As the 2010 fantasy basketball season drifts farther and farther away from us and teams like the Wolves, Kings and Wizards seem like a distant stupid gag played on us in between Lakers games and Bulls matches. Before we completely forget about the pre-postseason NBA league, let’s take a look back on the little guys – the point guards – who in this case are literally the little guys. When we recap the centers, they’ll be metaphorical little guys – but now, not so much. First up, e’re comparing the year-end results with out Top 20 PG for 2010. (Spoiler alert: everyone underestimating Derrick Rose, even me, and I feared I overestimated him.) We’re using the season totals from ESPN’s Player Rater to determine each’s guy’s final rank. We’re listing averages, but we took totals into account because games played weighs heavily on his value – natch. Anyway, here’s the top 20 point guards for 2010 fantasy basketball and how they compared to where I originally ranked them:
1. Chris Paul – I won’t argue Paul as the number one floor general in the league, but when you’re making your first picks in the draft, you should go for the lowest risk, highest reward possible and I’m not sure Paul is that guy anymore among point guards. He played slightly injured for much of the season and would lay the occasional stinker. I’m not sure I want that if there’s a guy who never laid a stinker all season still available at the position. Preseason Rank #1, 2010 Projections: .480/.853/1 3ptm/20 pts/4.5 rbd/11 ast/2.5 stl/0 blk/2.5 tov, Final Numbers: .463/.878/0.9 3ptm/15.9 pts/ 4.1 rbd/ 9.8 ast/ 2.4 stl/ 0.1 blk/ 2.2 tov, 80 games
2. Derrick Rose – I’ll ask you this with the assumption that you won’t actually answer me: if you had to pick the PG you were most sure would produce from game-to-game, are you really going with Paul? Preseason Rank #7, 2010 Projections: .480/.797/0.5 3pt/21.5 pts/3 rbd/7 ast/1 stl/0 blk/3 tov, Final Numbers: .445/.858/ 1.6 3ptm/25 pts/4.1 rbd/7.7 ast/1 stl/0.6 blk/3.4 tov, 81 games
3. Russell Westbrook – Three seasons into his career, Russell Westbrook has still not missed a game, which is pretty remarkable considering he started his rookie year backing up Earl Watson on the then-lowly Thunder. This almost certainly means I’ll draft him next year and he misses 19 games. For what it’s worth, I don’t see Westbrook improving much on these averages next year. He’s eventually going to miss a game, and with the development of Ibaka and Harden, Westbrook just won’t have to do the same kind of heavy lifting he did in the first 25 games of this season. Preseason Rank #6, 2010 Projections: .440/.785/0.5 3pt/17 pts/5 rbd/7.5 ast/1.5 stl/0.5 blk/3 tov, Final Numbers: .442/.842/0.4 3ptm/21.9 pts/4.6 rbd/8.9 ast/1.2 stl/0.4 blk/3.9 tov, 82 games
4. Stephen Curry – It’s quite telling how the rest of the season went for NBA point guards that the next four players on this list each missed no fewer than seven games, and really, go ahead and subtract another five or six games from each of these players for the games they played hurt. How many times did Steph slip on the boot this season? Preseason Rank #3, 2010 Projections: .450/.880/2.5 3ptm/22 pts/4 rbd/4 ast/2 stl/0 blk/2.5 tov, Final Numbers: .480/.934/2 3ptm/18.6 pts/3.9 rbd/5.8 ast/1.5 stl/0.3 blk/3.1 tov, 74 games
5. Steve Nash – I’ve refused to take a chance on Steve Nash for three seasons now. Come at me in August and I’ll tell you all about how I’m still not taking a chance on Steve Nash. Preseason Rank #4, 2010 Projections: .490/.915/2 3pt/19.5 pts/3 rbd/8.5 ast/o.5 stl/0 blk/4 tov, Final Numbers: .492/.912/1.1 3ptm/14.7 pts/3.5 rbd/11.4 ast/0.6 stl/0.1 blk/3.5 tov, 75 games
6. Deron Williams – Considering he went through more changes this season than a pubescent 14-year-old, Deron was consistent when he was on the floor. Also worth noting, he averaged three more assists per game with the Nets than with the Jazz. Preseason Rank #2, 2010 Projections: .474/.807/1.5 3ptm/18 pts/3.5 rbd/11 ast/1 stl/0 blk/3 tov, Final Numbers: .439/.845/1.6 3ptm/20.1 pts/4 rbd/10.3 ast/1.2 stl/0.2 blk/3.6 tov, 65 games
7. Chauncey Billups – Presumably you want assists out of your point guard. Presumably you went elsewhere for assists if you drafted Billups, who averaged the second-lowest fewest of anyone on this list. Presumably you were happy to draft him sometime past the fifth round and pissed if you reached for him anytime before then. Presumably, you were right to feel that way. Presumably you stopped reading this as soon as you saw Jrue Holiday’s name in the No. 7 slot. So … presumably I’m now just talking to myself. Preseason Rank #11, 2010 Projections: .425/.901/1.5 3pt/17 pts/3 rbd/5 ast/1 stl/0 blk/2 tov, Final Numbers: .427/.916/2 3ptm/16.8 pts/2.6 rbd/5.4 ast/1.0 stl/0.2 blk/2.5 tov, 72 games
