Dallas Mavericks
No surprise that forward Dirk Nowitzki is set to play in the All-Star game next week. The German big man is scoring better than 25 a night with close to eight rebounds. He still reigns as the NBA’s best sharp-shooting big man.
Next best Mav: Jason Terry’s 17 points a game (and just a handful of starts in 2010) with 35% three-point shooting and 84% from the line.
Denver Nuggets
Carmelo Anthony is still the heart and soul of Denver, but nagging injuries have plagued him as of late. Anthony is scoring nearly 30 a night with six boards and three assists. He is a great free throw shooter at 86% as well and is second to Nene on the team in steals.
Next best Nugget:Guard Chauncey Billups is right up there with Melo for the best player on this team. Billups is the consummate pro and is the stabilizing force in Denver’s success. He is scoring 20 a game with six assists. His shooting is stellar—90% from the line and 41% from the field.
Golden State Warriors
Make no mistake—this is Monta Ellis’ team. If you look up “gunner” in the NBA dictionary, it’s Ellis’ picture you see. He is tops in points (26) and assist (nearly six) and shoots the ball an awful lot, averaging more than 22 shots a game.
Next best Warrior: Many would say Corey Maggette, but it sure feels a lot like Stephen Curry is starting to really fit into Don Nelson’s system. Curry upped his scoring to better than 19 points a game in January. He also shot almost 90% from the line and an impressive 48% from the field.
Houston Rockets
Speedy guard Aaron Brooks has become the leader of this team. His 19 points and five assists per game lead Houston. He is a solid 81% from the line and also nearly 40% from three-point range.
Next best Rocket: Carl Landry. Not often that a sixth man would be considered an all-star, but Landry has been great. He’s shooting 55% from the field and is second on the Rockets in points at 16 a game. He gets to work with only 27 minutes a night too.
Los Angeles Clippers
Chris Kaman might be the biggest All-Star snub in the West. Kaman has been a beast this season, posting 20 points and nine rebounds. Maybe the most underrated big man in the NBA.
Next best Clipper: Baron Davis is still an elite point guard, when he wants to be. Davis has always had all-world talent, but because of injuries or just a lack of motivation he has never lived up to that talent. Even in an off-year like this one he has great numbers—16 points and eight assists.
Los Angeles Lakers
In another duh moment in this column, Kobe Bryant is the best player in LA! Amazing right? Bryant seems to be in cruise control just waiting for the post-season to roll around. His 28 points, five boards, and five assists are pacing the Lakers. He’s also tops on the club in steals.
Next best Laker: Back-to-back duh moments have Pau Gasol as the next best Laker. Gasol has missed a few games this season, but continues to be a nightly double-double when healthy (17 and 11).
Memphis Grizzlies
Zach Randolph is the man in Memphis and should be an MVP candidate for the charge he has lead. His 21 and 12 are remarkable for a guy that has been often over looked as an elite player. He also is always over 50% from the field and 80 from the line.
Next best Grizzlie: Rudy Gay by a nose over OJ Mayo. Both are future stars in the league, but Gay does things a little better right now. His 20 points are second on the team. He also is the team leader in steals.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Center Al Jefferson struggled to start the season, but has looked like the beast of old these last couple of months. Jefferson enters the halfway point in the season leading the T-Wolves in points (18) and blocks (one) per game. He is second in rebounding as well with nearly ten a game.
Next best Timberwolf: Kevin Love might get a lot of run as the best player on this team. (If not for an early season injury, he would be). Love does a lot of things really well. His rebounding is his greatest asset at just under 12 a game. He’s a deceptive scorer (15 per game) and, for good measure, he shoots 80% from the line.
New Orleans Hornets
Chris Paul will miss the upcoming All-Star game, but still remains the heart and soul of this club. Like most stars, as Paul goes so goes the Hornets. For the first half of the season Paul is the league leader in assist with better than 11 a game. Throw in 20 points, five rebounds, and two steals a game. These are MVP-type numbers, again.
Next best Hornet: David West is another guy that’s had an up-and-down first couple months to the season. However, West has bounced back and has his averages back up to 18 and eight. He also shoots almost 50% from the field and 80 from the line.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Kevin Durant plays 40 minutes a night and absolutely stuffs the box score—30 points, seven boards, three assists, 88% from the line, 38% from three-point range. Durant must be up there with LeBron and Kobe as MVP front-runners.
Next best Thunder: Russell Westbrook is the yang to Durant’s ying. These two should be a force for many seasons in OKC. Westbrook has huge offensive upside, scoring 16 a game with seven-plus assists.
Phoenix Suns
Like Chris Paul, Steve Nash is the heart and soul of Phoenix. The 36-year old is a nightly double-double (18 and 11) and shots 52% from the field, including a stellar 44% from beyond the arc, add to this a 94% clip from the line.
Next best Sun: Amare Stoudamire could be considered the top player in Phoenix and for good measure. The big guy is scoring 21 a game with almost ten rebounds. He also shoots better than 50% from the field.
Portland Trail Blazers
Guard Brandon Roy joins Chris Paul and a few others who might miss the All-Star game due to injury. Roy is a guy that has no major weakness on the floor. He scores, with ease it seems, with 23 a game, he passes and can rebound too at five per game. If he can stay healthy and get Portland back into the playoff race, Roy’s name would be in the MVP chase as well.
Next best Blazer: LaMarcus Aldridge is a future all-star. He has the tools to be a really special player. Aldridge scores 17 a night and pulls eight boards. For his size, you’d like to see his blocks and field goal percentage rise. In time it will.
Sacramento Kings
Tyreke Evans is the man in Sac-Town. The rookie was given a chance to blossom under Paul Westpaul and has not disappointed. Evans leads, or is tied, for the team lead in points (20), assists (five) and steals (almost two). Many experts thought the Kings would be in the cellar for the league. Thanks to Evans they are one of the biggest surprises instead.
Next best King: Despite his serious wrist injury it is still Kevin Martin. Martin is one of the best pure scorers in the league. In just 17 games this season, Martin is averaging almost 21 points per game. Expect a big second-half from him.
San Antonio Spurs
Tim Duncan is still the man in San Antonio. Despite a star-studded team, Duncan still makes this team a title contender. In just 32 minutes a night, Duncan is still producing his usual double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. He also remains a force on defense, blocking two shots a game.
Next best Spur: Tony Parker leads the team in assists with almost six a night. His scoring is a hair under 17 points as well. Parker’s major knock is his durability, he has missed only seven games this season, but the frequency as of late could be a problem.
Utah Jazz
With their recent hot play, Deron Williams is finally a Western all-star this year. Williams is a near double-double with 19 points and a smidge under ten assists. Williams is also rebounding better this season with four a night.
Next best Jazz: Based on the numbers Carlos Boozer is the logical choice. Boozer is one of a handful of power forwards who is nearly a guaranteed 20 and 10. However, as of late Andrei Kirilenko has become a fantasy force once again. During the team’s latest run of win, AK is posting 18 points with five assists and five boards.