Dunk Base

As you all know, the point guard position is one of, if not the most, important positions on the basketball court. Although in this day and age, the true distributor is taking a backseat to the combo guard and various offenses that can be ran without a PG, it is still essential to have a capable floor general out there. These are the guys that are counted on to bring the ball up the court, often times receiving a play from the coach on the way. They are asked to set up the offense and get the ball to the right person in order to put this play in motion. Other times, there own number will be called, and there is nothing more exciting than seeing a good point guard at work. Without further ado, I rank the top 10 point guards in the NBA heading into the 2009-10 season:

10. Gilbert Arenas

Admittedly, I'm not a big fan of Gilbert Arenas. He shoots a lot, and he turns the ball over a lot. However, when he is on his game, what he brings to the table is unmatched by a lot of players in this league, save for the truly elite. Arenas is a top 5 scorer in the league when he is healthy, and I don't expect this year to be any different. One of the best things about Arenas' game is his ability to hit the clutch shots at the end of games; his ability to drive to the basket and get his shot off from just about anywhere on the court. Never considered a "true" point guard, his distributing skills leave some to be desired, but he isn't an inherently bad passer. If he can stay out of injury trouble, expect to see "Hibachi" lighting up the scoreboards again this year.

9. Rajon Rondo

Rajon Rondo has emerged as one of the finer young talents in today's NBA, showing incredible poise in leading a team consisting of three all-star calibre players, and even more so in the postseason. Rondo doesn't have a jumper that defenders respect, but he does a lot of other things out there that more than make up for this flaw. He is an excellent rebounder for a point guard, a top notch distributor, and is great and getting to the basket. First and foremost, though, he is an incredible defender. He is one of very few PG's in the league I would consider a true lockdown defender; his ability to get steals, combined with his trademark pestering of the player he's guarding, and his overall defensive fundamentals are incredible for such a young point guard. A lot of people doubt that he would have as much success with lesser talent around him, but that is merely speculation; the games, the stats, and lastly, the ring, prove that Rondo is a legitimate talent.

8. Jameer Nelson

Nelson, like Arenas, is not what you would call a true point guard. He only racks up about 5 assists per contest, but he doesn't play as many minutes per game as his peers. What he does do, is score, and he does this extremely well. Nelson earned his first career All-Star birth this past season by posting nearly 17 points a game on excellent shooting percentages, in only 31 minutes per game. Couple this with the 5 assists, and 3 rebounds he was able to haul in, and you have a relatively well rounded point guard. He can break you down off the dribble and dish or finish, or he can kill you with his smooth jumper from anywhere on the court. With the addition of elite scorer Vince Carter to the Magic team, expect his scoring totals to decrease a little bit, with a possible increase in assist totals.

7. Derrick Rose

If these rankings were based on last seasons play, Rose and Rondo would have switched spots here. However, these are for the upcoming season, and there isn't a player in the league with more potential than Derrick Rose. Last season, he showed an incredible combination of speed and agility, slicing up defenses on a regular basis and getting to the rim. He also proved to be an above average distributor and finisher, while hauling in a very respectable 4 rebounds a contest. Rose has to work on his defensive awareness in order to become truly elite, but he possesses the physical tools to do so, and he was able to show in some instances the ability to be a ball-hawk. What really impressed me about Rose, was his playoff performance; showing incredible poise in posting a stat line of 19/6/6, on incredible 49% shooting. Being one of the younger players in the league (and one of the more exciting), the sky is the limit for Rose.

6. Steve Nash

What would a top point guards list be without the former 2-time MVP? Not a very good one, I'll tell you that much. The only reason I have Nash lower on this list is because he is an aging body who has taken a beating over the years. Regardless, he is still the best shooter on the planet and one of the finest passers this league has ever seen. His uncanny ability to find his teammates without even looking at them, combined with his deceptive speed and ability to break down defenses, make him a formidable threat regardless of his age. The fact that he has posted five consecutive seasons with a 50% or better field goal rate proves that Nash is still one of the most efficient scorers in the NBA. He has taken flak for not being able to ever lead a team, but I put that more on his supporting cast than him; fact is, statistically, he has put up numbers that only an elite group of point guards in this era can match, and I see no reason for that to stop this year.

