Point Guards
RANK | NAME | Team | # Games | Analysis |
1 | James Harden | HOU | 4 | Harden takes over the top spot of the always talented PG pool. Even with other scoring options on his team, they do not take away from his productivity. |
2 | John Wall | WSH | 4 | Wall continues to keep his head down and attempt to drive through any kind of lane traffic to get to the rim. His kick-out pass is among the best in the league. |
3 | Kyle Lowry | TOR | 4 | Lowry has been an excellent compliment to DeMar DeRozan and can take over a game when DeRozan is not seeing as much success. |
4 | Stephen Curry | GSW | 4 | Even though the Warriors offense has run mainly through Kevin Durant, Curry has a ton of time with the ball and even off the ball, he gets screens to get openings. |
5 | Damian Lillard | POR | 4 | Blazers still rely on there guards for production and Lillard remains by far the top scoring option and he has the most time with the ball on his team. |
6 | Kemba Walker | CHA | 4 | The Hornets are another team that relies on their guards for most of their production and like Lillard, Walker has the most time with the ball and will produce even with Nicolas Batum back. |
7 | Eric Bledsoe | PHX | 4 | Bledsoe provides the only form of consistent offense for the Suns and will rack up assists as well feeding to Devin Booker on the other side. |
8 | Emmanuel Mudiay | DEN | 5 | Mudiay gets a major bump with the 5-game slate and has explosivness and is quick on transition. When he resorts to shooting, and does not look to drive, he is not as productive. |
9 | Jeff Teague | IND | 4 | Teague continues to creep to the top of the paint and is always effective at stopping and popping. Paul George may be their top option, but Teague could very well be their top shooter. |
10 | Chris Paul | LAC | 3 | Chris Paul is a bit down the list with one less game, but that does not change the fact that he is an all-around producer with great court-vision and makes DeAndre Jordan relevant on offense. |
11 | Isaiah Thomas | BOS | 3 | Isaiah Thomas has been making a strong case to be a No. 1 option all season and the Celtics have let him create without any screens in the closing seconds of games. Total confidence. |
12 | Kyrie Irving | CLE | 3 | Irving is still one of the best drivers in the NBA and gets his time with the ball despite being a teammate of LeBron James. Irving balances well being a distributor when he needs to be. |
13 | Mike Conley | MEM | 3 | Conley runs the floor a lot like Jeff Teague. He is excellent at slowing his drive and fooling defenders to back in the paint even more and that gives him ample tear-drop opportunities. |
14 | Dennis Schroder | ATL | 4 | Schroder will continue to have to step up, especially on the scoring front with Kyle Korver gone and other players like Kent Bazemore struggling. |
15 | Goran Dragic | MIA | 3 | The Heat have dealt with a ton of injuries on their already stripped team and Dragic has had to play a bit of time off the ball and has been a bit more successful shooting from the field this season. |
16 | George Hill | UT | 3 | Hill's scoring is needed because Derrick Favors is still not up to speed and Rodney Hood is not 100 percent. Expect more shots and even more time with the ball. |
17 | Deron Williams | DAL | 4 | Williams has picked up his production as the Mavs continue to look for any spark offensively as Dirk Nowitzki continues to heal. Williams as the 2nd option has a ton of big game potential. |
18 | Derrick Rose | NY | 4 | With Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis not 100 percent Rose is going to have to play deeper into games and will have to utilize his drive more. He is playing for a contract. Motivation will be up |
19 | Elfrid Payton | ORL | 4 | The Magic do not have much going for them offensively, but with top option Evan Fournier hurt, Payton becomes co-No. 1 scoring option and will have the most time with the ball on the team. |
20 | Russell Westbrook | OKC | 2 | Again, PG is a very deep position, but it is still hard to leave Mr. Triple Double off the list and he will produce more than some of the better guards with three games this week. |
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Shooting Guards
RANK | NAME | Team | # Games | Analysis |
1 | DeMar DeRozan | TOR | 4 | Very impressed with the growth and maturity we have seen in his game. DeRozan knows to pass off when doubled and does not drive into traffic as much. He has been a multi-category producer. |
2 | Wilson Chandler | DEN | 5 | Giving Chandler a big push, because not only has he proven to be the change of pace player on the Nuggets, but he can rotate at three positions, which will give him more time on the court. |
3 | C.J. McCollum | POR | 4 | McCollum is the other end of the Portland offense and even with Lillard as the primary everything, McCollum produces at both guard spots and will never have to worry about his shots going down. |
4 | Nicolas Batum | CHA | 4 | Batum is back and healthy and the Hornets need the help not only from his three-point shooting, but even to act as a decoy in the post so that other players can get open. Major rebounding help. |
