With the 2013-2014 season just started, this is an ideal time to examine which the main protagonists will be. We have previously analyzed the best point guards in the NBA and now we will continue on with our list of the top shooting guards in the league.
No.1: Kobe Bryant
Although Kobe will miss the first few games of the season and despite the fact he will be coming off a severe Achilles injury this season, he still ranks at the top of our list when it comes to shooting guards. Even the fact that at the age of 35, he is entering the final stage of his career can’t cause him to rank lower than the first spot. He expected to be an MVP candidate and once he returns, it won’t take long before he gets back to his 25 plus points per game type of performances. In addition, the platelet-rich plasma treatment he recently received in Europe could positively affect his performance to make him even more dominant.
No.2 James Harden
For now, James Harden is in the No.2 of our list, but he can easily climb to the top during the next few seasons. The trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Houston Rockets signaled a new era in Harden’s performances. Last season he was the leader of the team, averaging 25.9 points and 5.8 assists per game. Now, with the addition of Dwight Howard, things can only get better. The fact that Harden is just 24 really makes many people around the league wonder what the ceiling is for this player. Until he showcases his talent at the full scale, Harden will just make his opponents “fear the beard” with his outputs.
No.3 Dwyane Wade
A couple of seasons back, Wade would have been a spot up in our rankings. However, after the injury issues and the performance drop he experienced in the 2012-2013 season, there are some concerns about how well he will be able to perform going forward. Of course, he will still be able to be an elite player and a big factor the success of the Miami Heat. However, as he heavily relies on the inside game, his performance might gradually fall, due to his health issues and the fact that he is aging.
No.4 Paul George
George emerged as a superstar during the 2012-2013 season. He closed the season averaging 17.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists, while his outputs got even better during the playoffs. He was also able to successfully contain LeBron James, at least for the most of the time he was guarding him. This season, everyone is expecting to see even more from the 23-year old guard, who showed the NBA world that he has a bright future. Certainly, he has lots of work ahead in order to improve almost any aspect of his game. But he clearly has the talent and the body that will allow him to make it to the top.
Ron Leyba is the content manager of Fantasy Basketball Money Leagues – premier source of fantasy basketball updates, rankings and rumors. His latest blog post discusses the fantasy basketball sleepers of 2014. Check it out.