8. Jrue Holiday – Eighty-two games buys you a seat at the Top 10 table. A third season buys Jrue a seat in the top seven in 2011. Oop, I’ve said too much! Preseason Unranked, Final Numbers: .446/.823/1 3ptm/14 pts/4 rbd/6.5 ast/1.5 stl/0.4 blk/2.7 tov, 82 games
9. Raymond Felton – The Knicks version of Felton would have been ranked ahead of Billups and Holiday. Actually, the Knicks version of any player would be ranked a few spots higher than on any other team. That franchise is like the Justin Timberlake of the NBA. When you’re matched together, your stock skyrockets to absurd proportions. Preseason Rank #18, 2010 Projections: .440/.775/1 3pt/13 pts/3.5 rbd/6.5 ast/1.5 stl/0 blk/2.5 tov, Final Numbers: .425/.805/1.5 3ptm/15.5 pts/3.6 rbd/8.3 ast/1.7 stl/0.1 blk/2.9 tov, 75 games
10. Jason Kidd – The only thing surprising about Kidd’s season was that he hung in there for all but two games. I like my PGs like I like my bagels – not stale and crusty. See my comments on Nash and add a year. Preseason Rank #9, 2010 Projections: .435/.815/1.5 3pt/8 pts/5 rbd/8.5 ast/1.5 stl/0 blk/2 tov, Final Numbers: .361/.870/1.7 3ptm/7.9 pts/4.4 rbd/8.2 ast/1.7 stl/0.4 blk/2.2 tov, 80 games
11. Beno Udrih – I gave my dog Beano to cure his bad gasses. The Kings gave the team Beno to cure its bad passes. Preseason Unranked, Final Numbers: .500/.864/0.8 3ptm/13.7 pts/3.4 rbd/4.9 ast/1.2 stl/0.1 blk/1.8 tov, 79 games
12. Tony Parker – His preseason ranking was pretty dead-on, yet he’s six spots ahead of where he should be. The Spurs ended the season with the second-best record in the NBA and Monsieur Parker was a big reason why. Is there a better player that illustrates the difference between a valuable NBA player and a valuable fantasy player? Preseason Rank #18, 2010 Projections: .510/.730/0 3pt/19 pts/3.5 rbd/6 ast/1 stl/0 blk/3 tov, Final Numbers: .519/.769/0.3 3ptm/17.5 pts/3.1 rbd/6.6 ast/1.2 stl/0 blk/2.6 tov, 78 games
13. Andre Miller – I don’t want to live in a world where Andre Miller is the best second PG any team could hope for. Preseason Unranked, Final Numbers: .460/.853/0 3ptm/12.7 pts/3.7 rbd/7 ast/1.4 stl/0.1 blk/2.4 tov, 81 games
14. Mike Conley – Conley had a better season than predicted in the preseason, but really, if 14/3/6.5 is enough to put you in the top half of a league stuffed with elite point guards next season, then we need to rethink the importance of PGs. Preseason Unranked, Final Numbers: .444/.733/1 3ptm/13.9 pts/3.1 rbd/6.6 ast/1.8 stl/0.2 blk/2.2 tov, 81 games
15. Kyle Lowry – I’m as shocked as you are, but not quite as shocked as Aaron Brooks. Preseason Unranked, Final Numbers: .426/.765/1.7 3ptm/13.5 pts/4.1 rbd/6.7 ast/1.4 stl/0.3 blk/2.1 tov, 75 games
16. D.J. Augustin – For the last time, yes. D.J. Augustin is for real this year. Now stop asking me until July or so. Preseason Unranked, Final Numbers: .416/.906/1.4 3ptm/14.4 pts/2.7 rbd/6.1 ast/0.7 stl/0 blk/1.9 tov, 82 games
17. Rajon Rondo – Was just outside of the elite point guards last season and took one big step back. His wonky feet kept him out of the top 10 this season, but his atrocious FT%, low scoring, total lack of long-range shooting and affinity for giving the ball to the other team is what’s keeping him out of the top 6. Preseason Rank #5, 2010 Projections: .495/.669/0 3pt/15 pts/5 rbd/9.5 ast/2 stl/0 blk/2.5 tov, Final Numbers: .475/.568/0.1 3ptm/10.6 pts/4.4 rbd/11.2 ast/2.3 stl/0.2 blk/3.4 tov, 68 games
18. John Wall – If your team weathered the storm his sickly FG% and tovs wrought – Wrought? Eh. Let’s go with it – then Wall probably ranked a little higher for you. Then again, if your team was able to weather your point guard missing 17 percent of his season and 59 percent of his shots, then you clearly don’t need my help. I’m not mad about it. I just ask that you not ruin it for everyone else here. Feel free to help yourself to as many finger sandwiches as you’d like before exiting quietly. Preseason Rank #15, 2010 Projections: .444/.777/1 3ptm/16 pts/4.5 rbd/6 ast/1 stl/0.5 blk/3.5 tov, Final Numbers: .409/.766/0.5 3ptm/16.4 pts/4.6 rbd/8.3 ast/1.8 stl/0.8 blk/3.8 tov, 69 games
19. Darren Collison – When all is said and done 16/3.5/6 isn’t bad, but it never felt like he was averaging this and you probably hated owning him. Here’s to forgetting all about that next season and banking on a gradual improvement from these averages in his magical third year. Preseason Rank #8, 2010 Projections: .460/.845/1.5 3pt/17 pts/4 rbd/8 ast/2 stl/0 blk/3 tov, Final Numbers: .457/.871/0.6 3ptm/15.8 pts/3.4 rbd/6.1 ast/1.3 stl/0.2 blk/3 tov, 79 games
20. Luke Ridnour – There’s no way you were happy rostering Ridnour all season. This position was really a dealbreaker this year.Preseason Unranked, Final Numbers: .468/.883/1.1 3ptm/11.8 pts/2.8 rbd/5.4 ast/1.3 stl/0.1 blk/2.2 tov, 71 games
