A good point guard is invaluable to any basketball team, as this player controls their team’s use of the ball and tries to create scoring opportunities for themselves and for others.
Who are the best point guards who have been on fire this season in the NBA?
Chris Paul, the Phoenix Suns
Chris Paul has been a leading name in the NBA since he joined the New Orleans Hornets in the 2005 draft and won the rookie of the year award. His collection of medals and honors includes a couple of Olympic gold medals, 12 All-Star picks, and an appearance for the NBA’s 75th anniversary team.
The 2021-22 season saw him become the first player in the NBA to ever get to 20,000 points and 10,000 assists, as he climbed to third place on the all-time assists list. Interestingly, this season also saw him set a record as the first player to help set a franchise victories record for four different teams.
The play-offs started with Paul scoring 30 points against the New Orleans Pelicans. The series is tied at 2-2 at the time of writing. So far, nonetheless, Bovada.lv has the Suns as favorites to win the NBA ring, but everything can change.
Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors
Steph Curry has long been regarded as one of the finest point guards to ever play the game. His long list of honors includes being named an NBA All-Star eight times, being MVP in the league on two occasions, and three championships.
He is regarded as possibly the best shooter in NBA history, and his incredible accuracy with three-pointers has inspired more players to try these shots, changing the way that the sport is played. Injury disrupted his 2020-21 season, although he still recorded some hugely impressive figures when he was able to get back on the court.
This season has seen Curry back to his best and leading the NBA with 32 points per game on average. The difference in the Warriors’ play when he’s present compared to the games he misses is noticeable. Although they started the postseason with him out of the starting line-up, this was seen by most people as a temporary measure.
Luka Doncic, the Dallas Mavericks
Slovenian point guard Luka Doncic has been in outstanding form for the Mavericks this season, and is widely tipped to be named the NBA MVP. His scoring record and assists numbers are among the best you’ll find anywhere and he’s been a fan favorite since joining Dallas in the 2018 draft.
The team’s hopes for the postseason have been hit by the fact that Doncic has missed the first couple of games against the Utah Jazz with injury. At the time of writing, he is expected to miss the third game too, and the Mavericks are planning for him to return for the fourth game.
The series sits at 1-1 after the first two games and the return of the point guard for the fourth game could be a big factor in helping Dallas to get through to the next stage of the play-offs.
Trae Young, the Atlanta Hawks
Trae Young made a big impression in college basketball, as he became the only player to ever lead the NCAA in terms of points and assists in the same season. After his college career with the Oklahoma Spooners, he joined the Dallas Mavericks in the 2018 draft before getting traded to the Hawks.
His success in his first season in the NBA saw him picked for the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2019. He’s also been named as an All-Star on a couple of occasions since then. This season, Young picked up a career-high total of 56 points and 14 assists along with a run of 17 games in a row where he scored 25 points or more. He also went on to rack up his tenth career game of 40 points and ten assists or more.
He ended the regular season as the second player to ever lead the NBA in both points and assists in the same season. The play-offs haven’t gone to plan so far, with Young largely failing to impress as the Hawks lost their first two games against the Miami Heat.
Damian Lillard, the Portland Trail Blazers
While injury has ruled out Damian Lillard from playing in the remainder of the season, his tremendous record as a point guard means that he deserves a place on this list. Lillard has been in the NBA since joining in the 2012 draft, and he quickly earned the rookie of the year award.
He’s been named as an All-Star six times and was also included in the NBA’s 75th anniversary team. His success at point guard is partly based on his excellent shooting skills, as he’s capable of scoring from anywhere and is particularly adept at scoring vital clutch points under pressure.
Lillard started the 2021-22 season in good form and managed a season-high total of 39 points and seven rebounds in November. Abdominal surgery at the start of 2022 cut his season short and without him Portland failed to make the play-offs for the first time since his rookie season.
