Top Five Players in the NBA

The NBA is becoming into the league it was in the late 1980's when select teams had various Hall of Famers and they competed year in and year out for the championship, i.e. the Celtics, Lakers, and Pistons. Now however, there are much more teams that are in the hunt for the title because of the immense increase in talent. There are a select few though that have captured the limelight and have become the elite players in the game today. Here is a list of the top 5 players in the NBA.

5. Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets) - Anthony is the superstar on a loaded Nuggets team that made it to the Western Conference Finals in 2009. He is the focal point of the offense and is consistently in the top 5 in scoring in the league. His championship at Syracuse in 2003 was a stepping stone to an eventual NBA championship.

4. Dwayne Wade (Miami Heat) - Wade is a diamond in the rough down in Miami, he doesn't have a great supporting cast and is often forced night in and night out to take control of the game by himself. With the help of one of the great all-time players in Shaquille O'Neal, Wade has a ring under his belt and he is thirsty for more.

3. Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder) - Durant has emerged as a dominant force on an up and coming Thunder team. Since he has only been in the league two years he has yet to reach his full potential, which by all means is really scary. The "Durantula" is a fit to cover with his almost 7'0" tall frame and his deadly shooting abilities.

2. LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers) - Arguably the best player in the game and in line to win his second straight MVP, James has led the Cavs to the Finals once already and came within a few wins in 2009 of doing it again. He carried his team against the Pistons a few years ago when they advanced to play the Spurs in the Finals. Jams will have at least two titles by the time his career is over and a few MVP awards.

1. Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers) - No one can really argue the fact that Bryant is the most deadly player in the game when it's on the line. He has 6 game winning shots already in the 2009-2010 season and his knack for big game heroics is second to none. Kobe will try to reach that magical sixth championship or maybe seventh to one up his hero, Michael Jordan. He already one up'ed Jordan in jersey numbers, taking 24, one more than Jordan.