Latest News, NBA / Feb 19, 2010 / 11:45 am

The Top 5 Players In The NBA

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Chris Paul (photo. Zach Wolfe)

Last night during the Cavs/Nuggets game, my roommate and I got into a discussion surrounding the following question: Who are the Top 5 players in the NBA? Safe to say, deciding on just five wasn’t easy.

During All-Star Weekend, when I was with about 15 other media outlets surrounding Carmelo Anthony‘s table, ‘Melo said something that stuck with me: “If someone doesn’t mention me as one of the top five players in the League, then they don’t know about basketball.” And after last night’s performance, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone that disagrees.

In no particular order, if ‘Melo is going to be in the Top 5, then that group would obviously have to include Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade as well. But for the fifth guy, it came down to two people: Chris Paul and Kevin Durant.

Clearly two different players in their own right, while my roommate argued for KD, I had to defend CP3. Right now, in terms of complete players, you have to rock with Paul. Sure Durant is one of the most prolific scorers in the League, but he’s not a game changer like Paul is right now in his career.

So assuming Durant gets bumped down to that second group, other guys that have to be considered for number 6-10 include Dirk Nowitzki, Dwight Howard, Amar’e Stoudemire, Steve Nash and Chris Bosh.

What do you think? Who are the Top 5 players in the NBA? Who is in the group 6-10?

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← Older Comments
  • D-Nice

    1.JAMES 2.KOBE 3.WADE 4.PAUL 5.HOWARD

  • Mo

    D-Nice, you might have the best list of all. Forget all that other bullsh*t that others up there are listing.

  • michael

    this is the order as of right now (this season)

    1. lebron james
    2. kobe bryant
    3. kevin durrant
    4.carmello anthony
    5.dwight howard

  • TR

    Kobe
    Lebron
    Dirk
    Paul
    Wade

    then..

    Howard
    Durant
    Duncan
    Deron
    then either Melo or Roy

  • TR

    p.s. everyone needs to stop thinking of dirk as he was in 2004. He has twice as many blocks as 3′s this season and is an above average positional defender. When was the last time a PF exploded on Dallas? It never happens. He is at least as defensively competent as Melo, and his basketball IQ and ability to completely carry an offense completely outclasses Melo.

    plus, he never slapped anyone in the face and ran away like a little girl the way Melo did.

    If STD-Wade was more durable, he’d be in the LBJ/Kobe category.

  • beast

    1. Kobe Bryant -Best player period. Closest player to “His Airness”. Best clutch performer. All-NBA defender who knows how many years running. Underrated overall game cuz his teammates are better than anyone elses so he doesn’t have to do as much.

    1. LeBron James -Best Player not named Kobe Bryant. Video game created player attributes (6’8″ 265-275, jumps out of the gym wit ease and fastest end to end). Walkin triple double. Argueably the best help side defender. Makes every player on that team better 10 fold.

    3. Dwyane Wade -An unstoppable force combined wit poetry in motion. No one keeps him from the basket or the line. Crazy step back J and improved three point shooter. Comes thru in the clutch. Crazy court vision. Very good defender. The only reason his team isn’t lottery bound.

    3. Carmelo Anthony -Another unstoppable force. One of 3 complete offensive weapons (Kobe and KD the others). Also number 1 clutch performer. Grown man on the boards. Step his defensive game up (As seen takin on Kobe and Dirk in last yr playoffs). Team one step away from the Finals.

    5. Chris Paul -People quickly forget about the best point guard in the league because of injury. He does it all. One man fastbreak. Crazy court vision. Great defender for a lil guy. Once he gets realvent teammates other than David West, his team will be a real threat again in the West.

    Notables just missing the cut:
    6. Dwight Howard -Defensive juggernaut
    7. Kevin Durant -Offensive machine
    8. Amare Stoudemire -His game speaks for itself
    9. Tim Duncan -Still The Big Fundamental
    10. Dirk Nowitzki -Can’t knock his 7’0″ hustle

  • johnsacrimoni

    Alright, I’ll go 15 deep.
    1. LeBron
    2. D-Wade
    3. Kobe
    4. Melo
    5. D-Will
    6. Dirk
    7. TD
    8. Durant
    9. Nash
    10. CP3
    11. Howard
    12. Roy
    13. Bosh
    14. Gasol
    15. JJ

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