Best SG
Shooting Guard Arms Race
The shooting guard
position has a rich history with players that people, today, still recognize
and pay homage to. Jerry "Mr. Clutch" West dominated the position in
the 60s and early 70s with a relentless style of play on both ends. His ability
to thrive in every statistical category helped him win a championship and be
the poster boy for the association. Today, he is still a main cog in the NBA as
he is the league's world-renowned logo. In the 70s and early 80s, the league
saw "Pistol" Pete Maravich and George "Iceman" Gervin share
the best two-guard title as they revolutionized the position. They took on more
of a scoring role and shot more three pointers, which made shooting guard the
flashiest position on the floor. From there, Michael Jordan took over and
brought the NBA more fans around the world with his athleticism and sheer
desire to be great. His scoring and six championships still have people
believing he is the greatest shooting guard of all time. After Jordan, Kobe
Bryant came along and was unanimously named the best shooting guard during his
prime as he put together over a ten-year run of dominance. This included five
championship rings and dubious Jordan-like performances. During The Black
Mamba's run of dominance, Allen Iverson, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and
Dwyane Wade had years of outstanding play that gave them recognition as one of
the best with Bryant. With Wade and Bryant on the downside of their illustrious
careers, there is a void left at the top of the shooting guard mountain.
For the last few seasons,
James Harden has undoubtedly been the best off guard in the league. The climb
to the top for him was not easy as he made a name for himself as a sixth man
for the Thunder. Harden would come off of Oklahoma City's bench and give his
team the boost it needed as a scorer and facilitator. Before the 2012- 13, he
was surprisingly traded to Houston after both sides failed to agree on a
contract extension. Due to his lackluster NBA Finals performance, many wondered
if he could lead a team on his own, but he answered those questions
emphatically as he led his team to the postseason. What he lacks in defensive
ability he makes up for in his ability to score. Harden has a streaky shooting
ability that allows his team to always have a chance to make a comeback. He
"cooks" opponents up on a nightly basis with his ability to shoot,
score in the paint, and knack for getting to the charity stripe. "The
Beard's" propensity to get to the line makes him someone you love to root
for if he is on your team, but hate if he is not. In the last four seasons,
Harden has averaged 26.8 points, 6.6 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game that
places him near the top of each statistical category at his position.
Nevertheless, in the Rockets quest to win a championship, Harden is perfect for
their analytical approach, which is shoot efficiently from long range and get
to the free throw line. His reign as the best off guard could be over as he has
competition from two rising stars. Klay Thompson of the Warriors and Jimmy
Butler of the Bulls have arrived at the top of the mountain and look to share
or take the title for the best two guard for themselves.
Thompson and Butler have
come on strong these last two seasons for their respective ball clubs. Thompson
came into the league as a spot up shooter. He has surpassed all expectations
and turned himself into an All-Star as well as a second option for his team.
Thompson has averaged 22.2 points along with over three long-range field goals
the last two years while shooting 43 percent from beyond the arc. Despite
Golden State's Draymond Green being known as their defensive stalwart, the
other half of the Splash Brothers does his fair share of defensive duties.
Thompson often finds himself locked up with the opposing team's best perimeter
threat. His two-way play has been an integral part in the Warriors two-year
dominance. Thompson is thought of as just a great shooter, but his game
continues to evolve with his ability to shoot off the dribble, post defenders, and
get inside the paint. His scoring ability widens the court and opens driving
lanes for his teammates. Thompson is earning more respect from those around the
league and the world as he has proven he is more than capable of taking over
for his team. His quiet approach should not belie his competitive nature
because he is a silent assassin.
Chicago is no stranger to boasting the best
shooting guard in the NBA. The aforementioned Jordan brought much pride and joy
to the city as he dominated the league along with the position itself. Butler
is nowhere near the level of number 23, but he is certainly no scrub. He came
into the league as a rotation player and at best a solid defensive player. With
grit, determination, and scrappy play, Butler has been that rock turned to
diamond for the Bulls as he has now become the team's best player. He is a blue
chip player, which seems to be a common theme amongst former Marquette players
like Jae Crowder, Wade, and Wesley Matthews.
He became a tougher and more confident player under Tom Thibodeau's
tutelage. Early on, Butler could not shoot, dribble, or score on a consistent
basis. With disheartening injuries to Chicago's star and players, the team
found someone they could trust and go to in big moments. Butler has averaged
20.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game there's last two years and
can occasionally set teammates up with his passing. He is known for his in
between play, ability to finish in traffic, get to the line, and timely steals
leading to transition dunks. When he is locked in, Butler has the ability to
drop 40 on the man in front of him. His commitment to excellence earned him
Most Improved Player and made him an All-Star in recent years. Thompson and
Butler's growth has allowed them to reopen the debate for who is at the top of
the shooting guard mountain.
Sure Thompson and Butler
are not as box office as Harden, but they should not be discounted as two of
the best players at their position. Harden is most certainly the best scorer
and he has the stats to supersede this crop of players. However, Thompson and
Butler's newfound abilities to put points up in bunches along with their two
way play has closed the gap in the shooting guard race significantly. Each of
these guys brings something the other guy cannot do to the table. This debate
is likely something that will continue until one of these players dominates at
a higher level or separates themselves with championships. Jordan and Kobe made
it hard to dispute their superiority as shooting guards in both regards.
