It’s possible LeBron James could be the MVP of the 2015 NBA Finals even if his Cleveland Cavaliers don’t win the title. He’s simply been that good. King James did look to wear down with only 20 points in a game four loss, but he stormed back to score 40 points for the second time in this series (fourth time with 30+), along with yet another triple double in game five. After the game five loss, James expressed confidence in his ability to lead the Cavs to the title because he’s “the best player in the world”.
Arrogant? For sure. Accurate? Probably.
That arrogant, yet truthful answer got us to wondering; is James in fact the best basketball player in the world right now, and even if it’s just that easy, who comes close to making him anything less than the king of the NBA? We decided to find out by ranking what we perceive to be the top five players in the NBA today:
5. Blake Griffin, PF, Los Angeles Clippers
I’ll take votes for Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul and many others. But after LeBron James, was there really anyone better in the playoffs this year? Griffin tired out and the Clips ended up losing in round two despite having a 3-1 lead over the Houston Rockets, but he was a constant triple-double machine and was scoring at a career rate. He’s only improved over the past two years, to the point where he has a consistent jumper and can even hit a three when needed. Griffin is still putting his game together, but he still has even more upside to be tapped into and we got a glimpse of it during this year’s playoffs.
4. James Harden, SG, Houston Rockets
As great as Griffin is, few are as explosive as Harden, who put the Rockets on his back all year despite having to play about half of the season without an injured Dwight Howard. Harden did more than that, though, as he showed up big time when the Rockets stormed back from a 3-1 series hole in round two and even gave the Warriors some tough fights in the Western Conference Finals. Harden is easily one of the game’s top scorers and is an automatic free throw shooter who can get to the line at will. He even improved defensively this year and could get even better before the 2015-16 NBA season rolls around.
3. Kevin Durant, SF, Oklahoma City Thunder
I will hear the argument that Westbrook belongs in this spot due to Durant missing a large portion of the season with lingering foot woes. He just wasn’t himself this year even when he was on the court, but he’s otherwise been a complete stud throughout his career. He’s probably second to LeBron James overall, but with a down season, he slides into the third spot.
2. Stephen Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors
Can you really knock on the league’s MVP? Not only does he have that awesome hardware, but he also helped the Warriors to the league’s best record and top seed, and proceeded to nail ridiculous shots at such a rate that they seemed routine. Curry holds the NBA record for three’s made in a season (a record he’s broken twice now) and has proven yet again during these NBA Finals that he’s one of the toughest covers in the league. In fact, an argument can be made that the only thing that can really stop him is himself.
1. LeBron James, SF, Cleveland Cavaliers
Shocked? You shouldn’t be. It’s true that the chosen one hasn’t live up to expectations of a Michael Jordan (six titles), but James has won two NBA championships, has been to six NBA Finals series and right now is carrying a fairly average Cavs roster on his back. Not only is Cleveland still within striking distance of their first ever title, but James has powered them this far without Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. He’s not just getting by on scraps, either, as he’s put up monstrous numbers across the board. Beyond this series, James is probably the best player we’ve ever seen from a physical perspective and at 30 years old, he’s yet to exit his prime.
Think someone else deserves the top spot over James? Let us hear who you think is the best NBA player in the world in the comments below!
