With the NBA season heading towards the halfway mark, we see which players have been having the most significant impact on their team and the league. With familiar names filling the list, there are no surprises at this point.
Are the Suns, Bulls, Warriors, and Jazz doing work? We’ll also do a quick Lakers Western Conference update, they have work to do. Here are the 20 best players in the league right now.
Steph Curry
Steph Curry has been unstoppable with the ball in his hands as of late. He is sinking threes like it’s nothing and making drives and scoring points like he is playing against 10-year-olds. While some may disagree, he is the best in the league right now.
LeBron James
The Lakers may be struggling, but King James has undoubtedly found his rhythm again. He has been the top scorer in a number of the Lakers games, and is almost the reason they haven’t been entirely left behind in their conference.
Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant continues to prove why he should be in the GOAT conversation. The Nets got off to a rough start, but KD has pulled them back into the winning column. He may be injured right now, but he will undoubtedly be back with a bang.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Greek Freak is almost single-handedly carrying the Bucks on his back. Losses to the Raptors, Hawks, and Hornets would have stung, but a stunning victory against the Warriors, with Giannis scoring 30 points with 12 rebounds, is precisely what they need.
Joel Embiid
The 76ers haven’t been at their best. They had a rough start like the Nets, but have started to turn it around. Joel Embiid has been the catalyst, with the big Cameroonian power forward ranked fourth in points per game right now.
Nikola Jokic
Nikola is the man that keeps on giving. As long as he stays injury-free, they can keep up with those ahead of them. Currently second in the league in rebounds per game, the Nuggets should really be doing better when they have the powerful Serbian in their ranks doing so much work.
Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert is putting in MVP performances across the court. He is the current rebounds per game leader, has the second-most blocks per game in the league, and is the field goal percentage leader. What can’t this man do!
Trae Young
Sitting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference is not where the Hawks or Trae Young want to be. However, Trae is fifth in the league for points per game and is third in the league for assists per game. The Hawks can do better, but Trae is doing the most.
Luka Doncic
Currently fifth in the West, the Mavericks have a decent 26-19 record, thanks to good ol’ Luka. While the Mavericks aren’t standing out in any one place, Luka is getting the points, the rebounds, and the assists, and is part of a very well-oiled Dallas machine.
Jayson Tatum
Tatum and the Celtics are flying under the radar at the moment, but his contributions can’t be ignored. He continuously improves, and with the competition in the East being as intense as it is, the Celtics could be wallowing in the depths if it wasn’t for him.
Devin Booker
People are starting to compare D-Book to Kobe, and while he says it is a complete stretch, there are definitely some grounds for the statements. The Phoenix Suns have been in phenomenal form, and it looks more and more unlikely that they will be caught by anyone.
Ja Morant
Ja Morant and the Grizz are beautiful to watch. Whether he is on the court or on the bench, you can feel his intensity and passion. His points-scoring ability is unmatched in his team and let’s not forget that he can block too.
Chris Paul
CP3 is proving that age is just a number. He has found new life at the Suns and is currently second for assists per game and third for steals per game. CP still has it, although we all know it didn’t go anywhere.
DeMar DeRozan
DeMar has been leading the Bulls to the heights we saw with Michael Jordan. While they aren’t there yet, they are definitely on the path. While he isn’t as prolific as others on this list, he is a strong leader who can match ball skills.
Lonzo Ball
There’s more than one Ball brother you should be watching. Lonzo has found his place in Chicago, and with the right players around him, he has been performing better than we have ever seen him play before.
LaMelo Ball
LaMelo Ball is the face of the Hornets, and even though they have slipped to seventh in their conference, this is the best Hornets team we have seen in a while. Not to mention LaMelo drops three’s like a young Steph Curry.
James Harden
The James Harden and KD partnership didn’t fire as quickly as some expected, but now that it is, Harden is even better than we thought. KD and JH are the perfect pair, both strong on and off the ball and leading the league in assists per game.
Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Buckets and the Heat are keeping things interesting in the East, sitting second behind the Bulls; Butler and his team are quietly putting in a postseason run to remember. The East is a strong conference, and it will be interesting to see where the Heat end up.
Kawhi Leonard
The Clippers are always the bridesmaid and never the bride in LA, and considering they are sitting just behind the Lakers in the West; they have a chance to get one over on their long-time rivals. Kawhi has 20 points per game and assists and rebounds as if his life depends on it.
Damian Lillard
The Trail Blazers have not been great so far this season, but Dame has been the shining light that has kept them going. With 24 points a game and averaging four assists and seven rebounds, the Blazers need to build around him if they want something out of this season.