The shooting guard
position has a rich history with players that people, today, still recognize
and pay homage to. Jerry "Mr. Clutch" West dominated the position in
the 60s and early 70s with a relentless style of play on both ends. His ability
to thrive in every statistical category helped him win a championship and be
the poster boy for the association. Today, he is still a main cog in the NBA as
he is the league's world-renowned logo. In the 70s and early 80s, the league
saw "Pistol" Pete Maravich and George "Iceman" Gervin share
the best two-guard title as they revolutionized the position. They took on more
of a scoring role and shot more three pointers, which made shooting guard the
flashiest position on the floor. From there, Michael Jordan took over and
brought the NBA more fans around the world with his athleticism and sheer
desire to be great. His scoring and six championships still have people
believing he is the greatest shooting guard of all time. After Jordan, Kobe
Bryant came along and was unanimously named the best shooting guard during his
prime as he put together over a ten-year run of dominance. This included five
championship rings and dubious Jordan-like performances. During The Black
Mamba's run of dominance, Allen Iverson, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and
Dwyane Wade had years of outstanding play that gave them recognition as one of
the best with Bryant. With Wade and Bryant on the downside of their illustrious
careers, there is a void left at the top of the shooting guard mountain. 
For the last few seasons,
James Harden has undoubtedly been the best off guard in the league. The climb
to the top for him was not easy as he made a name for himself as a sixth man
for the Thunder. Harden would come off of Oklahoma City's bench and give his
team the boost it needed as a scorer and facilitator. Before the 2012- 13, he
was surprisingly traded to Houston after both sides failed to agree on a
contract extension. Due to his lackluster NBA Finals performance, many wondered
if he could lead a team on his own, but he answered those questions
emphatically as he led his team to the postseason. What he lacks in defensive
ability he makes up for in his ability to score. Harden has a streaky shooting
ability that allows his team to always have a chance to make a comeback. He
"cooks" opponents up on a nightly basis with his ability to shoot,
score in the paint, and knack for getting to the charity stripe. "The
Beard's" propensity to get to the line makes him someone you love to root
for if he is on your team, but hate if he is not. In the last four seasons,
Harden has averaged 26.8 points, 6.6 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game that
places him near the top of each statistical category at his position.
Nevertheless, in the Rockets quest to win a championship, Harden is perfect for
their analytical approach, which is shoot efficiently from long range and get
to the free throw line. His reign as the best off guard could be over as he has
competition from two rising stars. Klay Thompson of the Warriors and Jimmy
Butler of the Bulls have arrived at the top of the mountain and look to share
or take the title for the best two guard for themselves.
Thompson and Butler have
come on strong these last two seasons for their respective ball clubs. Thompson
came into the league as a spot up shooter. He has surpassed all expectations
and turned himself into an All-Star as well as a second option for his team.
Thompson has averaged 22.2 points along with over three long-range field goals
the last two years while shooting 43 percent from beyond the arc. Despite
Golden State's Draymond Green being known as their defensive stalwart, the
other half of the Splash Brothers does his fair share of defensive duties.
Thompson often finds himself locked up with the opposing team's best perimeter
threat. His two-way play has been an integral part in the Warriors two-year
dominance. Thompson is thought of as just a great shooter, but his game
continues to evolve with his ability to shoot off the dribble, post defenders, and
get inside the paint. His scoring ability widens the court and opens driving
lanes for his teammates. Thompson is earning more respect from those around the
league and the world as he has proven he is more than capable of taking over
for his team. His quiet approach should not belie his competitive nature
because he is a silent assassin. 
Chicago is no stranger to boasting the best
shooting guard in the NBA. The aforementioned Jordan brought much pride and joy
to the city as he dominated the league along with the position itself. Butler
is nowhere near the level of number 23, but he is certainly no scrub. He came
into the league as a rotation player and at best a solid defensive player. With
grit, determination, and scrappy play, Butler has been that rock turned to
diamond for the Bulls as he has now become the team's best player. He is a blue
chip player, which seems to be a common theme amongst former Marquette players
like Jae Crowder, Wade, and Wesley Matthews.
He became a tougher and more confident player under Tom Thibodeau's
tutelage. Early on, Butler could not shoot, dribble, or score on a consistent
basis. With disheartening injuries to Chicago's star and players, the team
found someone they could trust and go to in big moments. Butler has averaged
20.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game there's last two years and
can occasionally set teammates up with his passing. He is known for his in
between play, ability to finish in traffic, get to the line, and timely steals
leading to transition dunks. When he is locked in, Butler has the ability to
drop 40 on the man in front of him. His commitment to excellence earned him
Most Improved Player and made him an All-Star in recent years. Thompson and
Butler's growth has allowed them to reopen the debate for who is at the top of
the shooting guard mountain.
Sure Thompson and Butler
are not as box office as Harden, but they should not be discounted as two of
the best players at their position. Harden is most certainly the best scorer
and he has the stats to supersede this crop of players. However, Thompson and
Butler's newfound abilities to put points up in bunches along with their two
way play has closed the gap in the shooting guard race significantly. Each of
these guys brings something the other guy cannot do to the table. This debate
is likely something that will continue until one of these players dominates at
a higher level or separates themselves with championships. Jordan and Kobe made
it hard to dispute their superiority as shooting guards in both regards.
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