Wednesday, October 26, 2011

My Top 50: 50-41

ESPN, SLAM and a variety of basketball media outlets have been slowly unveiling their lists of the top current basketball players. The theory is a countdown to the start of the 2011/12 NBA season, which was scheduled to start November 1st, but lockout negotiations are ongoing to say the least. ESPN did a top 500 list, and made it interactive over twitter with the hashtag #NBArank, and SLAM's messaging boards have topped 500 comments for the Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade and Derrick Rose pages.

While these outlets were generating buzz, I was becoming inspired.

Who really was the best?

Everybody has an opinion, so I've gathered some of the best of them and grouped it with other relevant information. Each player is listed with relevant rankings from various trusted basketball outlets, statistical information for the top 5 categories (pts, reb, ast, FG%, FT%) and an indication if they finished in the top 10 in another category like blocks, 3FG%, or turnovers.

I also looked at advanced statistical measures such as PER, Net Production, and Simple Rating which are relatively explained in the links.

For some players, certain ranking systems do not apply, and are simply not listed.

In all, this was an attempt to be unbiased, to gather and reflect on existing sources, and ultimately form an educated opinion that is at once objective, and also completely my own.

SLAM's list is for "projected production in the upcoming '11/12 season," and this means that steady regular season production is a factor. The good teams have always paced themselves, and Kobe could still go for 30, but he knows he doesn't need to. Plus, you're speculating on fantasy and future.

My list is based on right now. If the lockout were to end, and instead of a season all we got was a Finals. Who would you pick to lead your team? Who could have the most impact in just a series, when all the chips are down?

Please engage me on this, I want to hear your thoughts. No list is permanent, and subject to change.

Wed October 26: 50 - 41
Thurs October 27: 40 - 31
Fri October 28: 30 - 21
Sat October 29: 20 - 16
Sun October 30: 15 - 11
Mon October 31: 10 - 6
Tues November 1: 5 - 1

50
Andrew Bogut
-       ESPN rank 33 (7.31)
-       SLAMonline rank - 49
-       CBS rank 104 (67.37)
-       Yahoo 2011 Fantasy Draft Average Pick -62.2
-       Sports Illustrated #37
-       Eye on Basketball #37
-       12.8 pts, 11.1 reb, 2.0 ast, 49.5 FG%, 44.2 FT%
-       2010/11 Season Blocks per game #1

Bogut himself has admitted he'd never be the same, and would always feel "limitations" for his whole life after a dramatic elbow and wrist injury. Still, the former #1 pick led the NBA in blocks per game last year, while averaging a double-double.
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49

Nené
-       ESPN rank 31 (7.41)
-       CBS rank 50 (75.75)
-       Yahoo 2011 Fantasy Draft Average Pick -41
-       Player Efficiency Rating #26
-       Sports Illustrated #24
-       Eye on Basketball #26
-       14.5 pts, 7.6 reb, 2.0 ast, 61.5 FG%, 71.1 FT%

Nené makes this list because of the relative lack of impactful big men in the NBA. He can score and defend, and shot 61.5% from the field last year, evident of his effective production.
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48  
Marc Gasol
-       ESPN rank 26 (7.51)
-       SLAMonline rank - 47
-       CBS rank 52 (75.41)
-       Yahoo 2011 Fantasy Draft Average Pick -52.5
-       Sports Illustrated #40
-       Eye on Basketball #31
-       11.7 pts, 7.0 reb, 2.5 ast, 52.7 FG%, 74.8 FT%

Marc Gasol makes this list because of his strong playoff showing last year in Memphis, where he battled the Duncan-led #1 Spurs in the opening round and triumphed. A variety of low-post moves, and efficient percentages make the younger Gasol brother worthy of top-50 status.
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47 
Andrew Bynum
-       ESPN rank 30 (7.45)
-       SLAMonline rank - 44
-       CBS rank 201 (52.45)
-       2k12 rank 40 (79)
-       Yahoo 2011 Fantasy Draft Average Pick -74.6
-       Player Efficiency Rating #21
-       Sports Illustrated #38
-       PSD Top 10 - #14
-       Eye on Basketball #25
-       11.3 pts, 9.4 reb, 1.4 ast, 57.4 FG%, 66.0 FT%
-       2010/11 Season Blocks #6
-       Net Production #10
-       played 54 games

