Top 50 Players according to Kahn this year in the NBA

[bigbadred00]

Every team had at least one representative except the Memphis Grizzlies, who would have obviously had Pau Gasol on the list, but he didn't make the criterion of having played at least 75 percent of the games. The defending champion Detroit Pistons have four on the list, while the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns each have three.

So without further ado, our top 50 players this season:

1. Shaquille O'Neal, Miami Heat
The indomitable one impacts the flow of the game more than anyone, and has made this team title contenders.

2. Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
The most fundamentally sound big man since Bill Walton. He could meet Shaq in the Finals.

3. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Astonishingly, he has proven to be even better than anticipated. At 19, he'll only get better.

4. Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves
A sore knee and bad team chemistry are killing him, but for an unprecedented sixth straight year ... 20-10-5.

5. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
This 7-footer never ceases to be amazing as he hits the boards, handles the ball, runs and shoots from anywhere. Really amazing.

6. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
An ankle sprain disrupted his season, but more importantly he still hasn't made his teammates better despite his vast talent.

7. Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 76ers
Fearless Fly continues to lead the league in scoring, is pushing for another steals title and has raised his assist total.

8. Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns
He has a shot at winning the Most Valuable Player award the way he transformed this team into a contender.

9. Jermaine O'Neal, Indiana Pacers
It's been a tough year for J-O and the Pacers, and figures to get even tougher during the stretch run.

10. Tracy McGrady, Houston Rockets
It required three months, but finally Tracy McGrady has meshed with Jeff Van Gundy's system and Yao Ming.

11. Ray Allen, Seattle SuperSonics
His fourth quarter heroics and consistent leadership have catapulted the surprising Sonics into contention.

12. Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
He's already proving to be a more amenable sidekick for Shaq than Bryant, but can they win titles too?

13. Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix Suns
The addition of Nash has turned Stoudemire into an All-Star with his unerring drive to attack the basket.

14. Vince Carter, New Jersey Nets
All it required was a trade to alter Carter from a dormant state into the exciting All-Star of three years ago.

15. Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
He's bounced back from a bad year and the return of his buddy Antoine Walker should help him even more.

16. Yao Ming, Houston Rockets
Not the dominant player as predicted, but he is 7-6 and very skilled. Any more questions?

17. Michael Redd, Milwaukee Bucks
Despite the woeful Bucks, he has become one of the top shooting guards — inside and outside — anywhere.

18. Ben Wallace, Detroit Pistons
He's undersized, but he carries his lunch pail to work and remains the most menacing defensive presence in the game.

19. Shawn Marion, Phoenix Suns
Unorthodox and essentially out of position play at power forward, he's still putting up great numbers.

20. Richard Hamilton, Detroit Pistons
A relentless runner, great mid-range shooter and now becoming a playmaker. He's improved every year.

21. Elton Brand, Los Angeles Clippers
Lost with the overlooked Clippers, Brand is a special power forward and an even better person off the court.

22. Chris Webber, Philadelphia 76ers
Only time will tell the effect of being traded from Sacramento, but knee surgery robbed him of his explosiveness. What's left?

23. Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs
One of the game’s rising stars, he's an impact player in all phases of the game, although occasionally out of control.

24. Antawn Jamison, Washington Wizards
One of the great moves of the offseason, he brought leadership, skill and direction to an aimless team.

25. Rasheed Wallace, Detroit Pistons
He's one of those guys whose numbers never reflect how much better he makes a team on at both ends.

 

[bigbadred00]

26. Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cleveland Cavaliers
Now healthy, his incredible hands and shooting touch prevent teams from defending James with all five players.

27. Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets
Back from knee surgery, he doesn't run and jump like he did, but he still pushes the ball and delivers it better than anybody.

28. Rashard Lewis, Seattle SuperSonics
A lot of the Sonics success can be attributed his growth in confidence and expanding from a sweet shooter with a post game.

29. Gilbert Arenas, Washington Wizards
Now healthy and an explosive scorer, if he gets over his selfish streak, he can be a superstar.

30. Steve Francis, Orlando Magic
After a great start, he has reverted back to incessant dribbling and taking bad shots to the misfortune of his teammates.

31. Brad Miller, Sacramento Kings
Without Webber and Vlade Divac, all the Kings' high post offense and back cuts have to run through him.

32. Stephon Marbury, New York Knicks
Marbury suffers from the same malady as Francis and Arenas — no matter how many assists he has, he doesn't set the table.

33. Mike Bibby, Sacramento Kings
He doesn't have the athleticism of Marbury, Francis and Arenas, but he's clever, a great shooter and relentless.

