The playoffs don't factor into these rankings, as the scores were compiled during the regular season. These ranks identifies the players who performed best during
the 2013-14 season. Potential doesn't matter, and neither does
reputation. It's all about what happened this season, and this season
only. All positions are graded using the same criteria (though rim
protection was added into the equation for bigger positions), but the
categories are weighted differently to reflect changing roles :
Number 10.
Kevin Love, Power Forward, Minnesota Timberwolves
The big man stayed healthy this year, and
his contributions from downtown helped make his high-scoring exploits
especially valuable for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He's the league's
best stretch 4, dominating defenses through intimidation when he stands
out on the perimeter, and his passing is just spectacular. He's a
phenomenal distributor, and his outlet passes are the best we've seen in decades. He was a bit shy of the league leaders in rebounds per game,
Love remained one of the premier players in this category, regardless
of said player's spot in the lineup. His lower body is so strong, and it's nearly impossible to knock him out of position. Throw aside the omnipresent rumors that Love isn't long for
Minnesota; he's staunchly denied every single one of them, supporting
his team and giving it his all each and every night he's able to suit
up.
Number 9.
Joakim Noah, Center, Chicago Bulls
How many centers would you trust taking the ball up the court? Only a
handful of names ring out, but Noah's leads the bunch because he can
run the show and function as a point center. His passing skills are off
the charts to the point that I was tempted to give him more than a
perfect score in the distributing category. Among NBA centers, Noah set the curve for defense and non-traditional
offense. Many things about him are unorthodox, from the ball-handling
to the side-spinning free throws to the ponytail, but there's an
old-school flair to his passion, defensive exuberance and flat-out
hatred for his bitter rivals in the Eastern Conference. Noah is unarguably
one of the most passionate players in basketball, and his never-say-die
attitude is contagious. The combination
resulted in the best season by a true center in 2013-14.
Number 8.
John Wall, Point Guard, Washington Wizards
The development of a consistent three-point stroke has done wonders for John Wall's
scoring efficiency, but it's still not quite up to the standards
produced by many of the NBA's top point-producing standouts. While Wall's outside shooting has been getting
better, it's still not threatening enough to keep defenses fixated on
him when the ball rests in the hands of a teammate on the Washington
Wizards. Don't look now, but Wall has become a fantastic on-ball defender. He's become
increasingly able to settle down in a defensive stance and make the
opposing point guard have to fight for any sort of positioning. Wall likes to pick and choose the times when he crashes the boards.
It makes him an efficient rebounder, but the fact that he pulls down
over four rebounds per contest is a bit misleading. Every once in a
while, he uses those insane hops to sky over a bigger player, but it
would be nice to see him do so with more frequency. Also a true leader capable of motivating his
troops into the playoffs. Throughout the 2013-14 season, the point guard
has been both a vocal leader and a veteran who leads by example.
Number 7.
Blake Griffin, Power Forward, LA Clippers
Blake Griffin has developed into one
of the top scorers in all of basketball. Not only does he put up nearly
25 points per game, but he does so while making over half his shots from
the field in almost every game and over 70 percent of his freebies. Griffin doesn't throw outlet passes like Kevin Love, but he's such a
good distributor that Doc Rivers feels confident having the Los Angeles
Clippers run the offense through the power forward. Even when Chris Paul
is on the court. On top of that, he's such an athletic and aggressive finisher
that looking away from him for even one second can result in a The Mozgov or The Perkins. He's not really a good defender, but under the tutelage of
Rivers, Griffin developed his instincts to the point that he is no
longer a liability, particularly when guarding players rolling to the
basket, Griffin was blasted for his lack of effort on the glass last season,
but he fixed all those problems in 2013-14. He's not quite on the same
level as the truly elite rebounders, but he's not far from that status
either.
Number 6.
Carmelo Anthony, Forward, New York Knicks
He can put up as many points as anyone during a single game and was one of just two players to top 60 points
during the 2013-14 season. He can knock down three-pointers or put his
back to the basket and torture defenders in the post. He can hit the
tough, superstar shots that he creates for himself. One of the greatest myths out there is that Melo isn't a
great rim-protector and often takes possessions off. Another underrated element of Anthony's game came on the glass, where
he set career highs in rebounds per game, rebounds per 36 minutes and
defensive rebounding percentage. He was already an asset on the boards
in the past, but he flat-out excelled this year. The 2013-14 season could've easily become a never-ending stream of
distractions for this impending free agent. But he chose to stay focused
throughout the entire campaign, giving the Knicks his full attention
and staying both motivated and healthy until his shoulder problems at
the end of the year.
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