More Elite 100: 10-1 10. Anthony Davis New Orleans Pelicans | PF-C One of us ranked Davis fifth and one of us ranked him 20th, so there’s a fair debate to be had about how much of a leap we should expect from him in his third year. He’s already a superstar by the numbers and the eye test, though, and the fact he’s just 21 years old is mind-boggling. His summer with USA Basketball showed how he stands out even among All-Stars. Davis is the perfect big man for today’s NBA. His size, speed, length and anticipation allow him to make plays on both ends that even other elite players cannot. He can still get better in terms of his defensive discipline, but his ability to protect the paint and guard pick-and-rolls is unfair. Offensively, he’s getting more polished and extending the range on his jumper. Perhaps he won’t justify his ranking this year, but it’s only a matter of time until Davis is near the very top of this list. 9. Dwight Howard Houston Rockets | C It’s hard to figure out if Dwight Howard’s drop-off is due to not playing for Stan Van Gundy anymore or if he’s lost something since his back injury, but two years ago he’d have probably been a lock for a top 5 slot here. Slotting in at No. 9 isn’t bad but he’s sliding out of the top 10 even though he’s still one of the best interior forces in the league. Now that he’s acclimated to Houston after a year there, he should be able to make his mark with the team and take them to another level. If he can’t do that, perhaps that slide is about to get a whole lot worse. With Howard, it feels like the Rockets still need to figure out a balance of how much to use him on offense while still leaving him fresh on defense. Howards post game will never be pretty but its more effective than hes given credit for. Hes a guy who should be involved in pick-and-rolls all game long because hes still devastating. His free throw shooting is always going to suck but at least hes not down below 50.0% again like we saw before and after the back injury. But you cant leave him under utilized on offense because he is valuable there. Without Omer Asik there to help carry the defensive efforts when Dwight is taking a breather, the pressure for Dwight to lead a better defense when he is on the floor rises. They were the 12th best defense in the NBA and with Howard on the court, the Rockets wouldve qualified for the ninth best defense in the league. He helped shave off 2.2 points per 100 possessions when he was in the game. Is that good enough? Can he finally get James Harden to help him at all on that end? The only way to make Houston a contender is to make them an elite defensive team. Dwight has quite the task in front of him. 8. Chris Bosh Miami Heat | PF There are still people who don’t realize or won’t recognize just how good Chris Bosh is. His time with the Miami Heat has turned him into a great all-around player because he’s one of the most important defensive players in the NBA. He’s also made his jumper deeper and more accurate. With LeBron James gone, the Heat are going to rely heavily on Bosh to combine his expanded offensive talents since his days in Toronto while keeping up the defensive performance we’ve seen from him. Assuming he pulls this off, those stubborn people will finally have to recognize how good he is. Bosh retired from the post last year, but when asked about it on media day, he said it was just for that Heat team. On this new Heat team, he knows he has to score in the post. He also wont just be given the ball and asked to create everything for himself or for others. The Heat are still going to play a style of basketball in which the ball is moving and finding open shots. With Bosh were more likely to see a lot of post-up to face-up offense because his quickness is where his strength is against other big men. Hes not always going to go through you; hes often just going to go around you. The question is how much can help can Dwyane Wade give him? Even with the team concept of Miami and Erik Spoelstra, Miami still needs guys to lead on offense. Both are capable, but the balky knee of Wade is likely to pop up at some point. Bosh will adapt regardless because thats what hes proven he does. He didnt take a lesser role when he joined Miami because he wasnt capable of a greater role; he did it because thats what the team needed of him. Now, the Heat need him to be a leader. Theyve said they dont want Toronto Raptors Chris Bosh because hes a better player now than when he joined. Were about to find out just how much better he is. 7. Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors | PG The best shooter on the planet had a good season with Golden State. Not a great one. A good one, relative to expectations. The Warriors were not a revelation, they were just another tough team in the West. They were not contenders, they were just a dangerous, talented squad. And Curry was a superstar, but he also suffered through a miniature shooting slump to start the year, and was turnover prone for the season. That latter point deceives you of how great a passer hes become. Currys innovative with the ball, and has the moxy to take chances with bounce passes in transition that lead to easy points. But, hes also obsessed with the over-hand over-the-shoulder hook pass out of the pick and roll to the top of the key, and defenders have started aggressively jumping that route for easy scores going the other way thanks to its predictable nature. But Curry could also very much be an MVP candidate this season. With Steve Kerr in charge, Curry loses his coach that was his own personal cheerleading squad and spiritual leader, but has gained what is likely, you know, an actual basketball coach. An improved offense could do new things for Curry, and its not like hes going to stop being able to hit those impossible shots off the dribble. More than any player in the league, Curry is able to make contested long-range shots off the dribble. It changes the entire complexion of possessions and games, and if the team wins and an increased pace go along with it, Curry could find himself spoken of in the rarest of terms. Hes right on the cusp. What comes next is either the ascension... or the frustrating wall of criticism as expectations are beginning to solidify. The honeymoon in Golden State is over. Curry and the Warriors have things to prove now. 6. Blake Griffin Los Angeles Clippers | PF Griffin was arguably the third-best player in the league last season, so his landing here is a bit surprising. His defense has improved to you can live with it, and his jumpshot became a legitimate weapon. He developed countermoves in the post and was able to stay healthy during the playoffs. Griffin has evolved again and again, so at some point, the criticisms of his game have to stop... but they probably wont because these things are always on a delay timer. Unless the Clippers somehow win the title this season (which isnt completely crazy to suggest), Griffin will remain a punching bag for former players who want to talk about what he isnt vs. what he is. Griffins also become one of the biggest names in the league, recognizable because of his commercial appeal and media appearances. Hes funny, human, yes, he does dunk hard thank you very much, and he may just be the best player on the Clippers, CP3 included. Last year was his magnum opus. What does he do for an encore? 5. Kevin Love Cleveland Cavaliers | PF Kevin Love and Blake Griffin are battling for the title of the best power forward in the game. Whichever player figures out the defensive end to the fullest will end up winning over that distinction, but more importantly they’ll probably make the difference between getting their respective team to the championship level that will validate their star status. Love was never able to lift a subpar Wolves team into the playoffs in a loaded conference, but now he doesn’t have to. He has to complement LeBron James, stretch the floor, and be the best rebounder in the league. I dont think anybody expects a problem with Love and LeBron fitting together. Bosh and LeBron complemented each other beautifully in Miami with the pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop games. Now youre adding legitimate 3-point range and a high volume outside shooter to this mix. If Bosh was able to average 16-18.8 points as the third option/safety valve in Miami, Love as the second option in Cleveland should still be a guy who can get 22 points a game. The question is how much will his passing be utilized with LeBron and Kyrie Irving handling the ball so much. Its a skill hes sharpened over the years and one David Blatt needs to find a way to use. Defensively, though, is where Love will be judged. Hes not as bad as the reputation precedes, but hes also not close to being a good defender. He was passable for much of last season, although he refused to foul guys around the basket. Thatll have to change. Hes been working on becoming a much better help defender over the years, but LeBron needs to help him get to a trustable level. As much as he loves to hunt contact and mix it up on offense, hell have to embody the same mentality on defense. And the defense is what will be the difference between this Cavs team just being a fun homecoming for LeBron and this Cavs team winning a championship. 