This is out
second Position Battle post of the season, and we will focus on the top five
shooting guards at this point in the season. Are there any surprises here?
Well, let’s just say there’s no Joe Johnson, no Klay Thompson, no OJ Mayo, no
Ray Allen, and no Jamal Crawford. Who else is left? You’ll see.
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| James Harden is the best SG in the Association. Bar none. (image by Troy Taormina/USA Today) |
Note: All of the following stats were
taken on December 8, 2013 (Manila time).
5. Kevin Martin (MIN) – 23.2ppg, 3.8rpg, 2.3apg,
1.1spg, 2.5 triples per game, 93.9 FT%, 18.3 EFF
Martin isn’t
top of mind when one talks about the Wolves, but he’s a big reason why Minny is
such a dangerous team this season. This is a guy who’s currently having his
best season since leaving Sacramento in 2010. Should he continue to score in
the 20s and drain more than 2 treys per game, then the Wolves just might have a
shot at making the Playoffs.
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| Kevin Martin has been stepping up for Minny! (image by Bill Baptist/Getty Images) |
4. Monta Ellis (DAL) – 21.6ppg, 5.8apg, 3.5rpg,
1.6spg, 47.1 FG%, 19.4 EFF
Ellis has been
known as a volume shooter for most of his career, while also not exactly making
the best decisions on the floor. This season, however, his shooting percentage is
higher than it’s been since 2008, and the Mavs are reaping the benefits. With
Ellis waxing hot, hardly any team is safe against the 2011 world champs.
3. Dwyane Wade (MIA) – 18.5ppg, 5.4apg, 4.7rpg,
2.1spg, 53.1 FG%, 19.8 EFF
This is what
the Heat have missed in their last couple of games. Wade might not be scoring
as heavily as before, but he rounds out his game with great rebounding,
playmaking, and defense. He has also been a very efficient offensive player,
making more shots than he misses. He is top 8 overall in steals, top 2 among
SGs in assists, and has just become the league’s all-time leader in blocks
among players 6’4 or shorter, surpassing Dennis Johnson.
2. Arron Afflalo (ORL) – 22.4ppg, 4.4rpg, 4.2apg,
49.0 FG%, 2.4 triples per game, 46.0 3pt%, 85.7 FT%, 20.8 EFF
Yes, Arron
Afflalo, a guy who makes significantly less money than the overpriced Joe
Johnson, is currently the league’s second best shooting guard. Yes, the Magic
have practically no chance of making the Playoffs (riggin’ and tankin’ galore
in the East), but at least Afflalo is adding to his stock – almost all his
stats are career-bests. He doesn’t become an unrestricted free agent till the
summer of ’16, but if he continues producing these numbers, then there
shouldn’t be any shortage of takers by then.
1. James Harden (HOU) – 24.4ppg, 5.4apg, 4.6rpg,
1.5spg, 45.2 FG%, 1.9 triples per game, 85.6 FT%, 22.3 EFF
The Rockets
are currently fifth in the West with a 14-7 slate, and much of that is thanks
to Harden, who has been nothing short of awesome this season. I mean, in a
league without a Kobe Bryant, who else will be the general pick for best SG?
The Beard is second overall in free throws made, which is compounded by the
fact he is third overall in free throws attempted. He is the fifth best scorer
overall at this point in the season, and is the third best playmaking SG of the
lot. In short, he might be a sleeper MVP candidate this season.
Outside
looking in:
Wesley Matthews (POR) – 17.1 EFF
Klay Thompson (GSW) – 16.7 EFF
DeMar DeRozan (TOR) – 15.7 EFF
Game Recaps:
Final
Score: Charlotte 105, Philadelphia 88
Charlotte, NC (SportsNetwork.com) -
Jeff Taylor scored 20 points starting in place of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and
Kemba Walker contributed 18 points with 10 assists as the Charlotte Bobcats
defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 105-88, at Times Warner Cable Arena. Gerald
Henderson also added 18 points, while Al Jefferson recorded his fourth straight
double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Tony Wroten scored a game-high 21
points with nine assists and eight rebounds. Wroten started in place of Michael
Carter-Williams who was out with right knee soreness. Evan Turner chipped in
with 16 points on 7-of-18 shooting and Hollis Thompson added 12 for the Sixers,
who lost their eight consecutive road game.
Final
Score: Milwaukee 109, Washington 105 (OT)
Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) -
Khris Middleton netted a career-high 29 points as the Milwaukee Bucks topped
the injury-riddled Washington Wizards in overtime, 109-105, from Verizon
Center. After Milwaukee scored the final five points of regulation to force
overtime, John Henson and Ersan Ilyasova opened the extra session with buckets
for a 106-102 lead. The Wizards were held without a point until Trevor Ariza
drew a foul shooting a 3 with 42.8 seconds remaining and hit all of the
subsequent free throws for a one-point margin. Brandon Knight came back and
swished a deep jumper for the Bucks before forcing John Wall into a crucial
turnover. Knight then split a pair at the line with 10.2 seconds to seal
Milwaukee's fourth win of the season. Henson was terrific for the Bucks,
tallying 19 points and 17 rebounds while Knight and O.J. Mayo deposited 20 and
17 points, respectively. Wall made 12- of-13 from the line en route to 30
points and eight assists for the Wizards, who snapped a two-game winning streak
and failed to go over .500 for the first time this season. Ariza had 22 points
with 12 boards for Washington, which lost Martell Webster (ankle) and Nene
(foot) to injuries during the game. The Wizards were already shorthanded,
having played the last six games without leading scorer Bradley Beal.