34. Corey Maggette, Los Angeles Clippers
Every season he's gotten better and, like his teammate Brand, his overall game is overlooked because he's a Clipper.

35. Grant Hill, Orlando Magic
His stunning return from four ankle surgeries and a near-death experience from a staph-infection is the best story of the year.

36. Antoine Walker, Boston Celtics
A stunning return to the Celtics at the trade deadline has rejuvenated a lost season for this lost talent.

37. Carlos Boozer, Utah Jazz
Although the Jazz has been disappointing, Boozer's numbers aren't. He just doesn't defend like Jerry Sloan would like.

38. Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
He's still so young, he got off to rocky start with self-imposed pressure, but he's now taking over and improving daily.

39. Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons
Like the other Pistons, the 2004 Finals MVP has numbers that don't tell the whole story of his game.

40. Zach Randolph, Portland Trail Blazers
His drop in effectiveness is reflective of a franchise with a bad roster and a fluid plan that has no ballast.

41. Peja Stojakovic, Sacramento Kings
He's been hurt and erratic much of the season, but the commitment to him is obvious following the Webber deal.

42. Kurt Thomas, New York Knicks
Overlooked in the Knicks mess is the solid scoring, rebounding and defense Thomas continuously puts out there.

43. Lamar Odom, Los Angeles Lakers
He's the barometer for the Lakers, and until Bryant figures out a way to consistently include him, everyone suffers.

44. Kirk Hinrich, Chicago Bulls
The lightning rod for the improvement of the Bulls, he looks like the second coming of Jeff Hornacek, only better.

45. Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets
Despite the indiscretions, the horrible start and coaching change, 'Melo is still a factor and the Nuggets are on the move.

46. Emeka Okafor, Charlotte Bobcats
Here's another young guy not only of top quality on both ends of the floor, but off the floor, he's a gem too.

47. Jason Richardson, Golden State Warriors
He's finally developing some consistency with his massive talent. Playing next to Baron Davis will help.

48. Al Harrington, Atlanta Hawks
What a letdown as the heart of their rebuilding project. But Harrington does have a lot of skills and the right mindset.

49. Troy Murphy, Golden State Warriors
A relentless rebounder on both ends of the floor, he came back this season with a great 3-point shot too. A sleeper.

50. Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors
Still too young, too slim and on a bad team, he's a wondrously talented southpaw, a terrific guy off the floor and future All-Star four.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7094510/

 

[bigbadred00]

Notes-Peja way down. Bibby and Brad are pretty solid. Rip Hamilton #20, seems kinda high.

 

[quick dog]

I think his list is politically correct, and he judged his choices to be relatively safe from criticism. The 50 players may be pretty good, but I would have changed the order. Why is Peja so high and Bibby so low?

 

[bigbadred00]

Bibby I think should be 25, Peja in the low 30s. Could you please explain quick dog by what you mean, should Bibby be in the bottom 40s, and Peja in the 30s, or that Bibby should be in the 20s and Peja not on the list.

 

[quick dog]

Bibby I think should be 25, Peja in the low 30s. Could you please explain quick dog by what you mean, should Bibby be in the bottom 40s, and Peja in the 30s, or that Bibby should be in the 20s and Peja not on the list.

I would put Peja in the 40s. I misspoke, they did.

I would have Mike Bibby in the top 20 somewhere. Look what he has accomplished in the face of such adversity this year.

I think Kobe, Garnett, and Iverson are overrated. Look at their team W/L records. There are some other flashy players that I might have rated a bit lower, but my knowledge of their performances this year is somewhat limited. I think a few impressive slam-dunks garner more media and fan attention that a well-orchestrated, quiet, team win.

 

[skeletor8]

I don't know if you can ever say the words Garnett and overrated in the same sentence. His team is screwing him over this year...he is still one of the top 3 in the league. Hard to argue that.

 

[iheartBrad]

first off LbJ is 20

but the rest of the list is pretty correct...maybe not the ordering...but they got the 50 best on that list

as for having Rip at 20...::shrugs:: put it this way there are a few players that are on that list before him that don't deserve to be in the spot that they are in....Rip Hamiltons placement isn't the first thing that jumps out at me...thats for sure

 

[Fillmoe]

wow peja is on the list? he doesnt deserve to be on there the way hes playing

 

[bigbadred00]

LBJ this year is a top 5 player no doubt. He's incredible. And he's "just" 20, although he doesn't look like it. 25/7/7 and 2nd in the league in steals @ 48% from the field is top 5 player written all over it.

