The NBA has exploded in talent in recent years setting the stage for some very competitive awards races this season. Some of the most depth in the league comes from the guards and the playmakers, with potentially one of the deepest pools ever.
The league has been dominated by big men for the past five seasons with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid winning MVPs and championships.
This season one of the most intriguing races to follow is shaping up to be at the guard position for All-NBA. There are six total spots, two on each team with as many as 18 players making the case to be on one of the teams.
We are only through one-quarter of the NBA season, but these are the guards that are going to make voting for guards on the All-NBA Teams, especially the first team, one of the best races in the league.
*all stats through Saturday, December 2nd, 2023
Luka Doncic – Dallas Mavericks
Stats: 31.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game with three triple-doubles in 16 games
Through the first quarter of the season, Doncic has statistically been the same statistical force he has been for nearly five seasons, which are all-time great numbers. People have become stale to greatness, especially sustained greatness.
Doncic is second in the league in scoring, fifth in assists and the only player in the league averaging 31-8-8 while also leading a winning team in Dallas this season.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder
Stats: 29.9 points, 6.3 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game in 18 games
Last season Gilgeous-Alexander made first team All-NBA, which is right where he is picked up to start this season.
The incredible statistics that SGA is putting up have translated to wins with Oklahoma City in second place in the Western Conference. He is also by far the most competitive defender in this field playing both ends of the floor.
Stephen Curry – Golden State Warriors
Stats: 29.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game on 47-43-93 splits in 18 games
This season Golden State at full strength is closer to the team that started off the season 6-2 than the team that has gone 3-9 since then. That is due to Curry.
In his 15th season Curry is averaging the fourth most points in his career (seventh in the league), nearly at 50-40-90 splits and making a career-high 5.1 three-pointers per game. Curry has been available every game this season, keeping the team above water. Were Golden State higher in the standings, Curry would be a no-brainer first-team All-NBA this season.
Damian Lillard – Milwaukee Bucks
Stats: 25.5 points, 6.9 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game with 8.7 free-throw attempts in 18 games
Milwaukee is tied for second place in the Eastern Conference in large part to the play of Lillard this season. He is in a position to win Clutch Player of the Year averaging 6.1 points per game in “clutch time.”
Lillard has helped Milwaukee weather an early season slow patch by pushing them to the third-highest-scoring offense in the NBA. They are also the top clutch team in the NBA thanks to the play of Lillard down the stretch and in winning time.
De’Aaron Fox – Sacramento Kings
Stats: 30.3 points, 6.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game in 13 games
This season Fox has been a supernova on the offensive end of the floor. This is coming after having an otherworldly breakout season last year that took the NBA by storm.
He is quietly one of only four players in the league averaging 30+ points per game. This season Fox already has five games of 35+ points and has only registered under 20 points twice. If he keeps this pace after missing five of the 17 games a player can miss with the new Player Participation Policy, he is a shoo-in for an All-NBA Team.
Tyrese Haliburton – Indiana Pacers
Stats: 27.0 points, 11.8 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game on 52-45-88 splits in 16 games
Haliburton is leading the league in assists as the engine on one of the fastest, most dynamic and efficient offenses in the NBA. He is in rare company as one of only two players in the NBA averaging at least 27+ points and 10+ assists per game.
He is also one of only five players averaging a double-double with at least 25+ points and 10+ rebounds/assists per game. If Haliburton stays healthy and Indiana remains a top six team like they are today – watch out, he might just finish on the All-NBA First Team.
The last time a pure, pass-first point guard made the All-NBA First Team was either Russell Westbrook (2016-2017) or if he doesn’t count, Chris Paul (2013-2014).
Tyrese Maxey – Philadelphia 76ers
Stats: 27.0 points, 6.7 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game on 46-39-90 splits in 18 games
Maxey ends the list of realistic, potential First-Team All-NBA candidates, which is an incredible jump for the fourth-year guard. There is no better story in the NBA for a single player than Maxey who seems to get better and better with more responsibility.
With the ball in his hands and playing off of Joel Embiid as the primary perimeter playmaker Maxey has become one of the best players in the league today. Maxey is one of just six players in the NBA this season averaging at least 25.5+ points, 6.5+ assists and 4.5+ rebounds per game.
Of that group he is averaging the least amount of turnovers (1.6 per game) and is the best three-point shooter (39.6%). Philadelphia is currently fourth in the standings, which gives Maxey even more profile.
