NBA: The top 5 small forwards in the NBA today
Who are the five best small forwards in the NBA today?
Today, I will continue my series on the best five players in the NBA at each position. This time I will cover the small forwards.
Lately, the small forward position has been the star position. The last five scoring champions, the last three Finals MVP’s, and five or the last six season MVP’s have come from the small forward position.
This season, however, the small forward position took a hit from the injury bug. Some of the top small forwards have suffered from one form of injury or another. Those injuries do not take away from their spots as the five best, though.
One note: I used the profiles given on ESPN.com, so there is one player that can be used interchangeably at small or power forward. I used him at small forward because that is what ESPN has him in his profile. You will know who he is when you get there.
So, here are the top five small forwards in the NBA.
5. Chandler Parsons, Portland Trail Blazers
The Dallas Mavericks were able to steal Parsons away from the Houston Rockets over the summer when they signed him to a three-year, $46 million offer sheet.
The Rockets were blindsided with that offer (as were many around the NBA), and they could not afford that deal, so they let Parsons go on to Dallas.
Perhaps the weight of the contract was a lot on his shoulders, but Parsons started out slowly. He looked a little out of sorts in his new environment. He did have a stretch, flashing the skills that owner Mark Cuban hoped he’d show, averaging 23 points on 56 percent shooting.
Then the Mavs traded for Rajon Rondo, and Parsons had to adjust again.
Parsons has been an integral part of a Mavs team that is just a game behind the Rockets for first place in the Southwest Division. Teaming him up with Dirk Nowitzki will eventually click big time. He will get back on track, so watch him take down his former teammates.
4. Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs may have the big three in Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, but the engine that runs that team is Kawhi Leonard.
Leonard was last season’s NBA Finals MVP, leading the Spurs to an improbable upset of the mighty Miami Heat.
This season, Leonard was continuing his success, averaging career highs in points per game (15.2), rebounds (7.6), assists (2.5) and steals (2.0). He also had a 19.2 PER.
All that was until he hurt his hand. He’s been out since December 15th with a torn ligament in his shooting hand.
In the thirteen games that Leonard missed since injuring the hand, the Spurs are sputtering along at 6-7. His shooting spaces things out for the Big Three, allowing them to maneuver, either from the perimeter or from the blocks. His defense is almost irreplaceable. He is considered one of the top defenders in the NBA. It’s been a battle for the Spurs since he went down.
While Leonard gets close to coming back, the Spurs are hanging onto a playoff spot. They are the seventh seed in the Western Conference.
Once they get Leonard’s services again, expect the Spurs to make their customary run. They just look like a completely different team with him on the court. As difficult as the West is, one of the higher seeds will be very unhappy having to play the Spurs in the playoffs.
3. Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks
(Okay, this is where I take time out to point out that Melo is the player I wrote about being a two-way player. ESPN has him listed as a small forward, so if it is good enough for them, it is for me as well.)
Carmelo Anthony may be the best scorer in the NBA. He can score points from any spot on the court, no matter what the degree of difficulty may be.
Anthony had perhaps his best season last season. He put it all together — offensively and defensively (where he’s always struggled or refused to excel).
This season, he was again putting up nice numbers, averaging 23.9 points per game. He also had a PER of 21.2.
The injury bug hit Carmelo as well. He has not played since New Year’s Eve with what he calls knee soreness. He admits that he will probably need surgery soon, but not before he plays in the game against the Memphis Grizzlies in London, and the All Star, which will be played at Madison Square Garden, his home office.
In his absence this season, the Knicks are 0-10. To be fair, however, the Knicks are 5-25 WITH him, so he has not been much of an impact on this horrible team.
Anthony will eventually have his surgery, miss out on the second half of the season, and prepare for next season. Then we can see him put up the incredible offensive numbers we are accustomed to seeing from him.
2. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
Whereas Carmelo Anthony may be the best scorer, Kevin Durant may be the best offensive player in the NBA.
Okay, Durant has been suffering from injuries this season. He has played in only fourteen games, but the Thunder are 10-4 in those games, and he is averaging 25 points per game, shooting 52.2 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from beyond the arc. His PER is an incredible 29.0 (it was 29.8 last season when he won the MVP).
After missing six games right before the end of the year, Durant came back to play on New Year’s Eve. He scored 44 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and dished out 7 assists. In fact, since coming back, he’s averaged 29.6 points and 8.4 rebounds.
The Thunder have missed Durant and their other superstar, Russell Westbrook. It is hard to lose TWO of the best players in the NBA and continue to play well. The Thunder, at 18-19 are tied for the ninth seed, 2.5 games behind the Phoenix Suns for the last spot in the playoffs.
Things don’t look well for the Thunder, but if there is one player that can give a gargantuan effort in the second half and get his team in, it’s Kevin Durant. Let’s hope he stays healthy so we can continue to see him demonstrate his incredible abilities.
1. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Yes, despite missing games because of injury, and despite not having the same cast surrounding him in Cleveland that he did in Miami, LeBron James is still on top. Carmelo Anthony may be a great scorer and Kevin Durant a great offensive force, but James is hands down the best player in the NBA.
LeBron is averaging 25.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game. He also has a PER of 25.1.
Through it all, the underperforming Cavs, his supposed displeasure in new coach David Blatt, and dealing with knee and back issues, James is still playing at a high level. It may not be the stratospheric level he played while with the Heat, but he is still showing he is the best.
Lebron’s impact could be seen when he sits out games. In the nine games James missed, Cleveland is just 1-8, and looks more like the team in the first season after James left. There is no continuity in the offense, the defense is horrible, and Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love are showing they are not yet ready for prime time. James was chomping at the bit until he returned on Tuesday, calling the eight-game stretch “the most difficult thing I’ve been through.”
Things could change as the season goes along and James stays in the lineup. When a team has a supremely talented player like James, it is still difficult to count them out.
Next: Who are the 30 greatest small forwards in NBA history?