The two-time Most Valuable Player nearly made it three consecutive MVP awards last year. He may well have deserved it. Nash elevates the level of play of his teammates, simply making them better overall. That is the most telling element of a point guard. The other would be measuring the player's assist to turnover ratio.

In the league right now, there are, in my opinion, five top-tier point guards. They include Steve Nash of Phoenix, Deron Williams of Utah, Baron Davis of Golden State, and Jason Kidd of New Jersey. When you examine the seasons of each of these players to date, it is evident that Nash and Paul are the best at their crafts, at this point.

Paul burst on the scene as a rookie, quickly establishing himself as an elite player at his position on the way to being named NBA Rookie of the Year. Last season, while he was still quite good, his level of play dropped off slightly, largely due to the wear and tear of playing for the national team throughout the "off season." He battled injuries much of the season and his numbers were down a bit.
This season, Paul's numbers are simply brilliant. They compare favorably to Nash and very favorably to the other four standout players at his position. Let us look at the primary numbers for each player, side-by-side:
 
NASH                  PAUL               DAVIS              WILLIAMS         KIDD____      
17.5 Pts.              21.7 Pts.          21.9 Pts.        19.8 Pts.          11.0 Pts.
12.4 Asts. (1st)    10.0 Asts. (3rd) 8.0 Asts. (7th) 8.8 Asts. (5th)10.4 Asts. (2nd)
.7 Stls.                 2.92 Stls. (1st)  2.5 Stls. (3rd) 1.2 Stls.          1.74 Stls.
3.7 Reb.               3.8 Reb.           4.9 Reb.         3.1 Reb.          8.7 Reb.
92.5% FT(1st)     91.0% FT (6th) 76% FT          78% FT           84% FT
51% FG               49% FG            41% FG          50% FG          49% FG
47% 3-Pt.            40% 3-Pt.          34% 3-Pt.       39% 3-Pt.        31% 3-Pt.
 
From a team perspective, Nash and the Suns are 19-9, tied for second in the Western Conference. Paul and the Hornets are 18-10, tied for fifth in the West. Davis and the Warriors are 16-12, tied for seventh in the West. Williams and the Jazz are 15-14, ninth in the West. Kidd and the Nets are 12-16, tied for ninth in the Eastern Conference.

Nash leads in four of the pertinent statistical categories but Paul leads him in three of the seven categories on an individual basis (points, rebounds, steals). In a head-to-head battle on December 15, the Hornets beat the Suns 101-98 at New Orleans Arena in a game I attended. Without a doubt, Paul got the better of Nash that night, going for 21 points, 10 assists, and two rebounds while Nash was held to 12 points, 7 assists, and three rebounds. In a matter of speaking, Nash and Paul represent the present and the future of the position. Williams, a contemporary of Paul, is also the future. Many saw him surpassing Paul a year ago though the pendulum appears to have swung back Paul's way. Kidd is still an outstanding play maker and rebounder but does not have the scoring or shooting ability of Paul or Nash. Davis, who was a cancer in New Orleans, is back in shape and playing very well but is not the passer or shooter that Paul and Nash are. 

With the All-Star game set for New Orleans on Sunday, February 17, here is hoping that Paul gets a richly deserved nod to play in the game. Needless to say, with the lack of attendance at Hornets game and the team's relative obscurity to the rest of the nation, Paul will not get the votes necessary to be elected to play. He will have to be added as a reserve to Nash which he will not mind at all. In the final analysis, here's how I rank NBA point guards at this point:
 
1)  Steve Nash (by a whisker)
2)  Chris Paul (closing fast)
3)  Deron Williams (right there)
4)  Baron Davis (it's a slight drop-off)
5)  Jason Kidd (still formidable)

---

Bookmark