Ranking 76ers’ James Harden and the top 30 NBA point guards

James Harden, Tyrese Haliburton, 76ers (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
James Harden, Tyrese Haliburton, 76ers (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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James Harden, 76ers (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
James Harden, 76ers (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

. PG. Philadelphia 76ers. James Harden. 6. player. 93

James Harden has settled nicely into phase two of his NBA stardom. He’s no longer the one-man elite offense who dominated every aspect of the game in Houston, but he’s still a master manipulator who consistently elevates teammates and who can still score in bunches when called upon. His pick-and-roll chemistry with Joel Embiid has developed to the point of comical effectiveness and he’s still a nightly triple-double threat. He’s an old master at work.

34. . PG. Portland Trail Blazers. Damian Lillard. 5. player

Damian Lillard has returned to superstar form after genuine longevity concerns tied to his core muscle ailment. The Blazers haven’t built a contender around him unfortunately, but Lillard’s talent for pull-up shooting and creating for others is still plainly evident in the box score and on film.

. PG. Memphis Grizzlies. Ja Morant. 4. player. 211

The abnormally high volume of top-notch MVP candidates has pushed Ja Morant’s spectacular season to the periphery for some, but it’s hard to overstate the difficulty of winning with a young team. The Grizzlies deploy very few true veterans, and it is Morant’s leadership that keeps the ship on such a promising course. He can get to the rim at will, his 3-point shot improves every season, and his talent for collapsing the defense naturally leads to opportunities for teammates.