Devin Booker – Phoenix Suns
Stats: 27.9 points, 8.4 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game on 47-40-93 splits in 11 games
The challenge for Booker is going to be games played with the Player Participation Policy in effect. This season Booker has already missed nine games, leaving just eight games left that he can miss for the rest of the season.
Booker has been on another level this season with four games of 10+ assists and five with 31+ points. With Phoenix in the mix for a top four seed in the Western Conference and how well Booker is playing when healthy the only thing stopping him from making one of the three All-NBA teams is health.
Anthony Edwards – Minnesota Timberwolves
Stats: 26.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in 17 games
Sitting at the top of the standings puts the spotlight on players to potentially make an All-NBA Team. Edwards is in a position to make his first All-NBA Team this year as the two-way leader of the best team in the Western Conference through one-quarter of the season.
Edwards has elevated his game this season with career-best numbers across the board in shooting, three-point shooting, free-throw shooting, points, rebounds and assists. He is also arguably the second-best two-way player in this group giving him the stats, winning profile and defensive edge on his peers.
Jalen Brunson – New York Knicks
Stats: 24.9 points, 5.5 assists and 3.7 rebounds on 47-47-83 splits in 19 games
Brunson is not a standout candidate with his counting statistics this season. He is however one of the best leaders in the game today that is guiding New York to another top-six seed in the Eastern Conference.
The path for Brunson to make All-NBA is his team’s success. Right now New York is in fifth place in the Eastern Conference and has the top defense in the league.
Trae Young – Atlanta Hawks
Stats: 27.1 points, 10.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game in 18 games
Statistically Young is a name to watch for an All-NBA team this season with the counting stats alone. Once you dig a little deeper, his shooting (near career-low 56.9% true shooting) and turnovers (another less than 3:1 assist to turnover ratio season).
There are still three more quarters left in the season for Young to build up his shooting profile and clean up the turnovers – a nearly 30 and 11 season is worthy of an All-NBA Team.
Kyrie Irving – Dallas Mavericks
Stats: 23.6 points, 5.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game on 45-37-90 splits in 15 games
This season Irving has settled into his role next to Doncic in a way that is not just two great players trading baskets.
Irving has been elite in the clutch this season scoring 4.4 points per game (seventh) while shooting 62.5% from the field. Of players shooting at least 2.3+ shots per game in clutch time, only LeBron James has a better shooting percentage.
Donovan Mitchell – Cleveland Cavaliers
Stats: 27.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game in 15 games
When you look just at the counting stats and the standings this year, Mitchell is one of the best guards in the league. Cleveland’s success is the ticket to Mitchell making All-NBA if the team can stay in the top six or potentially rise up into having home-court advantage.
Dig a little deeper into the advanced stats and shooting percentages and then Mitchell slides back some. Mitchell is one pace for another season shooting under 45% from the field (six of seven years in the NBA) with barely above a 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
LaMelo Ball – Charlotte Hornets
Stats: 24.7 points, 8.2 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game on 39% shooting from three in 15 games
Injuries might make this case a moot point, but before Ball went out with an ankle injury. Before getting hurt Ball had Charlotte playing better than expected (5-9) with his playmaking and scoring.
While Charlotte would have been a longshot to make the playoffs or even the play-in tournament, Ball was one of just three guards in the NBA averaging 24+ points and 8+ assists per game. Ball will need to return in time to hit the 65 games played mark to be eligible. As of today, he has missed just three games.
Desmond Bane – Memphis Grizzlies
Stats: 23.8 points, 5.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game in 19 games
This is the longest shot of the group with Memphis currently sitting in 27th place in the NBA. The case for Bane is partially what he is doing now and partially what could be to come when Ja Morant returns.
With Morant out, Bane is 19th in the NBA in points per game and one of 12 guards averaging at least 20+ points, 5+ assists and 4+ rebounds per game. If Memphis can make a run, get to .500 or make the playoffs then Bane would deserve all the accolades that can be thrown at him.
Some Honorable Mentions:
Darius Garland (Cleveland), Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics), Fred VanVleet (Houston Rockets) and Derrick White (Boston)
Through the first quarter of the season if I were a voting member of the media for awards, here is how my ballot would go:
First Team All-NBA: Gilgeous-Alexander and Doncic
Second Team All-NBA: Fox and Haliburton
Third Team All-NBA: Maxey and Edwards
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