Hooped Up

A new season is fast approaching and you need you know, nay — you demand to know! Who’s the best at each position in the league on a nightly basis in the ‘09-10 NBA season. So with your mind and excel sheet ablaze trying to figure out that riddle to no end. I’ve decided to take one for the team, by putting together a  list of the Top 5 players in the league by position heading into the ‘09-10 NBA season.

Up next, the shooting guard spot. if you’re expecting to see Kyle Lowry in this group, please visit my Bizzarro world site.

5. Allen Iverson
08-09 Stats: 17.5 PPG / 5.0 APG / 3.0 RPG / 1.5 SPG / 41.7% FG%
Eventually, Iverson will be the starting point guard in Memphis and the combination of him and O.J. Mayo should make sweet music. But, even if his minutes are limited behind Mayo at shooting guard for now. Iverson will have enough minutes to do some damage, and by George he will.

4. Vince Carter
08-09 Stats: 20.8 PPG / 4.7 APG / 5.1 RPG / 1.0 SPG / 43.7% FG%
Am I getting suckered by putting VC on this list? Probably, but with the way the offense is set up in Orlando, it’s worth the risk. Courtney Lee, Hedo Turkoglu, and for 10 games Rashard Lewis is out of the picture and all Carter has to do is hit open jumpers — and stay healthy. Don’t make me regret not putting Joe Johnson here Vince.

3. Brandon Roy
08-09 Stats: 22.6 PPG / 5.1 APG / 4.7 RPG / 1.1 SPG / 48.0% FG%
This dude is a pro and pros figure out ways to get better every single year. Roys’s scoring average should improve again by three given the trend, and this should be the year he puts Rip City on his back to the second round.

2. Dwyane Wade
08-09 Stats: 30.2 PPG / 7.5 APG / 5.0 RPG / 2.2 SPG / 49.1% FG%
Since Kobe isn’t concerned about scoring titles, look for Wade to scoop up those honours on his way to another angry exciting season.

1. Kobe Bryant
08-09 Stats: 26.8 PPG / 4.9 APG / 5.2 RPG / 1.5 SPG / 46.7% FG%
This guy can do whatever he wants to do on the court and nobody can stop him — still. His scoring numbers might dip again especially with the extra help from Artest, but Bryant is still the gold standard at the SG spot in the league. Go ahead and bet against him, I dare you.