 

[Heuge]

Yao is way too high.

 

[Gary]

LBJ this year is a top 5 player no doubt. He's incredible. And he's "just" 20, although he doesn't look like it. 25/7/7 and 2nd in the league in steals @ 48% from the field is top 5 player written all over it.

I agree with most of the list..

Shaq has had the biggest impact to any team in quite some time. The Heat went from playoff losers to title contenders.

LBJ will be one of the best players EVER when all said and done.

 

[ReinadelosReys]

Jermain O'Neal is too high. Yao is too high. Brad shouldn't be higher than Mike. Kurt Thomas is not in my top 50, along with Troy Murphy.

 

[Kev.in]

Ha. Al Harrington doesn't even belong among the top 50 forwards, what's he doing on this list?

And Kurt Thomas continues to be one of the most overrated role players in the NBA. What exactly is it about his game that people love so much?

 

[HndsmCelt]

Reality is that these kinds of lists or rankings are extreemly problematic. They are essentialy based on opinions, in many cases those opinions are based on numbers eg. Garnett, but even the interpetation of those numbers is subbjective eg Webber who has similar numbers to Garnett, but gets ranked much lower beceause he is some how not the player he once was? To some degree the very cream of the crop say top 5-10 are LESS problematic than 10-50 or worse yet 50-100. Top performers will usualy look like top performaers and even those that may hate a Shaq or a Kobe will begrudgingly rank them, the oreder might be slightly differnet but not by much as there is just not much room to off by. The further down the list we get the less clear the distinctions between players and more OTHER factors cloud the issue eg. Amere Staudemire at 13. Yes a good case can be made for the leading scoreer on the the numbef two team, BUT with out Steve Nash how well does he do? So a good case could also be made for sinking him down into the 20's somewhere, each individuals list will differ greatly based on their criteria, values and good old fashoned opinion.

 

[NewEraKings05]

I don't know if you can ever say the words Garnett and overrated in the same sentence. His team is screwing him over this year...he is still one of the top 3 in the league. Hard to argue that.

Well, if the TWolves would rather, I wouldn't mind him playing here in Sac!

 

[suga]

where is AK47?

 

[Kev.in]

where is AK47?

Good question. He belongs in the top 20. How can they forget him, but remember Kurt Thomas, Al Harrington, Troy Murphy and Antoine Walker?
LOL... someone needs to give Mike Kahn the dunce cap and point him to the nearest corner.

 

[piksi]

What a wast of time!

 

[Fillmoe]

I would put Peja in the 40s. I misspoke, they did.

I would have Mike Bibby in the top 20 somewhere. Look what he has accomplished in the face of such adversity this year.

I think Kobe, Garnett, and Iverson are overrated. Look at their team W/L records. There are some other flashy players that I might have rated a bit lower, but my knowledge of their performances this year is somewhat limited. I think a few impressive slam-dunks garner more media and fan attention that a well-orchestrated, quiet, team win.

dont let your love for the kings blind you. peja top 40? why because he loves to miss easy layups? has peja been a factor in more than 1 game this year? he should not even be on the list! peja needs to understand that they let webber go so they can see him(peja) grow as a player and he needs to step it up. if this was last year i would definetely see peja in the top 10! but truth is hes not the same player this year. garnett and iverson overrated? have you seen older sixers/bulls games? when MJ was still in the league? go find one where iverson didnt have a bad game and then tell me hes overrated. the dude takes hits like a running back driving to the hole! and im not even gonna speak on garnett because he plays his heart out for that minnesota team its just unfortunate hes with a bunch of selfish children that dont care about nothing but money! i do agree with the bibby comment though he is definetely having his best season as of yet. he should be top 20 if not top 15.

 

[Mad D]

dont let your love for the kings blind you. peja top 40? why because he loves to miss easy layups? if this was last year i would definetely see peja in the top 10!

So scoring 4 more points, grabbing 2 more rebounds, and missing layups was a top 10 player huh?

 

[Fillmoe]

wow! last year he was in talks about being MVP of the league! that stands for Most Valuable Player for those that dont know! now hes not even MVP of his own team. i consider that a huge disappointment. last year he played 81 games and this year he wont get more than 72. he was more valuable to the team last year and played on a higher level. all his stats are down; shooting, FT, 3 point. i hope he can slap himself out of this slum hes in and start playing like the peja of the past that we all know he is very well capable of!

 

[Mad D]

I was joking

 

[Fillmoe]

so was i . LOL i feel stupid now