Ranking NBA's top 5 shooting guards
The NBA today is more guard-dominant than ever before. The game has changed in such a way that it facilitates play for guards as size and strength are no longer the defining criteria to be successful in the NBA. The rules and regulations are different today compared to past eras. In today's high-scoring league, offense is far more important than defense. This makes the shooting guard the focal point of the team.
Top 5 Shooting Guards in the NBA right now
5. Jimmy Butler
Stat line: 21.1 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 7.2 APG
Jimmy Butler is one of the elite 2-way players in the NBA today. He is a 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA player and has made the NBA All-Defensive team four times. Popularly nicknamed Jimmy Buckets, the 31-year-old is the shooting guard for the Miami Heat. The team was the runner-up in last year's NBA Finals in the bubble.
Butler led his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks in the series. Unfortunately, they lost in six games to the LA Lakers. The Heat are the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference this season. He currently leads the league in steals, averaging 2.1 per game.
Butler is also known to be one of the best recruiters in the NBA. He was a major reason for Victor Oladipo's signing with the Miami Heat. He has played the role of a mentor for the younger core of the team comprising Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson.
In February, Butler became the first player in franchise history to record 3 consecutive triple-doubles. The Heat are 25-11 when he's on the court. Without him, they are one of the most mediocre teams in the league. His stats and impact prove why he's one of the best players in the NBA today.
4. Zach LaVine
Stat line: 27.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 5.1 APG
Zach LaVine is a physical specimen. He is one of the most athletic and agile guards in the league today. The former 2x NBA slam dunk contest winner continues to shock the basketball world with his monster dunks.
LaVine is arguably having the best season of his career with the Chicago Bulls, bringing some respite for fans and the struggling franchise.
On 10th April 2021, LaVine scored a career-high 50 points against the Atlanta Hawks, out of which 39 points came in the first half. He also has multiple 30+ and 40+ point games this season.
He received his first All-Star selection this year. It was also the first such selection for the Bulls since Jimmy Butler.
Things look bright for the Bulls going forward, especially with the addition of Nikola Vucevic. They have a decent chance to make it to the play-in tournament this season.
3. Bradley Beal
Stat line: 31.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 4.7 APG
Bradley Beal is an unstoppable force when it comes to scoring. He is also one of the most efficient players in the NBA today.
Beal has had a spectacular year so far with the Washington Wizards. The 27-year-old boasts one 60-point game, four 40-points games, and twenty-three 30-point games.
The Wizards had a very disappointing start to the season, despite having traded for the triple-double machine, Russell Westbrook. The team was criticized for their weak defense nightly.
However, things have turned around in a big way of late. Beal and Westbrook have found rhythm as a duo, which has led to five consecutive wins for the team.
The Washington Wizards are tied for 10th spot in the East with the Chicago Bulls. The team has a fair chance to make the play-in tournament if they can continue their good run.
2. Donovan Mitchell
Stat line: 26.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 5.2 APG
The 13th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Donovan Mitchell, is a 2x All-Star and an NBA slam dunk contest champion.
The Jazz guard is shooting 43.8% from the field and 38.6% from deep this season. These are career highs for the young shooting guard. The Jazz currently sit at the top of the Western Conference.
The team recently broke the Golden State Warriors' record of most 3-pointers in the first half, making 18 within the first 24 minutes of the game. Mitchell has a great supporting cast of former DPOY Rudy Gobert, Jordan Clarkson, and Bojan Bogdanovic. They have all made major contributions to the team's regular-season success this season.
During a recent game against the Indiana Pacers, Mitchell suffered a knee sprain when he landed awkwardly after jumping to block a pass. He had to leave the game mid-way, but fortunately, an MRI revealed no structural damage was done. This is good news for the Utah Jazz franchise, who are in title contention this year.
1.Devin Booker
Stat line: 25.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 4.5 APG
The shooting guard for the Phoenix Suns is a 2x All-Star, an NBA 3-point contest champion (2018) and the Sixth Man of the Year in 2015.
His iconic 70-point game is etched in NBA history. He became the youngest player to score 60 or more points in a game. It was also the highest-scoring individual performance by a player in the NBA since the late Kobe Bryant's 81 points.
Booker has played a major role in the resurrection of the Phoenix Suns. The franchise hasn't made the playoffs since the 2009-10 season.
The drought is bound to end soon as the Suns currently sit in second place in the Western Conference standings.
Booker is shooting 48.3% from the field and 34.7% from downtown this season. The addition of point guard veteran Chris Paul has helped Booker even further. The 35-year-old has taken over the playmaking burden and has been an excellent mentor to Booker since he arrived in Phoenix.