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NBA's Top 20 Players Right Now

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KAT has yet to play in an NBA playoff game. If you don't see the change in competition between a blowout loss in the regular season and a competitive playoff game, I'd like to introduce you to Isaiah Thomas.
 
1. LeBron James
2. Russell Westbrook
3. Anthony Davis
4. Kawhi Leonard
5. Kyrie Irving
6. Steph Curry
7. Kevin Durant
8. Chris Paul
9. Jim Harden
10. Greek Freak
11. Paul George
12. Demarcus Cousins
13. James Butler
14. Kevin Love
15. Blake Griffin
16. Draymond
17. Derozan
18. Klay
19. John Wall
20. Rudy Gobert


A few notes about my list

1. For the most part I tried to stick to the theme of "if I were starting a team for a year who would I pick in what order" which is how I interpret best. There can obviously be better fits on certain teams, so I try to look at it as starting from a blank slate

2. I highly value playoff performance/clutch factor. That's why Kyrie ranks ahead of Steph. But this isn't just a list of top 20 playoff performers because my team has to actually get to the playoffs before I can worry about their performance there. So it is kind of a balance. For example if I knew I were in the finals and I was drafting Irving would be #2 for me, but Irving hasn't shown he can carry a team to the playoffs like Russ is showing now

3. Fuck all of you guys for leaving off Gobert. I think he is clear cut better than Gasol. Gobert is gonna be a star
Ok updating this. Don't expect to have too many differences but we will see

1. LeBron
2. Kawhi
3. Dinwiddie
4. Harden
5. Westbrook
6. Curry
7. Durant
8. Davis
9. Giannis
10. Kyrie
11. Nance JR
12. PG13
13. Butler
14. Booger
15. Love
16. Klay
17. Lillard
18. Embiid
19. Gobert
20. Porzingis
21. Dipo

I'll go into more detail if anyone challenges me to a duel over it but it's all star break time I think it's time we re-eval our lists

If you made a list previously, quote it in your updated list to see how they changed
 
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Ok updating this. Don't expect to have too many differences but we will see

1. LeBron
2. Clarkson
3. Dinwiddie
4. Harden
5. Westbrook
6. Curry
7. Durant
8. Davis
9. Giannis
10. Kyrie
11. Nance JR
12. PG13
13. Butler
14. Booger
15. Love
16. Klay
17. Lillard
18. Embiid
19. Gobert
20. Porzingis
21. Dipo

I'll go into more detail if anyone challenges me to a duel over it but it's all star break time I think it's time we re-eval our lists

If you made a list previously, quote it in your updated list to see how they changed

FTFY
 
Ok updating this. Don't expect to have too many differences but we will see

1. LeBron
2. Kawhi
3. Dinwiddie
4. Harden
5. Westbrook
6. Cedi
7. Clarkson
8. Davis
9. Giannis
10. Kyrie
11. Nance JR
12. PG13
13. Butler
14. Booger
15. Love
16. Hood
17. Lillard
18. Embiid
19. Gobert
20. Nance Jr
21. Dipo

I'll go into more detail if anyone challenges me to a duel over it but it's all star break time I think it's time we re-eval our lists

If you made a list previously, quote it in your updated list to see how they changed

Fixed.

Cavs have 6 top 20 players.
 
The best:
1) LeBron James

Elite:
2) Kawhi Leonard
3) Kevin Durant
4) Chris Paul
5) Russell Westbrook
6) James Harden
7) Steph Curry

Not (yet) Good Enough To Be A Title Team's Best Player, But Still Outstanding:
8) Paul George
9) Anthony Davis
10) Giannis
11) Kyrie Irving
12) Jimmy Butler
13) Isaiah Thomas
14) John Wall

Superstars With Small Limitations:
15) Kevin Love
16) Draymond Green
17) Boogie Cousins
18) Gordon Hayward
19) Kyle Lowry
20) Nikola Jokic

Excellent, But Not Superstars:
21) Mike Conley
22) Blake Griffin
23) Marc Gasol
24) Damian Lillard
25) Klay Thompson

Honorable mentions: Karl-Anthony Towns, Paul Millsap, DeMar DeRozan, Bradley Beal, DeAndre Jordan, CJ McCollum, Rudy Gobert, Kemba Walker, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, Kristaps Porzingis, Carmelo Anthony.


Anyone ready to admit Isaiah Thomas IS a top 20 player this season yet?

30 points a game, best player on then 2nd best team in the East?

He's killing it this year. Making it completely impossible for Boston to include him in any trade now. Why not max that guy out?

Man, Isiah is just beasting right now, he has to be a top 20 player.


I saw this thread got bumped and wanted to look up which posters were going goo goo eyes for Isaiah Thomas. Ouch, fellas! @Rich, did you end up building that shrine in your yard to IT?
 
I saw this thread got bumped and wanted to look up which posters were going goo goo eyes for Isaiah Thomas. Ouch, fellas! @Rich, did you end up building that shrine in your yard to IT?

God damn you Keyes, the least you could do is shout out my "Top 20 Players 2017-18" thread, where I correctly leave the hobbled dwarf out of my list.
 
Sure, I haven't done one since 2016 right?

Tier 1. LeBron
Tier 2. Greek Freak, KAT, Durant, Davis, Kawhi
Tier 3. Westbrook, Curry, Harden
Tier 4. CP3, Butler, Irving, Paul George
Tier 5. DeRozan, Wall, Lillard
Tier 6. Boogie, Jokic, Love, Draymond

Honorable mention to Gordon Hayward, who could come back 100% healthy and jump right into this.
 
