Top 50 players in the NBA: Philadelphia 76ers have 5 players featured
Paul George. 10. player. 77. . Wing. Los Angeles Clippers
Paul George took a step forward last season, finishing top-three in MVP voting and averaging a career-high 28.0 points per game. Now he embarks on a new challenge, joining Kawhi Leonard on the conference-favorite Clippers. He’s an ideal fit — a special off-ball star who can share in Kawhi’s workload, drill off-movement 3s and defend at an elite level. He will help ensure the Clippers’ success on both ends.
. Big. Los Angeles Lakers. Anthony Davis. 9. player. 20
Even in what most consider a lost season, Anthony Davis averaged 25.9 points, 12.0 rebounds and 2.4 blocks while posting shooting splits of .517/.331/.794 — pretty, pretty good. Now he’s teaming up with LeBron James, who will open up more easy looks and diversify Davis’ scoring opportunities if utilized correctly. Davis can spread the floor, shred bigs as a face-up scorer and finish with touch inside. All that, and he’s a world-class rim protector.
Big. Denver Nuggets. Nikola Jokic. 8. player. 73.
The most unlikely of stars, Nikola Jokic doesn’t look the part of a top-10 player. But he’s one of the NBA’s most entertaining entities, whipping magical passes, spacing the floor and making Denver’s up-tempo offense hum. He’s the best offensive center in basketball, bar none. He proved his worth in the postseason as well, dissolving those concerns. He averaged 20.1 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists as a slow-footed center who can reasonably defend.
93. . Big. Philadelphia 76ers. Joel Embiid. 7. player
The separation between Joel Embiid, Jokic and Davis is air-tight. I’d listen to (and accept) arguments listing them any which way. Embiid gets the nod, however, for his immense defensive presence. He operates on a separate defensive plane than even Davis, covering immense ground and swallowing drives to the hoop. He’s the closest to Gobert’s level in the league. He’s also a dominate offensive presence, putting constant pressure on the rim and drawing fouls as a result. His passing also improved last season.
6. player. 147. . Wing. Brooklyn Nets. Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant takes a slight hit due to his ruptured Achilles, which are historically difficult to bounce back from. We’ve seen it with DeMarcus Cousins, Wesley Matthews and plenty others — strong NBA talents who aren’t quite the same post-injury. KD was arguably the best player in basketball upon getting hurt, which puts him in a unique space. His length, shooting range and skill will survive the injury. His explosiveness and defense are the primary concerns.