggets 13. Health concerns aside he did get banged up towardthe end of the season the longtime floor general is coming off a season in which he earned his first career All-Star nod and thus shed the moniker of "best player never to make an All-Star team.". Paul played an instrumental role in Phoenix's unexpected run to the 2021 NBA Finals, averaging 19.2 points and 8.6 assists per game with 49.7/44.6/87.7 shooting splits in the playoffs. With Portland's title aspirations facing more pressure by the year, it will be interesting to see what he has in store entering a fresh start with a clean bill of healththis season. His defense improved and he notched a career-high in assists. 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The Heat noticed to playing for his third team in five seasons the! He is followed by Zion Williamson in second place, while Jaylen Brown is third team... Wednesdays win over Chicago player in Finals history to lose back-to-back games despite scoring 40+ points both!