Who is the Best Point Guard in the NBA?

One of the hottest debates in the National Basketball Association right now revolves around who is the best point guard. With it currently being a point guard dominant league, having a top-tier floor general is key to success, especially come playoff time. Five point guards have really stood out this year, so let's take a look at where they fall in terms of being the best in the league.

Almost made the cut:

Damian Lillard (Season stats- 21.1 ppg, 6.1 apg, 4.8 rpg)- Lillard is one of the most explosive point guards in the league, and will someday soon be in this conversation. However, his assist totals, as well as his defensive numbers aren't quite at the level of the names that are soon to be mentioned. I will give him his due though, as he is one of the go-to guys in crunch time, and is does not shy away from big moments/games.

John Wall (Season stats- 16.9 ppg, 10.0 apg, 4.5 rpg)- During the first month of the season, it would have been hard to keep Wall out of the top-tier group. His Wizards were 22-9 through December, and double-doubles were a routine thing for the 24-year-old guard from Kentucky. Now, they sit at 36-28 (14-19 since Jan. began), and Wall's scoring has been up and down. However, he is still an athletic freak who will be a force in this league for many years to come.

The Big Three

Stephen Curry (Season stats- 23.8 ppg, 7.7 apg, 4.4 rpg)- Move over LeBron James and Kevin Durant, there is a new man ascending to the throne. Curry has skipped the stairs and taken the elevator straight to the top of almost every list (MVP, Best Player, Etc.). He is electrifying to watch, with his dazzling handles and pure as silk jump shot. But his statistics back up his amazing plays, and then some.

He is chasing a 50/40/90 season (Currently at 48.5% FG, 42.2% 3PT, 90.3% FT), and his Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 27.94 is good for third behind Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis. Curry's defense is also much improved, with his 2.2 steals per game leading NBA. Look for Curry to possibly raise his first MVP award come the end of the year, while his number-one seed Golden State Warriors will try and win championships for the first time since 1975.

Chris Paul (Season stats- 18.2 ppg, 10.2 apg, 4.8 rpg)- When it comes to elite floor generals, CP3 has been at or near the top of the list since the 2007-08 season. This year has been a quiet one in terms of him getting recognition, as his Clippers have struggled at times, and are currently the fifth seed in the West. That should not take away from the great season that Paul is achieving, despite not having teammate and superstar Blake Griffin since Feb. 8 (Elbow injury).

Paul is shooting 47% from the field on the year, and recently has seven double-doubles in his last eight games (51% shooting, 12.6 apg during that span). He has reclaimed the lead in assists per game, and will likely win that honor for the fourth time in his career. Paul's PER of 24.87 ranks third among qualified point guard, behind Curry and Westbrook respectively. His ability to control the pace of a game is matched by no one else in the NBA, and is a model that young point guards coming into the leaguer should follow.

Russell Westbrook (Season stats- 27.4 ppg, 8.3 apg, 7.1 rpg)- What can be said about Russell Westbrook that hasn't been said already? He is the most athletic point guard in the league, and has shown utter dominance with since the beginning of February. He averaged 31.2 points, 10.3 assists and 9.1 rebounds a game, while being named the Western Conference Player of the Month and the all-star game MVP.

In March, Westbrook is putting up staggering 40.7 points, 11.3 assists and 11.3 rebounds a game, while attempting an average of 16 free throws per contests. His PER has soared to a mark of 30.15, which as stated before trails only Anthony Davis, and his usage percentage of 38.1 leads all players by a wide margin. If the Thunder are able to hold on and make the playoffs in a tightly contested conference, Westbrook should and will receive many MVP votes.



Verdict 

The bottom line is this- any general manager in his right mind would love to have any of these five outstanding point guards on their team. Each one can put a team on their respective backs and win many games. With that being said, if I had to pick just one as the best in the league, I am going to lean with Stephen Curry. His balance of scoring and assisting is almost perfect, and his game is still evolving. Curry hasn't just made it to the top floor of the building, he now owns it.

*All stats accurate as of March 11

2014-15 NBA Standings 

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*All stats/facts courtesy of ESPN/Basketball Reference