Bleacher Report ranks IT #11 among PG's

[jbpats]

The where does IT rank topic comes up a lot around here. Looks like Bleacher Report has him at 11 which seems kind of crazy IMO.. but then you look at whose in front of him and there is rational.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2684128-nba-player-power-rankings-brs-top-30-point-guards-at-the-halfway-point/page/21

[slamtheking]

11 sounds about right.

would argue he should be ahead of Kemba and he's fortunate Rose and Parker aren't what they used to be.

[Ilikesports17]

11 sounds about right.

would argue he should be ahead of Kemba and he's fortunate Rose and Parker aren't what they used to be.

how is he fortunate that a 34 year old Tony Parker isnt what he used to be?

Hes also fortunate Magic Johnson isnt what he used to be.

[LarBrd33]

11 sounds about right.

would argue he should be ahead of Kemba and he's fortunate Rose and Parker aren't what they used to be.

I had the same reaction about Kemba as well until I realized his shooting percentages have skyrocketed this season.  Gives me hope that Marcus Smart will eventually find his shot.

[CelticD]

i dont watch the grizz often. mike conley is legit better than IT?

[Who]

Sounds fair.

[Denis998]

Bleacher report is full of lakers writers anyway.

[PhoSita]

Lulz.  Not sure what else to say.

Here's a list of starting point guards averaging at least 17.5 points and 5 assists. 

(Apologies to George Hill, who is just below 5 assists, but I think that's a low bar for measuring how key a guy is to his team's offense)

- Westbrook
- Harden (arguably a PG)
- Thomas
- Lillard
- Curry
- Kyrie
- Kemba
- Wall
- Lowry
- Bledsoe
- Dragic
- Conley
- Schroder
- Paul


Isaiah is 3rd in points per game and free throw attempts per game among these players.

He's 8th in assists.  He's 2nd lowest in Turnovers. 

He's 13th in steals.

He's 5th in Effective Field Goal %. 

He's 6th in Win Shares.





Out of the list, Westbrook, Harden, Curry, and Paul are easy choices ahead of IT.

I think you have to make a case for anybody else, even Kyle Lowry.

To place him 11th among point guards?


Woof.  You're not paying attention.


Lillard is having a nice season, but his team stinks.  He can't claim to have better defense.

Wall is having a nice season, but it's kind of the same thing.  He's not elevating his team in the same way that IT is.  Assists are great, but that Washington would be better with a more dangerous shooter and scorer at the helm.

To put Kyrie ahead of IT on this list is a pure "higher profile player on a better team" thing.  Kyrie doesn't have to do nearly as much as IT because he plays with LeBron and Kevin Love.

Kemba is having a nice season, too.  His shooting percentages are really the only area he stands out ahead of IT, and he generates half as many free throws, which cuts into that shooting advantage.


Overall, it seems obvious to me that this ranking is based more on reputation than an actual close look at what these players have accomplished so far this season.

[Chris22]

Thomas has the highest fourth quarter PER of any NBA player in the last 20 years.

[slamtheking]

11 sounds about right.

would argue he should be ahead of Kemba and he's fortunate Rose and Parker aren't what they used to be.

how is he fortunate that a 34 year old Tony Parker isnt what he used to be?

Hes also fortunate Magic Johnson isnt what he used to be.

while Parker wasn't the scoring machine that IT is, Parker's a proven clutch player that can score, defend and facilitate an offense.  I'd take Parker of even just 2 years ago over current IT.   it's only really recently that Parker's declined out of the top 10 PGs in the league.

[manl_lui]

Let me see how many i can think of on top of my head really quickly

Curry
Westbrook
Harden
Lillard?
CP3
Kyrie

[CelticGuardian]

He is def top 3 in the East. Maybe the top guard in our conference. I just don't see Ainge giving him anything north of 25 mill and even then it's a huge risk considering his play style revolves around his quickness which all NBA players start to lose with time.

[PhoSita]

Thomas has the highest fourth quarter PER of any NBA player in the last 20 years.

Good point.  His dominance in the 4th quarter has to be considered as well.

He and Westbrook are at the top of the league in 4th quarter scoring.

[BitterJim]

He is def top 3 in the East. Maybe the top guard in our conference. I just don't see Ainge giving him anything north of 25 mill and even then it's a huge risk considering his play style revolves around his quickness which all NBA players start to lose with time.

I could see us paying him the max, but I think contract length will be the biggest thing.  I think 3 years is all Ainge will do

[CelticGuardian]

He is def top 3 in the East. Maybe the top guard in our conference. I just don't see Ainge giving him anything north of 25 mill and even then it's a huge risk considering his play style revolves around his quickness which all NBA players start to lose with time.

I could see us paying him the max, but I think contract length will be the biggest thing.  I think 3 years is all Ainge will do

Will IT qualify for 25% of the cap or 30%? Paying IT 26 mill along with Horford, then Bradley has to get paid too, Smart the year after. For as much as I do the armchair GM thing, I do not envy a man in Ainge's position... all my 2k associations end up in a Dynasty tho, so I got that going