Who is the most underrated point guard in the league?
When this topic comes up, the first name that usually comes to most people’s mind is Mike Conley. That seems pretty fair, given what he does for the Memphis Grizzlies – the team with the second best record in the league (we’ll forgive him for getting away with this one) – and how little he is discussed in the media. Conley is one of those players who is solid all around. He averages an efficient 17.8 points on 48 percent shooting from the field, including an impressive 44.9 percent from beyond the arc and 84.8 percent from the stripe. He averages 6.3 assists, which isn’t anything to write home about, but also takes care of the ball (2.2 turnovers). Simply put, he is just a rock solid presence for the Grizzlies.
Another name that often gets lost these days is Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, who is quickly growing into one of the better point guards in the league. The 24-year-old showed just how clutch he can be when the game is on the line in the playoffs last season, and has shown subtle improvements in various areas of his game (18.6 PER from last season to 22.2 PER this season). His team, the Portland Trail Blazers, has the fourth best record in the West and is in the thick of things to be the very best in the league. Yet, his name is hardly mentioned when talking about the most relevant point guards, and there is a good chance that he will be left off the All-Star team this year (there are simply too many guards who deserve a spot over him at the moment).
That may say more about the amount of talented point guards in the league right now than anything else, but look at the way Lillard reacted when he saw the Top 5 point guards list from NBATV analysts Isiah Thomas and Greg Anthony below, and you can tell how slighted he felt to be excluded from it:
This is really a matter of opinion, and perhaps Lillard would be on someone’s list under different circumstances (having more of an opportunity to handle the ball in a less talented lineup, for example). One thing to note about him is that this is only his third year in the NBA. There is still plenty of time for him to find a way to make his mark in the league, so patience will be virtue in his case.
As for Conley, perhaps he is simply the Sam Cassell of this particular era because he’s not going to shed the “underrated” label any time soon, and there isn’t necessarily anything wrong with that either.
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James Park is a blogger and editor of Sheridan Hoops. Follow him on twitter @SheridanBlog.
As a former college point guard, Lillard is the one you always hated to face. Why? Like a gnat on a camping trip, he’s always there, never goes away, and never backs down. The “little man” with the giant chip on his shoulder. I can’t believe “Zeke” (a/k/a I.T.) doesn’t recognize himself, but then again. . .Greg Anthony? He’s still trying to explain that hot tub picture with Richie Perry, Moses Scurry, and David Butler. 79-77? LOL. Over and out.
I doubt any PG would look forward to going against any of these players. All of them are excellent, franchise caliber PGs – including Lillard. You know the PG position is loaded when CP3 doesn’t make one of these top 5 lists and it’s not an outrage. And he’s putting up 17.5-10-4.5 on 50/38/88 shooting, while rarely turning the ball over.