4. Russell Westbrook Oklahoma City Thunder | PG Westbrook remains this high on our list despite the fact that many people think hes a selfish gunner with no self-discipline. His public perception, largely attributable to the fact that he plays with Durant, is essentially that of a drunken toddler. But beyond all that is a player that still changes games for long stretches. Westbrooks combination of skill, speed, aggressiveness, and athleticism is nearly unmatched. His passing skills are underrated, his shooting is underrated, his knowledge of the ins and outs of the offense and how to find gaps is underrated. Westbrook can snatch the rebound, drive up the floor with blazing speed, zip through three defenders and finish with his off-hand falling away. His defense has made major strides, and theres no way you can argue he lacks heart or commitment after coming back early from multiple surgeries last year. On his own team, say, Charlotte, hed be a megastar that everyone would empathize with. In Oklahoma City, hes the villain, some sort of obstacle in KDs way. But if the Thunder are going to win the title, it will be on Durants shoulders, but itll be Westbrook clearing their way through. 3. Chris Paul Los Angeles Clippers | PG We’ve called Paul the best point guard in basketball every year he’s been a Clipper, and it doesn’t seem like the consensus is going to change anytime soon. In this era, where practically every team has an excellent floor general, that’s remarkable. Despite missing significant time due to a shoulder injury, you can argue last season was his best in a Clipper uniform. Head coach Doc Rivers challenged Paul to do even more than he was doing, and he responded by raising his level of aggressiveness on offense. As pesky as he is intelligent, he’s also one of the best at his position on the other end. Paul had an uncharacteristic mini-meltdown at the end of a crucial Game 5 in the second round of the playoffs, making three costly mistakes in the final minute. He blamed himself for the loss, cried in the locker room and appeared devastated. If the Clippers can stay healthy, Paul has enough talent around him now to avenge that defeat. 2. Kevin Durant Oklahoma City Thunder | SF Remember when he said he was tired of being in second place? Sorry, KD. All three of our panelists placed him at No. 2, and it’s the third straight year he’s occupied that spot on this list. Durant did win MVP for the first time, though, putting together the best season of his career. Russell Westbrook’s injury woes might have been a blessing in disguise for Durant, as it forced him to take on even more playmaking responsibility. The degree to which he has grown when it comes to ballhandling and passing is extraordinary. He averaged 32 points per game in 2013-2014, and it felt like he could have scored more if that’s what he wanted. Durant’s timing leaving Team USA this summer wasn’t ideal, but given the number of minutes he’s played, you can understand him needing some rest. With his 2016 free agency already a topic of discussion and pressure piling up to win a title, can he find a way to top himself again? 1. LeBron James Cleveland Cavaliers | SF LeBron James is still the best player in the NBA and while Kevin Durant has done an incredible job of closing the gap over the last few years, James is still our unanimous No. 1. He wasn’t the MVP last year and he couldn’t complete a 3-peat for Miami, but he was still arguably the best player in basketball. Now, we get to see him embark on a new journey in an old place. Now playing in a more loaded frontcourt, we’re seeing James drop weight, which could help him defensively on the perimeter. He can fly around in help, stay locked into his matchup, and run the court for those Love outlet passes. Itll be interesting to see how much LeBron has in the tank for both ends of the floor. His healthier self makes the obvious answer a lot shine through. We saw him wear down defensively after back-to-back titles in Miami and he wasnt what he needed to be on defense last season. The lighter from will have less stress on his body and we could see him flying around the court once again. Hell be less of a freight train and more of a flying dragon of sorts. Hes still played 381 games the last four seasons and is looking to tack on another 100-plus games this year. For a man turning 30, you shouldnt expect a big drop but its asking a lot for LeBron to be the same player he was in Miami. Thats probably why its good we keep seeing LeBron reinvent himself. Hes become a leader even the most petty fans have to recognize. Hes fixed his jumper that once held back his offensive game. He became a guy who can defend power forwards with the same success he used to defend anybody on the perimeter. He added a post-up game at one point. He keeps adding to who he is as a player and the results keep looking historic. How he reinvents himself, and part of that could be the weight loss might be the difference in how he leads this Cavs team once again. We’re seeing the “return of the King” but that could mean something much more than just his new address.
Posted on: Sat, 04 Oct 2014 21:40:00 +0000
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