NBA Player Rankings: The top 25 players for 2014-15
By Seth Partnow
Going Down, Going Up?
The next two players are probably headed in opposite directions. One has been bobbing just around the edges of the “best player in the game” debate for the last few seasons, but age and a succession of leg injuries are slowing him just enough that he’s dropping back. The other was anointed the Next Big Thing when he was drafted first overall in 2012, and if anything has exceeded expectations.
4. Chris Paul – Still the toughest little SOB in the game. Even as the aforementioned injuries and mileage have sapped his athleticism, he can still dominate through sheer force of will. Paul enters 2014-15 with a lot to prove as he’s never really had sustained playoff success and in many ways the Clippers elimination at the hands of the Thunder stemmed from some uncharacteristic late-game blunders by Paul. He also knows the clock is ticking on his status as an elite player, and he’s just prideful enough to need his first title to be as the best player on the team. In terms of production, Paul gets his own shots, involves more limited teammates and does it while turning the ball over far less frequently than other point guards with comparable responsibilities. Alongside Conley, he’s also one of the more able defenders at the position, using his strength and anticipation to lead the NBA in steals per game four seasons running and six of the last seven.
3. Anthony Davis – The Brow is coming to destroy the world. Seemingly every game sees him figure out how to use his otherworldly combination of length, athleticism and coordination to better effect. With the addition of Omer Asik to help protect rim for the Pelicans, Davis might be fully free to envelope ball-handlers all over the court. On offense, he continues to add shooting range and is just starting to become comfortable making moves that require more than one or two dribbles. This is the truly terrifying bit: he’s already this good and is still getting much better. A question lingering over the NBA is whether Kevin Durant will ever be the best player in the league or if by the time LeBron James is ready to cede the perch, Davis may have passed them both. That probably doesn’t happen this season. Probably.