2015-16 NBA Player Power Rankings, Version 2
The monthly Player Power Rankings is back to track the progress of the NBA's top 10 at the halfway mark of the season.
As a reminder, only this season's performance is taken into account, so we're operating under a system in which nothing that happened before Oct. 26, 2015, and nothing projected to happen after Jan. 13, 2016, impacts these rankings.
Related: Pre-season Player Rankings
Honorable mentions: Paul George, Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, Carmelo Anthony, Al Horford
Leaving "Dad Melo" out of the top 10 wasn't easy, even if his play hasn't quite warranted inclusion. There may be plenty of players producing at a higher level, but Anthony has done the impossible: he's made the Knicks fun again.
Kristaps Porzingis, the stretchy Latvian with a propensity for putbacks, is the latest golden child to come rescue the Garden, but it's Anthony who's making it all work in the shadow of Porzingis' 7-foot-3 frame.
Anthony's scoring numbers are down, but he's averaging the most assists of his career, has improved tremendously as a defender, is back to logging significant minutes as a small-ball four (where he's best suited), and isn't letting anybody punk his rookie.
It's not like the Knicks (20-20) are a powerhouse. But after the disastrous, 17-win 2014-15 campaign, Anthony and Porzingis have teamed up to revive the Mecca of Basketball. That's no small feat.
Now onto the list.
10. Chris Bosh
19.1 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 39.1 3PT%
PER: 22.4
Win Shares: 5.6
Bosh is the perfect modern big. He's a reliable rim protector who can score anywhere inside the paint and stretch opposing centers out to the 3-point line, and he'll do anything to make his kids laugh. He's the best player on the Heat by a mile.
9. James Harden
28.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 6.6 APG, 58.1 TS%
PER: 24.3
Win Shares: 5.5
Sure, Harden's a sieve on defense, but he's doing everything for the Rockets at the other end. His drives off pick-and-rolls form the backbone of Houston's offense, and in crunch time, his usage spikes to an absurd 46.1 percent. Combine that with his league-leading minute total, and Harden can be excused for taking a play (or two, or three, or four) off on defense.
8. Chris Paul
18.1 PPG, 9.5 APG, 1.9 SPG
PER: 24.1
Win Shares: 4.8
The Clippers haven't lost (8-0) since Blake Griffin went down with a torn quad. How is that possible? Because CP3 has put up 19.5 points, 11.5 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game in Griffin's absence. He's still the point god.
7. Kyle Lowry
20.7 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 6.4 APG, 2.3 SPG
PER: 23.0
Win Shares: 5.9
There's absolutely nothing flashy about his game. That is, unless you watch really closely. Lowry's a master of minutiae. He's the one calling out defensive assignments, setting up everyone on offense, stepping in for charges, flying in for blocks, and helping down low for steals. He's the best two-way point guard in the league.
6. Kevin Durant
26.6 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 4.4 APG, 64.0 TS%
PER: 28.1
Win Shares: 6.6
Where's the love for Durant? He's on pace to finish 50-40-90 with over 25 points for the second time in his career. The only other player who's done that is Larry Bird.
5. Russell Westbrook
25.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 9.5 APG, 2.5 SPG
PER: 29.7
Win Shares: 7.4
Durant's the quiet yin to Westbrook's vociferous yang. Westbrook is top-five in assists, steals, and points. The last player to do that was Allen Iverson in 2004-05, and given that Westbrook is basically The Answer personified - only at 6-foot-4 instead of 5-foot-10 - it's no surprise they're on the same list.
4. Draymond Green
15.4 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 7.3 APG, 8 triple-doubles
PER: 20.5
Win Shares: 6.0
The man with the motormouth has all the numbers to back up the talk. Green has more assists than LeBron James and more rebounds than Anthony Davis, is hitting a higher percentage of his threes than Kevin Durant, and is the defensive anchor of the 36-2 Warriors.
3. LeBron James
25.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 6.1 APG
PER: 27.5
Win Shares: 6.2
What shooting slump? LeBron's jumper has found its mark and his team is finally healthy. They've won eight in a row, and James is raising the roof because the Cavaliers have no ceiling.
2. Kawhi Leonard
20.2 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.0 SPG, 61.7 TS%
PER: 26.0
Win Shares: 7.9
The big knock on Leonard coming out of the draft was his jumper; he couldn't shoot at all. Five years later, Leonard is leading the league in 3-point accuracy, while spearheading a Spurs team that's shattering all-time records for defensive efficiency and point differential.
1. Stephen Curry
29.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 6.5 APG, 67.4 TS%
PER: 31.6
Win Shares: 8.4
We've run out of superlatives for Curry's brilliance. He's put that shin bruise in the rearview mirror and is back to clowning fools on a daily basis. He'll even embarrass his little brother Seth.