5 | Bradley Beal | WSH | 4 | Beal has been listening to critics and has been moving around the court more instead of just waiting at an elbow for a Wall kick-out and with Otto Porter not 100 percent, he can produce even more. |
6 | Klay Thompson | GSW | 4 | Thompson knows his role of pure shooter and perimeter defender. When the Warriors do go on scoring runs, they are generally anchored my Thompson and his shot selection can be trusted. |
7 | Gordon Hayward | UT | 3 | Hayward is the Jazz top option and with other injuries on the team, more defenders will look to focus on him. This could be a week in which we see more assists dished from him if he's suffocated. |
8 | Eric Gordon | HOU | 4 | Gordon is always moving off the ball on the court and can hit long-three-pointers from a few feet behind the arc if needed. |
9 | Patrick Beverley | HOU | 4 | Beverley rotates to the PG spot well when needed and has a bit more explosivness than Gordon, Trevor Ariza or Ryan Anderson. Beverley has no fear driving on bigger defenders. |
10 | Wesley Matthews | DAL | 4 | Matthews, like Batum, can take advantage of smaller defenders in the post. He starts there and then runs out to the arc when the focus is off of him and sees open jumpers. |
11 | Devin Booker | PHX | 4 | Booker's shot selection is not that impressive, but with the amount of points the Suns let up, it's all hands on deck and if Bledsoe is seeing a ton of doubles, Booker benefits most. |
12 | Avery Bradley | BOS | 3 | Dealing with a sore Achilles but should play in all three games this week. It's the NBA though so you never know. |
13 | Zach LaVine | MIN | 3 | LaVine needs to utilize his speed and strength as he drives. If his lane is cutoff even once, he will resort to shooting and his shot selection is not the best, but does serve as the No. 3 option. |
14 | Dwyane Wade | CHI | 3 | When Wade plays, he is still able to produce from the elbow with occasional FLASH drive to the rim that we saw in his prime. It is simply annoying to own him because he likes REST. |
15 | Gary Harris | DEN | 5 | Giving Harris a bit of a bump because of the 5-game slate. He easily can score in double figures in all 5 and can serve as a minor rebounding helper as well. |
16 | J.J. Barea | DAL | 4 | Barea is the Mavs change of pace player and is much quicker than Deron Williams. Barea is agile and is not afraid to take contact inside and never gives up on plays. Hustle is rewarded. |
17 | Tyler Johnson | MIA | 3 | Johnson has not become the top scoring option he should be on this mess of a Heat team, but he still gets a lot of time with the ball and will look to drive and cut often. |
18 | Lou Williams | LAL | 3 | Williams continues to rotate at both guard spots nicely and D'Angelo Russell has been a bit banged up. You can always rely on Williams long-range shooting. |
19 | Sean Kilpatrick | BKN | 3 | As Jeremy Lin continues to heal, Kilpatrick will continue to see a ton of meaningful minutes. He has been a bit inconsistent, but does not have much competition at the position other than Joe Harris. |
20 | J.J. Redick | LAC | 3 | Redick is a pure shooter, but he will also cut back door and look for the pass under the rim. Redick reads screens very well, and makes his defenders chase him all over the court. |
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Small Forwards
RANK | NAME | Team | # Games | Analysis |
1 | Kevin Durant | GSW | 4 | Durant reclaims the top spot and the fact that he can still produce at this high of a level with an MVP on the same team as him, shows just how dominant of an overall player he is. |
2 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | MIL | 4 | The Greek Freak has given the Bucks hope and has answered the call of producing at different positions in the same game. He even runs the point and drives against smaller defenders constantly. |
3 | Danilo Gallinari | DEN | 5 | Gallinari's ankle is not 100 percent, but he is active and technically the Nuggets top shooting option. With the 5 games, he should be one of the top scoring Forwards for the week. |
4 | LeBron James | CLE | 3 | LeBron continues to be a top driver in the league and teams have still not been able to cut him and his crab dribble off at the top of the paint. |
5 | Paul George | IND | 4 | George is an excellent all-around player, but unlike some of the other top options in the league, George resorts to passing and does not try too hard to get an angle. Shot selection is solid. |
6 | Carmelo Anthony | NYK | 4 | Anthony's shot selection is frustrating as of late, and you can see the frustration on his face. He's not happy with the team, Phil Jackson and he gives up on his drive too quickly. |
7 | Jimmy Butler | CHI | 3 | Butler is excellent from the side of the basket and great at working himself inside. He is not as much of a threat from the outside and he knows because he always tries to find space. |
8 | Kawhi Leonard | SAS | 3 | Leonard continues to be excellent from the outside and does his usual mid-range work when he see's an opening. Leonard is great at following up shots and keeping plays alive. |
9 | Otto Porter | WSH | 4 | Porter is dealing with a minor hip injury, but should be active all week and he will continue to see a lot of open shots from beyond the arc. |
