This is the era of the point guard in the NBA. With legends like Steve Nash and Jason Kidd finishing off their career, and young guns like Russel Westbrook and Kyrie Irving proving to be the next batch of star PG’s, no other era has had point guards of this caliber. But of all the point guards in the NBA, three men stand out. Rajon Rondo, Chris Paul, and Derrick Rose. Who’s the best of the three? Read below to find out.

And once you’ve done that, vote for whoever you agree with on the poll below the article. The author who gets the most votes in the poll gets $5, so vote wisely!!

[one_third] By: Joey Rebbe

In the encyclopedia, next to the words “triple-double,” is a picture of Rajon Rondo.

The Boston Celtics’ Point Guard recorded a league-best six triple-doubles in the 2011-2012 season, but here’s the crazy part: no one else in the entire NBA had more than one last year. Here’s the crazier part: Rondo did this while missing games in an already shortened season. He was good for a Triple-Double at least once out of every nine games. Ridiculous.

Rondo is the most versatile Point Guard in the NBA, and that versatility sets him above the rest. I’ll be doing statistical analysis in this debate that ultimately shows that the best Point Guard doesn’t just score points, but dominates multiple facets of the game. So let’s look at some stats, shall we? Keep in mind that I’ll focus primarily on 2011-2012 statistics, since we’re talking about the best PG as of right now.

Assists:

Leading the league with six triple-doubles is an extraordinarily impressive feat that has only been replicated a few times in NBA history. More pertinent to the Point Guard position; however, are assist numbers. Rondo also led the league in this category, recording a phenomenal 11.7 assists per game. Despite what Derrick Rose and Chris Paul supporters would have you believe, a Point Guard’s primary duty is to facilitate the offense by passing the ball. And as of right now, Rondo is the best passer in the NBA.

Rebounds:

Here’s an area of Rondo’s game than can scarcely be duplicated by any Point Guard across the NBA. He averaged nearly five rebounds per game, which is nearly two more rebounds per game than both Chris Paul and Derrick Rose. Rondo averaged more rebounds per game than any other Point Guard in the league. His physicality and grit set him apart from the pack, and make him one of the best defensive Point Guards in the NBA as well.

Points:

This is an area where Rondo can’t match up to the other two guys in this debate. Chris Paul and Derrick Rose do score more points per game than Rondo.

That’s not to say Rondo can’t score more if he wanted to. Why does he not score as many points? Because he takes fewer shots. Rondo, last season, shot 44.5% from the field last year. Chris Paul shot 47.8%, and Derrick Rose shot 43.5%. Rondo shot better than Rose, and in the same area as CP3.

Quite simply, Rondo is too busy racking up assists and rebounds (in essence, being a good teammate) to score as much as those other guys.

Conclusion: I’ll keep this statistical and simple, especially since this is a shorter debate article than most. But If I could, I’d make more arguments about how Rajon Rondo is ten times the leader that Chris Paul or Derrick Rose is.

Rajon Rondo is the best rebounding Point Guard in the league. He is the best passer overall as well. He shoots at a high percentage (higher than Derrick Rose), plays excellent, fundamental defense, and produces each and every game. There is no better Point Guard in the NBA than Rajon Rondo. [/one_third]
[one_third] By: Jake Dal Porto

Rose was born for greatness. He broke out onto the seen in 2008, experienced the up and downs of the NBA game, and now he’s an MVP winner and an All-Star.

The best point guard in the league? I’d say so. And there are three big things that separate him from the others in this debate.

Improved Shooter:

If there was one specific area of improvement that anyone could pin-point after Rose shot just 26% from beyond the arc in 2010, it was clearly the range on his jump shot. His explosiveness and the ability to finish at the rim are two vital components to the equation, but it’s missing the key ingredient, shooting. In the 2009-2010 campaign, teams began to deny Rose of the drive, daring him to shoot the ball. In result, his three-point shooting percentage plummeted from bad to really bad. Rose, who is well-known for his work-ethic, came out firing in 2011, his MVP season. The results were not quite night and day, but his three-point shooting percentage was vastly improved at a a 33% percent. More impressively, he attempted 385 three-pointers, a huge step up compared to the mere 60 attempts his collected in 2010.

Now, he’s tough to keep in tact since his game is no longer one-dimensional. If defenders back off, he nails a shot. If they guard him tightly, he uses his supreme speed to blow past them. And if it wasn’t for an injury filled 2012 season, his three-point shooting percentage could’ve sniffed 40%.

Clutch:

Rose is just one of those guys with it comes to the clutch aspect of the game. You either have it or you don’t. Rose has it. The ball is in Rose’s hands if the game is close as represented by his nearly 33% usage rate.

Chris Paul and Rose are two of a kind in clutch situations. While Paul has the bulldog type tenacity to keep the game alive, Rose puts the game away. Plus, his newly added jump shot adds to his array of lethal game closing moves. That’s not to say that Paul doesn’t possess any moves, but his smaller frame and lesser explosiveness gives Rose the slight edge.

Age:

Rose might seem like a seasoned 10 year veteran, but that’s far from the truth. At the age of 23, he has already stapled himself as one of the best overall players in the game.With that said, there are few point guards who can match up with him. If his jump shot ever shifts into the elite department, he will truly be labeled an unstoppable force. His dynamic skill-set, age, and desire to improve make him the best point guard in the NBA.

When I am asked who is the best point guard in the league, my immediate response is always CP3. I won’t lie, part of that is because I love that nickname, but even without it I would choose him.

Purely from a physical talent point, I would take Derrick Rose. But the NBA is such a team game that has become focused on the pick and roll. Paul’s skillset is perfectly suited for this, as he can shoot or pass at any moment.

He is the best pure point guard in the league. Steve Nash used to be, but his age is starting to show, and Paul’s talent continues to grow. Going to LA will extend Paul’s career, as he no longer needs to take the beating that he took in New Orleans. That will allow him to have the lengthy career that Nash had, and he can continue to hone his skills. So not only is the the best now, he is set up to be the best for years to come.

Defense is a huge aspect of being the best, and Paul’s defense is top notch. He has the ability and awareness to excel in the zone game, which he has shown throughout his career. On top of that, he can man up against any point guard in the NBA and limit their game.

Rajon Rondo is great, but he only started to show his scoring ability last year, while CP3 has been doing it his whole career. Rondo has also never shown to be an elite player by himself, as he has always had Garnett, Pierce, and Allen on his team. CP3 carried the Hornets to the playoffs with limited help around him. Now he is the best player on the best Clippers team in history. Rondo might not even be the best player on his team.

Rose is amazing, but give Russell Westbrook a couple years to mature, and he could be just as good. Rose’s play style forces the game to run through him. If he had another elite talent with him (which is the Bulls only chance at a title), they wouldn’t mesh as well as needed.

Paul’s versatility is why he is the best. He can score at will, rack up the assists, and make his teammates into far better players. He can be flashy or conservative. He is the complete point guard. While the other two guys can be part of that list, they can’t be them all.

In today’s game the best team players are the best players. That is why Lebron has passed Kobe, why Dwight is better than Bynum, and why CP3 is better than Rose and Rondo.[/one_third_last]