Haven't watched as much NBA this season since the Buckeyes have been so good and the Cavaliers have been so anger-inducing before the deadline, so I might have a few head-scratchers:
  1. LeBron James, CLE
  2. Kevin Durant, GSW
  3. James Harden, HOU
  4. Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL
  5. Anthony Davis, NOP
  6. Stephen Curry, GSW
  7. DeMarcus Cousins, NOP
  8. Chris Paul, HOU
  9. Russell Westbrook, OKC
  10. Kyrie Irving, BOS
  11. Nikola Jokic, DEN
  12. Jimmy Butler, MIN
  13. Paul George, OKC
  14. Damian Lillard, POR
  15. Joel Embiid, PHI
  16. DeMar DeRozan, TOR
  17. Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN
  18. John Wall, WAS
  19. Kristaps Porzingis, NYK
  20. Klay Thompson, GSW
  21. LaMarcus Aldridge, SAS
  22. Kevin Love, CLE
  23. Victor Oladipo, IND
  24. Draymond Green, GSW
  25. Bradley Beal, WAS
Notable Exclusions: Kemba Walker, Ben Simmons, Blake Griffin, Clint Capela, Al Horford, Andre Drummond

Not considered due to injury: Kawhi Leonard, SAS; Gordon Hayward, BOS; Paul Millsap, DEN; Mike Conley, MEM
 
Might as well update my own rankings, a lot has happened since the last time I did it.

1. LeBron James
2. Kevin Durant
3. James Harden
4. Steph Curry
5. Giannis Antetokounpo
6. Anthony Davis
7. Kawhi Leonard
8. Russell Westbrook
9. Demarcus Cousins
10. Kyrie Irving
11. Karl Anthony Towns
12. Paul George
13. Jimmy Butler
14. Kristaps Porzingis
15. Joel Embiid
16. Chris Paul
17. Nikola Jokic
18. John Wall
19. Victor Oladipo
20. Lamarcus Aldridge

Davis jumped up two spots and moved past Russ and Kawhi due to injury and bad efficiency. I'm becoming less and less of a believer in Russ being a conduit for winning basketball. He's still top 10 because of how hard he plays and how there probably aren't any other players in the league that could play the way he does, even if it isn't necessarily that smart.

Cousins was trending upwards for me but his defensive narcolepsy and coupled with the injury was too bitter of a pill to swallow so he stays put at number 9. Similarly Kyrie remains the exact same player he's been for the past 2 years. Vicious scorer and clutch performer, but not really doing anything that new.

Towns, Butler and George all move up a spot, partly due to coming alive after a slow start, but mostly due to Wall not being a focal point for Washington's improvement and failing to improve on his game. Still, Towns in particular has been awesome, and I feel like a lot of Minny's defensive woes would be alleviated with a PG not named Jeff Teague.

KP and Embiid could probably both be higher if it wasn't for the damn health concerns, especially Embiid. In a world where Embiid plays a cool 302+ minutes a game he's a top 10 player in the league but his minutes restriction is too big of a caveat for me to overlook

Chris Paul more than anyone else on the list has made me feel like an idiot after placing him at the edge of the top 20. He has really proven that he despite his age still provides a skillset no other PG in the league has. Another case of a guy who, if healthy would probably be in my top 10 or at the very least right next door to it.

Jokic moved up a couple of spots as well courtesy of his continued production and brilliance, and Aldridge and 'Dipo move onto the list as they both make massive sustained improvements compared to last season.
 
I’ll throw my hat in the ring.

1. Lebron James
2. Russel Westbrook
3. James Harden
4. Demarcus Cousins
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo
6. Anthony Davis
7. Kevin Durant
8. Andre Drummond
9. Joel Embiid
10. Stephen Curry
11. Karl-Anthony Towns
12. Victor Oladipo
13. Damian Lillard
14. Chris Paul
15. Jimmy Butler
16. Nikola Jokic
17. Ben Simmons
18. John Wall
19. Blake Griffin
20. Kristaps Porzingis

Kawhi will slip in at 8 once he returns to form. Cousins may get omitted all together soon.
Honorable Mention : George , Aldridge, Derozan, Irving, Beal

Not sure how anyone has Irving in top 20, he’s basically a 1 trick pony as far as pg’s go
 
Last edited:
I’ll throw my hat in the ring.

1. Lebron James
2. Russel Westbrook
3. James Harden
4. Demarcus Cousins
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo
6. Anthony Davis
7. Kevin Durant
8. Andre Drummond
9. Joel Embiid
10. Stephen Curry
11. Karl-Anthony Towns
12. Victor Oladipo
13. Damian Lillard
14. Chris Paul
15. Jimmy Butler
16. Nikola Jokic
17. Ben Simmons
18. John Wall
19. Blake Griffin
20. Kristaps Porzingis

Kawhi will slip in at 8 once he returns to form. Cousins may get omitted all together soon.
Honorable Mention : George , Aldridge, Derozan, Irving, Beal

Not sure how anyone has Irving in top 20, he’s basically a 1 trick pony as far as pg’s go

Oof, not gonna knock you because everybody is entitled to their opinion, but a few comments on my end:
  1. Durant #7? Curry #10?
  2. Drummond 8th ahead of Curry, Embiid, Towns, CP3, Jokic, Zinger, etc.???
  3. I appreciate the Lillard love; he's underrated on most lists.
 

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