10 | Harrison Barnes | DAL | 4 | Barnes knows that he is most successful on the give n' go because he is a tough driver. He is a good rebound helper and perimeter defender and will get steals. |
11 | Trevor Ariza | HOU | 4 | Ariza continues to be a shutdown perimeter defender who does not get pushed around without firing back, and he continues to see a lot of the top of the key three-pointers. |
12 | Rudy Gay | SAC | 3 | Gay continues to be a good inside-outside threat and his toughness in the paint is impressive as he can always be relied on for rebounds. |
13 | Ersan Ilyasova | PHI | 4 | Ilyasova has been a nice spark and he can create from the high post and is often left open for three in which he burns defenders frequently. He also serves as a minor rebounding threat. |
14 | Will Barton | DEN | 5 | Barton has 5 games to do what Harris does not do; dirty work in the post. Barton has a few post moves and takes advantage on mis-matches and we can also expect rebounding. |
15 | Andrew Wiggins | MIN | 3 | Wiggins never see's a shot he doesn't like and the Timberwolves need the defensive help. He does not drive as much as he shoots. Wiggins can take n ball-handling responsibilities if needed. |
16 | Jae Crowder | BOS | 3 | Crowder is a specific mid-range post player who plays very physically. When he gets inside he is able to create further and get good positioning to rebound to keep plays alive. |
17 | Moe Harkless | POR | 4 | Mo is dealing with a calf strain and may not play the full week's slate, but if in, he can get inside and the Blazers need scoring help inside. |
18 | Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | CHA | 4 | MKG will see a good amount of minutes because he is a good defender and will contribute steals and blocks along with long rebounds. Scoring is an added bonus. |
19 | Aaron Gordon | ORL | 4 | Not a huge fan of Gordon this season, but he has had games in which he has stepped up and with Evan Fournier hurt, he will be seeing a lot more shots as the Magic lack weapons. |
20 | James Johnson | MIA | 3 | In case you haven't realized, the Heat are a mess, but Johnson's double-digit scoring and toughness at the top of the paint has made him standout and outside of Whiteside, the Heat are limited inside. |
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Power Forwards
RANK | NAME | Team | # Games | Analysis |
1 | Anthony Davis | NO | 3 | It does not make too much sense starting a player with 3 games over a player with 5 games, but A.D. is one of those exceptions. |
2 | Draymond Green | GSW | 4 | Green's toughness on the glass and his in your face defensive style in the post alone make him a top option, he doesn't even need to score 20 points. |
3 | Paul Millsap | ATL | 4 | Millsap is the top scoring and shooting option and will need to find success even with teams doubling him almost every possesion. |
4 | Nikola Jokic | DEN | 5 | Jokic has been the lone big-man representation when it comes to consistency and has bounced back nicely from his miserable start to the season and with 5 games, he will be highly productive. |
5 | Kevin Love | CLE | 3 | Love has been excellent both at the arc and in the post and I know I sound like a broken record, but last season, he seemed to forget that he had an ultra-effective post presence. |
6 | Jabari Parker | MIL | 4 | Parker is the only other consistent weapon the Bucks have and he was picked 2nd overall for a reason. He is tough in the paint for his size, explosive with the ball and he can hit long-range shots. |
7 | Kristaps Porzingis | NY | 4 | Porzingis has had a solid 2nd season, but has been dealing with a sore Achilles and even though he should be active all week, it could effect his speed and shooting. |
8 | Serge Ibaka | ORL | 4 | Ibaka's offense will be needed as the Magic are likely without their top shooter in Evan Fournier and he will need to serve as a long-range threat for the team. The interior defense is always there. |
9 | Dirk Nowitzki | DAL | 4 | Nowitzki is consistently playing in the late 20's-early 30's and his shot motion looks a lot better. His Achilles is feeling better and sees more shots each game. |
10 | Ryan Anderson | HOU | 4 | Anderson continues to be a long range threat who forces big men to come out, only for him to look to drive into the lane. The Rockets offense carries them. |
11 | LaMarcus Aldridge | SAS | 3 | Aldridge continues to play the elbow and low block very well as he is tough to box out inside and is very sound in the post defensively. |
12 | Julius Randle | LAL | 3 | Randle continues showing his toughness this season and serves as a standout post player. We can argue that he is the Lakers top option on offense. |
13 | Kenneth Faried | DEN | 5 | Faried STILL is raw as hell offensively, but he does not give up on plays, and is a fierce rebounder inside and is quick to hit the paint. |
14 | Thaddeus Young | IND | 4 | Young is starting to get into a rhythm inside and that is because he is calling for the ball only when he has positioning because he has been cut off driving the lane and has struggled offensively. |
15 | Greg Monroe | MIL | 4 | Monroe can get it done inside, but it is hard to determine how much into games he will play in on a night in, night out basis. He is left out of the fold in games. |
