Sportskeeda NBA Top 20: 15-11

LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 20: Blake Griffin #32 of the Los Angeles Clippers dunks the ball over Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs in the third quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals in the 2012 NBA Playoffs on May 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

With the 2012/13 season around the corner, SportsKeeda presents the NBA Top 20 – a countdown of who we predict will be the NBA’s 20 best players in the upcoming season.

Six of the finest basketball writers on this website – Karan Madhok (hoopistani), Sabarinath Sankaranarayanan (sabarinath.sankara), Siddarth Sharma (sidbreakball), Siddharth Srikanth (darthsid), Sidhartha Patra (sidhartha), and Souvik Roy Chowdhury (souvik) – put their minds together to vote for the NBA’s best, the players who will be the most “valuable”, not just to their team but in determining the course of how the upcoming season unravels. Enjoy!

15. Blake Griffin

Position: Power Forward

Team: Los Angeles Clippers

College: Oklahoma

Hometown: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

2011-12 stats: 20.9 PPG, 10.7 RPG and 23.5 PER

Predicted 2012-13 stats: 19 PPG, 11 RPG and 23 PER

There hasn’t been a more electrifying persona on the Clippers’ roster than Mr. Blake Griffin. He can dunk. He can rebound. He can score. To keep it simple, he can singlehandedly win games. Griffin is Vince Carter, except bigger and way more dexterous, Tim Duncan but definitely eccentric and Kevin Garnett with a more solidified foundation. And here is why: Blake isn’t just limited in capacity as a post player. He is eager to improve season in and out where his defense, post-game and defense have improved significantly that has transformed him into a perennial All-Star. Three seasons into the league, Griffin has been consistently been putting up double-doubles, often making other contributions on the court such as play calling, switching men in defense which go unnoticed. Not to say the man is perfect but Griffin has established his superiority amongst the other young guns of the league and maturing under Chris Paul will only develop his potential. A little work needs to be put in his offensive rebounding and on-court temperament, and the crazy dunker is well set to take over the mantle from the likes of Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – JUNE 06: Tony Parker #9 of the San Antonio Spurs looks to pass the ball against Nick Collison #4 of the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Six of the Western Conference Finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena on June 6, 2012 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

14. Tony Parker

Position: Point Guard

Team: San Antonio Spurs

Prior Experience: Paris Basket Racing

Hometown: Bruges, Belgium

2011-12 stats: 18.3 PPG, 7.7 APG and 22.04 PER

Predicted 2012-13 stats: 16 PPG, 8.5 APG and 23 PER

Parker, the Frenchman born in Belgium, is easily the most under-rated star in the League. In a team blossoming with Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili and in a city where Coach Greg Popovich covets more respect than the Mayor does, Tony Parker has nowhere to feature as much as he deserves to be. Last year, Parker put up record numbers with nearly averaging a double-double a game. An exceptional transition player from the arc and the paint, Parker’s floater is too deceptive for the likes of 7 foot centers to even spot it. What about his field goal percentage? Compare him to the best big men in the game and Parker shuts them up. Parker would win MVP honors every year in any other team but the Spurs. That is the essential genius of Tony Parker – as quiet as a mouse; he brings the ball up the court, creates gems of plays and spots Tim Duncan with ease. A man who nearly was forced out of training camp due to a weaker physique before a second chance, Parker shows the fans of the NBA that wits and ingenuity can stride leaps ahead of what physique can only wish it does. If you bet on the Spurs to win it this year, put your money on Parker to record career high numbers. And still not be in MVP contention!

LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 19: Pau Gasol #16 and Andrew Bynum #17 of the Los Angeles Lakers react after losing 103-100 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals in the 2012 NBA Playoffs on May 19 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

13. Andrew Bynum

Position: Center

Team: Philadelphia 76ers

High School: St. Joseph High School

Hometown: Plainsboro, New Jersey

2011-12 stats: 18.7 PPG, 11.8 RPG and 23.0 PER

Predicted 2012-13 stats: 20.5 PPG, 11 RPG and 24 PER

To think that Andrew Bynum was the puppet in the Dwight Howard deal and is still considered by many to be the second best center in the game is just shocking. The Lakers desperately wanted Howard but Bynum would have gelled well in that team that currently has Nash on the roster. So Bynum was shipped out; he landed in Philly and finds himself in a completely new scenario. He is closer to home but nowhere closer to recapturing his championship ring. Andrew Bynum’s career could have gone two ways this offseason – as a multiple championship winner with the Lakers or a great caliber player who gets barely recognized in the latter stages of his career. Sadly, Andrew Bynum is heading towards the later with the 76ers.

But that doesn’t take away the positivity surrounding his immense 7 foot presence on the court. The American is considered by many to be the best offensive center in the league with him stepping up during Kobe’s off-court dilemmas last year. At Philly, he has the chance to steal the mantle that only Iverson can brag over in the past decade or so. Philly’s last favorite son was AI 3 and now, it could well be AB 33. The question for Bynum is can he stay away from his injuries that has constantly threatened to end his career.

MIAMI, FL – JUNE 21: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder attempts to control the ball against LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat in Game Five of the 2012 NBA Finals on June 21, 2012 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

12. Russell Westbrook

Position: Point Guard

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

College: UCLA

Hometown: Long Beach, California

2011-12 stats: 23.6 PPG, 5.5 APG and 23.0 PER

Predicted 2012-13 stats: 21 PPG, 7 APG and 23.0 PER

There are players who everyone hates. And there are players who everyone envies and then egoistically hates them. Russell Westbrook falls among the second breed. The best point guard to have come out in the past five years, Westbrook has revolutionized the game with his prolific scoring ability. This athletic freak can last the entire game and still drill in another quarter with the same tempo. Ask Kevin Durant who would he not play against and he’d say Russell.

Westbrook’s defense is solid too. Unlike other point guards who can just steal, Westbrook takes it to another level with nearly 5 RPG. He might be an impure, ball hogging point guard, but Westbrook sure does know to put up numbers that only shun his critics. If OKC do go big this year, watch out for a 25 PPG season from RW0. Or don’t be surprised if he resorts to a passing game, thereby stacking up nearly seven assists a game.

NEW YORK, NY – MAY 06: Carmelo Anthony #7 of the New York Knicks looks on against the Miami Heat in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in the 2012 NBA Playoffs on May 6, 2012 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement

11. Carmelo Anthony

Position: Guard

Team: New York Knicks

College: Syracuse

Hometown: New York City, New York

2011-12 stats: 25.2 PPG, 2.9 APG and 21.15 PER

Predicted 2012-13 stats: 24 PPG, 4 APG and 22 PER

Granted – everyone knows Mr. Clutch cannot play defense. In fact, he chose not to. Well, let’s say if he did, he’d sure be up there as a top five player. Straying away from his weakness, Melo is absolutely terrific on the offense. When in form, he’d be unstoppable so much so that he could line up 40 points night in, night out. And nobody is as clutch as Melo is either. Pick him in your fantasy draft and you’ll perform wonders with how much the guy scores in the final quarter. This coming season, Anthony has vehemently stated he is ready to make sacrifices – be it shooting up in the assist column or playing solid defense, thereby taking a drop in his points per game category. The Knicks are stacked and Melo is their leader. All Mike Woodson needs to assert is convince Melo and the Knicks to play constant defense.

That makes our list down to the top 10 now.

Here is the countdown:

20. James Harden

19. Chris Bosh

18. LaMarcus Aldridge

17. Pau Gasol

16. Dirk Nowitzki

15. Blake Griffin

14. Tony Parker

13. Andrew Bynum

12. Russell Westbrook

11. Carmelo Anthony

Watch this space for the next installment of Sportskeeda’s Top 20, which will be out on the eighth of October.

Catch the whole series here: Sportskeeda NBA Top 20