5. Devin Harris

Boy, do the Mavericks regret trading this guy or what? I know, I know, you've all heard a million times how much of a steal that trade was for New Jersey, but it deserves to be repeated; Harris is a stud. Harris has remarkable speed around pick-and-rolls, and while his assist totals don't rival some of his cohorts, he still manages to dole out 7 assists per contest on a rather mediocre Nets team. His speed and athleticism allow him to get to the rim with relative ease, and while he isn't necessarily dead-eye from deep, he can stroke the ball from pretty much anywhere else on the floor. Another thing about Harris that has him on this list above a guy like Nash, is his ability to defend his position; while not an all-world defender, Harris is among the better at his position in locking down his man. He has solid fundementals and good footwork, and rarely makes a mistake. Also, he is pretty good at taking care of the ball despite his often erratic style of play. Expect Harris to take on more of a scoring role with the absence of Carter in the lineup, but he should be able to maintain decent assist totals with up-and-coming centre Brook Lopez running the pick and roll with him.

4. Chauncey Billups

Billups was revitalized after being dealt to Denver early in the season in exchange for Allen Iverson, a deal many felt was in poor taste from Detroit's standpoint. Joining an above average squad with elite scorer Carmelo Anthony and various other unique talents - including returning centre Nene and sixth man scorer JR Smith - Billups posted one of his better seasons in recent memory. Statistically, he was about on par with his career with a stat line of 18/6/3 on a scintillating 60% TS, but it was his leadership for a relatively young, often misguided Nuggets team that was facing an identity crisis. He took young, unpredictable scorer JR Smith under his wing, and got him focusing more on picking his spots and playing defense, and he helped Carmelo develop into even more a complete player than he already was. Denver went from a random group of scorers to a finely tuned, defense-playing machine under Billups, with a birth in the Conference Finals as proof. Expect this team to continue to grow as a unit, and for Billups to continue with his always solid, always unheralded play.

3. Tony Parker

Alright, be honest, how many of you knew Parker was only 28 years old? An elite point guard in this league for 7 seasons now, Parker is only just entering the absolute prime of his career, and for a guy who has rarely battled injuries, this should have Spurs fans jumping for joy. Parker has proven to be a team-leading talent with the Spurs, and while he isn't a great long range shooter, he has developed a solid mid-range game to go along with his almost unmatched driving ability. Parker is one of the best at getting to the rim and finishing, combining his remarkable speed and high IQ to break down the toughest of defenses. He can pass, he can rebound, and he constantly posts incredible assist-to-turnover ratios. With the addition of versatile scorer Richard Jefferson and veteran post presence Antonio McDyess to this team, expect Parker to continue his jaw-dropping play and help get the Spurs back on top after a disappointing post-season exit last year.

2. Deron Williams

There is not a more physically imposing point guard in this league than Deron Williams. At 6'3, 210, Williams has a unique build that allows him to simultaneously muscle and blow by defenses at an alarming rate. Averaging nearly 20 points and 11 assists per contest the last two seasons, while maintaining remarkable efficiency, Williams is second only to Chris Paul when it comes to distributing and scoring ability. Williams has also grown as a defender, using his physical tools and good footwork to play tight, efficient defense at his position, putting forth maximum effort every time. Despite turnovers being an occasional problem, Williams posted an amazing 47.5 AST% last season, compared to only a 16.5 TOV%. Utah has never had the most eye-popping supporting cast, but with a healthy Boozer back and a year of growth for there young players, you can almost guarantee Williams will have another incredible year as point guard, and hopefully make his first All-Star game. Yes, that's right, Williams has not yet been an All-Star. Confused? Me too.

1. Chris Paul

Wow, where do I begin with Paul? Every time Paul steps on the court, he becomes closer to being the best point guard this game has ever seen. For every statistic a guy like Williams impresses you with, Paul has him one-upped; he posted remarkable averages of 23/11/5, with a whopping three steals per game to boot. He did all this on a 60 TS%, while keeping his turnovers to a minimum, with only a 13.5 TOV%. Paul, however, is a player you can not simply sum up with statistics, as every time I watch him play, it amazes me how calm his demeanor is, how well he leads his team, and how incredible his court vision is. Easily one of the faster players in the league, Paul is able to get past defenses with an ease that hasn't been seen since the days of Magic Johnson. The most impressive thing about Paul, though, is how he is able to haul in 5.5 rebounds per contest despite being 6'0, on a good day, as this just shows how tenacious and willing of a player he is. He is still only 23 years old, so we can all sit back and look forward to more mind-boggling, physics-defying basketball from Chris Paul.

Honourable mentions: Jose Calderon, Maurice Williams, Baron Davis.

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