Final
Score: Atlanta 108, Cleveland 89
Atlanta, GA (SportsNetwork.com) - Al
Horford poured in 22 points to go with nine rebounds to lead the Atlanta Hawks
to a 108-89 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. Paul Millsap added 16
points and 14 rebounds while Jeff Teague and Lou Williams finished with 13
points apiece for the Hawks, winners in two straight. Dion Waiters scored a
season-high 30 points and Andrew Bynum added 20 points and 13 rebounds for the
Cavaliers, losers in six of their last eight. Cleveland star point guard Kyrie
Irving was held scoreless after going 0-for-9 from the field and 0-for-3 from
the foul line. It was the first time Irving has been held without a point in
his career.
Final
Score: Boston 106, Denver 98
Boston, MA (SportsNetwork.com) - Jordan
Crawford had 22 points and eight assists as the Boston Celtics topped the
Denver Nuggets 106-98 on Friday night. Avery Bradley and Kris Humphries netted
18 points apiece for Boston, which has won five of its last seven games. Denver
trailed by as many as 27 in the first half and faced a 64-44 deficit at the
break, but Ty Lawson nailed a 3-pointer and converted a runner on back-to-back
Nuggets possessions to cap a 16-4 run and claw the visitors within 66-60. Randy
Foye sunk a pair of free throws to whittle the gap to 74-71 with 4:12 left in
the frame, but the Nuggets never got any closer. Humphries netted the first six
Boston points during a 9-2 sprint, which Bradley concluded with a triple to
increase the margin to 83-73. Boston headed into the final period with an 87-77
advantage and led comfortably throughout the fourth. Lawson had 20 points
before exiting with a strained left hamstring for the Nuggets, who have dropped
two straight on the heels of a seven-game winning streak.
Final
Score: New York 121, Orlando 83
New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Carmelo
Anthony had a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds as the New York
Knicks routed the Orlando Magic, 121-83, from Madison Square Garden. The
Knicks, who held a 62-29 scoring advantage in the second half, secured their
second blowout win in as many nights. On Thursday, they won at Brooklyn,
113-83, to snap a nine-game skid. Andrea Bargnani and J.R. Smith each chipped
in 17 points, while Tim Hardaway Jr. and Raymond Felton added 15 and 14,
respectively. Arron Afflalo scored 20 points and rookie Victor Oladipo finished
with 17 points and nine rebounds for Orlando, which has lost its last four.
Final
Score: Houston 105, Golden State 83
Houston, TX (SportsNetwork.com) -
Dwight Howard totaled 22 points and 18 rebounds in the Houston Rockets 105-83
rout of the Golden State Warriors from Toyota Center. The Rockets jumped out to
a comfortable 31-12 lead after the first quarter and cruised the rest of the
way. The 12 points Golden State put up in the first on 4-of-20 shooting was the
lowest output against Houston in any period this season. James Harden led
Houston with 34 points as the Rockets broke out of a two-game slide. Harden
surpassed the 30-point mark for the third time in four games. Terrence Jones
added 16 points, 10 boards and three blocked shots in the victory. Stephen
Curry paced Golden State with 22 points. Harrison Barnes had 14 and Kent
Bazemore took advantage of a season-high 17 minutes with 12 points on 4-of-6
shooting.
Final
Score: Oklahoma City 109, New Orleans 95
New Orleans, LA (SportsNetwork.com) -
Kevin Durant had 29 points and eight rebounds as the Oklahoma City Thunder
defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 109-95 on Friday night. Russell Westbrook
added 25 points, four assists and four steals, while Serge Ibaka finished with
17 points and 13 boards for Oklahoma City, which has won nine of its last 10
games. Jrue Holiday filled the stat sheet with 16 points, eight rebounds, six
assists and four steals for the Pelicans, who have dropped back-to-back tilts.
Ryan Anderson netted 18 points in defeat.
Final
Score: Phoenix 106, Toronto 97
Phoenix, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) -
Markieff Morrris hit his first 11 shot attempts and finished with 25 points and
11 rebounds as the Phoenix Suns beat the Toronto Raptors 106-97 on Friday
night. Eric Bledsoe scored 19 points with six assists, while P.J. Tucker had 18
points and 13 rebounds for Phoenix, which snapped a four-game losing streak
against Toronto. Amir Johnson paced Toronto with 22 points and Kyle Lowry
finished with 21 points and seven assists. Rudy Gay and DeMar DeRozan scored 17
and 13, respectively, on a combined 11-of-30 shooting.
Final
Score: Portland 130, Utah 98
Portland, OR (SportsNetwork.com) - The
Trail Blazers put on a 3-point shooting clinic at the expense of the Jazz
Friday at the Moda Center. Wesley Matthews, Damian Lillard and Nicolas Batum
combined to go 12-of-15 from beyond the arc and helped Portland to a 130-98
blowout of Utah. The Blazers set a franchise- record with 17 3-pointers made,
going 17-of-23, and won for the fourth straight time. Matthews scored 24,
Lillard had 21 and LaMarcus Aldridge posted 20 points and 15 rebounds in
Portland's 15th victory in 16 contests. Alec Burks had 16 points off the bench
for Utah, which committed 17 turnovers that led to 28 Portland points.
Final
Score: LA Lakers 106, Sacramento 100
Sacramento, CA (SportsNetwork.com) -
Pau Gasol and Jodie Meeks both dropped in 19 points to lead the Los Angeles
Lakers to a 106-100 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday. Nick Young scored
14 and Steve Blake finished with 13 points and 10 assists for the Lakers,
winners in six of their last eight. In addition to the win, Los Angeles also
learned that star guard Kobe Bryant will make his season debut on Sunday
against Toronto. Bryant suffered a torn Achilles in his left leg on April 12,
and has been out of action since. DeMarcus Cousins scored 20 points and pulled
down 11 rebounds and Ben McLemore also scored 20 for the Kings, losers in six
straight.
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