So far this is a very big-man heavy list, I realize. But good centres are really hard to come by. Bynum has been doubted for years, and always showed potential. He has an excellent upside, but his health is inconsistent. Skill-wise he should be ranked higher, but he needs to become more dependable.
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46 
Lamar Odom
-       ESPN rank 44 (6.94)
-       SLAMonline rank - 42
-       CBS rank 36 (79.17)
-       Yahoo 2011 Fantasy Draft Average Pick -66.3
-       Player Efficiency Rating #31
-       Sports Illustrated #33
-       Eye on Basketball #33
-       14.4 pts, 8.7 reb, 3.0 ast, 53.0 FG%, 67.5 FT%

Lamar Odom is so skilled he could do everything. This means he often middles about trying to be the glue for his team, when he could be leading them in scoring, assists and rebounds. The thing is, as long as Lamar is winning, he doesn't care how it happens statistically or hierarchically in his teams' structure.
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45 
John Wall
-       ESPN rank 40 (7.07)
-       SLAMonline rank - 25
-       CBS rank 53 (75.34)
-       2k12 rank 29 (82)
-       Yahoo 2011 Fantasy Draft Average Pick -40.6
-       Sports Illustrated #72
-       Eye on Basketball #41
-       16.4 pts, 4.6 reb, 8.3 ast, 40.9 FG%, 76.6 FT%
-       2010/11 Season 2nd Most Turnovers

Some sources have had Jimmy Zigs ranked higher, but I think he needs more time. He missed a fair chunk of his rookie season, but he has the size, explosiveness and quickness to be a dominant guard in the NBA. He has to cut down on the turnovers, and play up to his potential for a full season before he moves up this list.
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44
Tyson Chandler
-       ESPN rank 37 (7.21)
-       CBS rank 87 (69.63)
-       Yahoo 2011 Fantasy Draft Average Pick -95.1
-       Player Efficiency Rating #48
-       Sports Illustrated #35
-       Eye on Basketball #34
-       10.1 pts, 9.4 reb, 0.4 ast, 65.4 FG%, 73.2 FT%
-       2010/11 True Shooting Percentage #1 (.697)
 

If last years' playoff run in Dallas was any indication, Chandler is an effective defensive centre who has been underrated much of his career. He shoots terrific percentages including the best "true shooting percentage" and is a rock on defense. Relish this spot, Tyson.
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 43
Carlos Boozer
-       ESPN rank 50 (6.70)
-       SLAMonline rank - 38
-       CBS rank 118 (65.13)
-       Yahoo 2011 Fantasy Draft Average Pick -63.6
-       Player Efficiency Rating #40
-       Sports Illustrated #45
-       Eye on Basketball #55
-       17.5 pts, 9.6 reb, 2.5 ast, 51.0 FG%, 70.1 FT%

Boozer underwhelmed in the playoffs, and missed the start of the season after injuring himself in a household accident, and this leaves his rank fairly low. People may have been unduly critical of him in the games he did play, but he is still a dominant player when he applies himself and imposes his will. 
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42 
Al Horford
-       ESPN rank 25 (7.80)
-       SLAMonline rank - 32
-       CBS rank 18 (84.3)
-       Yahoo 2011 Fantasy Draft Average Pick -17.3
-       Player Efficiency Rating #23
-       Sports Illustrated #25
-       Eye on Basketball #24
-       15.3 pts, 9.3 reb, 3.5 ast, 55.7 FG%, 79.8 FT%

Horford comes in ahead of Boozer for his work ethic and percentages. Boozer is a more focal point of the Chicago offense than Horford is in Atlanta, but given a few more touches Horford would outscore Booz. Horford is also playing out of position as a centre, when he's closer to Boozer's size at the power-forward position.
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41 
Gerald Wallace
-       ESPN rank 48 (6.82)
-       SLAMonline rank - 41
-       CBS rank 43 (77.18)
-       2k12 rank 23 (83)
-       Yahoo 2011 Fantasy Draft Average Pick -25.5
-       Sports Illustrated #39
-       Eye on Basketball #40
-       15.7 pts, 8.0 reb, 2.4 ast, 45.4 FG%, 74.6 FT%

Gerald "Crash" Wallace always goes hard, and that motor is invaluable to a team with championship aspirations. He crashes the boards to get rebounds, can score as a slasher, and is an adequate defender in team and one-on-one situations.








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