16 | Markieff Morris | WSH | 4 | The Wizards need Morris up front, and he has been taking advantage of open space at the top of the paint as teams focus on other options and forget he can hit baby jumpers. |
17 | Trevor Booker | BKN | 3 | Booker continues to be the Nets best defender and will always be a lock for going deep into games and he will score inside on put-backs and he's developed a small post game. |
18 | Zach Randolph | MEM | 3 | Randolph's offense is still needed, because Memphis uses Marc Gasol to draw out bigger defenders and Randolph can hit contested mid-range jumpers. Randolph is still tough on the glass. |
19 | Gorgui Dieng | MIN | 3 | While Dieng has developed a small mid-range game, rebounding will always be his strong suit and when Karl-Anthony Towns is having his way, Dieng knows to clear the lane. |
20 | Derrick Favors | UT | 3 | Favors continues to slowly recover and is scoring in double figures again, but we are looking for his speed in the post to improve, as he certainly can make more of an overall impact. |
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Centers
RANK | NAME | Team | # Games | Analysis |
1 | DeMarcus Cousins | SAC | 3 | Cousins continues to be the tough all-around Center in the league and continues to go coast to coast without even utilizing his guard options. |
2 | Dwight Howard | ATL | 4 | Howard gets the 2nd spot as he continues his impressive season in which he has kept his mouth shut and focused on the game, and he will be needed even more on offense. |
3 | Karl-Anthony Towns | MIN | 3 | Was a tough call putting Towns under Howard this week, but as always, expect all-around production from the Wolves top option. |
4 | Hassan Whiteside | MIA | 3 | Whiteside continues to be one of the most dominant forces in the paint this season, and he even gets room to create b/c of lack of other inside options. He is a top rebounder in the game. |
5 | Nikola Vucevic | ORL | 4 | Vucevic is seeing starts as the Magic look for offense, and with Fournier out, expect a ton of inside plays to Vucevic this week as he has impressive foot work in the post. |
6 | Marcin Gortat | WSH | 4 | Gortat continues to be tough inside and is starting to cut more for lay ups when ever he see's an opening. He's not the quickest of Centers, but gets the job done on the low block. |
7 | Myles Turner | IND | 4 | Turner has been an excellent inside player and he works quickly once he gets the ball. He is not afraid to take contact and always fights for boards. |
8 | Joel Embiid | PHI | 4 | Will Embiid's minutes ever increase? Unsure, but we all need to trust the process, because he has been the bright spot in the city of brotherly love. |
9 | Rudy Gobert | UT | 3 | Gobert has been a monster inside on the glass and with blocks. With Favors limited, Gobert has stepped up and has covered the entire paint virtually by himself. Still not a shooter. |
10 | Marc Gasol | MEM | 3 | Gasol IS a shooter and continues to draw out defenders for parts of the game and call for the ball in the post. He has an excellent top of the key three-pointer. |
11 | DeAndre Jordan | LAC | 3 | If there is such a thing as "Instant Defense" that's what Jordan brings, because outside of dunks, he is a liability offensively. Excellent defender on the other side. |
12 | Al Horford | BOS | 3 | Horford continues to be effective on all ends of the floor and will often get fed at the key for open jumpers. If Horford stops at the key on transition, the defender will be fooled thinking he's cutting. |
13 | Mason Plumlee | POR | 4 | Plumlee has been able to provide some offense inside for the Blazers and is their most effective player in the post. Backs defenders down quick before they try to freeze him out. |
14 | Jonas Valanciunas | TOR | 4 | Valanciunas has had nights in which he has been the top overall producer for the Raptors, and he has been a consistent rebounder. Scoring might be down if their guards aren't being stopped. |
15 | Brook Lopez | BKN | 3 | "Instant Offense". 20 points is impressive, but I still can't get over seeing 3-rebound games from a dude over 7 feet tall. |
16 | Tyson Chandler | PHX | 4 | Chandler is another player who provides "Instant Defense". He has a baby jumper, but he barely uses it and is still one of the best big men on the boards in the league w/ no competition at the position. |
17 | Pau Gasol | SAS | 3 | Gasol continues to use his finess from the top of the post for scoring and still has post moves. He often waits for the cutter first as he hesitates with the ball while looking at the other side. |
18 | Cody Zeller | CHA | 4 | Have the Hornets found a consistent inside weapon? Zeller has been standing out for his toughness inside and ability to kick the ball back out to open shooters. He can see more playing time. |
19 | Joakim Noah | NY | 4 | Noah is all defense with very little offensive ability outside completiting the pick 'n roll and virtually traveling while driving. He is still an effective defender and will grab rebounds and block shots. |
20 | Tristan Thompson | CLE | 3 | Thompson is on a team with a ton of weapons, so outside of being fed with no one on him inside, he won't see too much consistent offense, but, he will always have minutes on his side. |