Top Five Point Guards in the NBA

Years ago, professional basketball was built around dominating big men that could control the paint either at the offensive end, ala Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or on the defensive end of the floor, like the legendary Bill Russell.

These days, the game has become much more guard-oriented - although having a legitimate big man can still help any team go a very long way.

With that time-altered fact firmly in hand, here is a look at the top five point guards in the NBA.

Chris Paul

I don't think there's a player - or point guard - in the entire league that will dispute the fact that Chris Paul is the best point guard on the face of the planet at this point of his still blossoming career. Paul leads the league in assists (11.0 per game) and is also averaging 22.8 points per game, not to mention 5.5 rebounds and 2.8 steals per contest.

Deron Williams

If Chris Paul is the No.1 point guard in the NBA then Utah's Deron Williams is 1A. Williams ranks second in the NBA in assists, averaging 10.7 per game while also putting up 19.4 points per contest. Surprisingly, with his size and strength, Williams averages just 2.9 rebounds per game. Still, I fully believe is the No. 2 point guard on the face of the planet.

Tony Parker

Parker doesn't average a bunch of assists, (6.9 per game) but can still score (22.0 ppg) with any lead guard on the planet with his blazing quickness and cagey forays to the basket. Oh, the fact that he's a thee-time champion doesn't hurt either. To be blunt about it, Parker has carried the Spurs on his back this season more than any other player - including superstar forward Tim Duncan.

Steve Nash

Say what you want about Nash's lack of defense, I think he's a future Hall of Fame inductee who's still got plenty of gas left in the tank as evidenced by his 9.7 assists per game despite the fact that the Suns have failed to play to his strengths one iota this season. Nash is averaging 15.7 points per game this year as the Suns have gone to a slow-down half-court offense under former head coach terry Porter, but should see his numbers pick up as the Suns are going back to their up-tempo offense they've run the last four seasons.

Chauncey Billups

Sure, I could have selected another point guard for this spot, but I firmly believe that Chauncey Billups is the fifth-best point guard in the NBA. While Billups ranks just 17th in assists (6.4 per game) this season he does average 17.7 points per contest, but more importantly, brings a multitude of intangibles to the table that just don't show up in the stat sheet. Need proof? Just take a look at how the Detroit Pistons have fallen apart after trading him while his new team, the Denver Nuggets, have improved immensely while suddenly taking it upon themselves to start playing actual defense - starting with their new floor leader.