Great PG Play Headlines NBA Playoffs

With both conferences in their semifinal rounds, some of the great performances of this postseason have come from point guards. Among the 7 teams remaining, each team has gotten stellar play from their point guards to make it this far. Let's take a look at each point guard's performance during the playoffs.

Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
24.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 6.9 APG
Westbrook has been criticized often for taking too many shots for the Thunder, and he arguably cost the Thunder Game 3 against the Grizzlies with his poor decision making. His field goal percentage has dropped 3% in the playoffs. However, Westbrook has still been able to score and manage the Thunder to the second round of the playoffs.

Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies
15.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.2 APG
While Conley has not accumulated the stellar numbers Westbrook has, he has surprised many with his strong play so far this postseason. In the first round, Conley outplayed stellar PG Tony Parker of the Spurs. His performance so far in the semifinals against Westbrook and the Thunder has been even more promising to Grizzlies fans. So far in the series, he's been able to score more, averaging 19.0 PPG in the second round of the playoffs. For the Grizzlies to continue their stunning run, Conley will have to continue to play well.

Jason Kidd, Dallas Mavericks
10.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 7.2 APG
While Kidd has not scored as much as the other two, he's continued to showcase his superior passing abilities. His 7.2 APG have been one of the reasons the Mavericks have played so well in the playoffs. The Mavericks' most valuable weapon has been the 3-point shot, and Kidd has certainly provided some of that. He's shooting about 37% from long range, and if he continues to play well, expect the Mavs to contend for a championship this year.

Jeff Teague, Atlanta Hawks
11.4 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 2.8 APG
Teague was barely a factor at all in the Hawks' first round series against the Magic, averaging only 2.5 minutes per game. After Kirk Hinrich went down, Teague stepped into a heavy role in the Hawks offense. In the second round matchup against the Bulls, Teague is averaging 42 minutes per game, 17.3 points per game, and 3.7 assists per game. Teague's second round performance has been solid so far, and he will need to lead the Hawks well to defeat Derrick Rose and the Bulls.

Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
28.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 7.3 APG
The regular season MVP has been terrific so far in the postseason, shredding defenses to average just about 29 points per game. Rose's performance has been even further elevated in this second round series against the Hawks, averaging 31 points per game, and 9 assists per game. Rose has continued his rise to becoming one of the top players in the NBA, and has definitely made a great case for being the best point guard in the league.

Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics
15.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 11.1 APG
Rondo tore through the Knicks' subpar defense in the first round, but has met some much tougher defense against the Heat. His production has dropped 8.7 points per game and 2 assists per game. Rondo's gutsy return from a dislocated elbow in Game 3 Saturday was heroic, but many wonder if he will be healthy for Game 4. Rondo is listed as a game-time decision, and the Celtics will surely need their point guard to come back in this series against Miami.

Mario Chalmers, Miami Heat
7.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.3 APG
Unlike many of the other point guards listed, Chalmers' job does not involve being a huge offensive presence. The Heat are led by LeBron James and Dwayne Wade, and Chalmers' job appears to be to make 3's when needed. Chalmers is hitting 3's at a 36.1% rate, and he is certainly capable of hitting clutch three's in important games. Chalmers doesn't have as much of a role in his team's offense, but the Heat have proven to the doubters that they have the ability to win in the postseason.

Here are my rankings of the remaining point guards so far in the postseason:
1) Derrick Rose
2) Rajon Rondo
3) Mike Conley
4) Russell Westbrook
5) Jason Kidd
6) Jeff Teague
7) Mario Chalmers

How Do the Top 6 NBA Teams in Record Fare Against Each Other?

Coming through February, most of the top NBA teams have played each other at some point this season. In the past few weeks we've seen some highly contentious duels between some of the premier teams in the league. Let's take a look at each team's record against the other top 5 teams in the NBA. The teams we will rank are the Spurs, Celtics, Heat, Mavericks, Bulls, and Lakers.

1. Boston Celtics (7-4, .636 Win %)
The Celtics hold the highest winning percentage against the top teams in the NBA. The Celtics have 3 wins against the Miami Heat, and hold a losing record against only the Mavericks, who they are 0-2 against. The Celtics are 5 GB of the Spurs for best record in the NBA, and one thing to watch after the All-Star break is how the Celtics' aging roster holds up down the stretch.

2. San Antonio Spurs (5-3, .625)
At the All-Star break, the Spurs are still red-hot at the All-Star break, and have only lost 10 games in the season, 3 of them against top teams. Their losses have come to Boston, Dallas, and most recently a tough loss against Chicago in which Derrick Rose scored 42 points. DeJuan Blair has asserted himself as a solid player for San Antonio, and Parker, Ginobli, and Duncan are all playing well. The Spurs also have an aging roster, so watch how their team finishes out the season.

T-3. Chicago Bulls (6-4, .600)
The Bulls come in tied for 3rd in the rankings with a 6-4 record. The Bulls have .500 or above records against each team except for the Celtics, who they have a 1-2 record against. The Bulls have an interesting roster, led by Derrick Rose, who is considered by many to be a serious MVP candidate. Rose could certainly use some help, but he's demonstrated this season that he's more than capable of putting this team on his back.

T-3. Dallas Mavericks (6-4, .600)
Dallas' roster that includes Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion, and Tyson Chandler, all players that have shown they have the ability to help a team to get to the playoffs. The Mavs have a 5-0 record against the Lakers, Celtics, and Heat, the 3 preseason favorites for the title. Dallas has always struggled to cap off their seasons on high notes, and perhaps this year they can finally close out a championship.

5. Los Angeles Lakers (2-6, .250)
The Lakers and the Heat, regarded as the favorites to compete in the NBA Finals in June, but these two teams have both struggled against the top teams in the NBA, who they will more than likely have to defeat in order to get to the Finals. The Lakers' 2 wins have come against the Celtics and Bulls, two quality teams, but they have struggled overall this season against good teams. More troubling are their losses to lower tier teams such as Milwaukee and Charlotte. The defending champs still have a strong team, but they're going to have to play a lot better to win it all again.

6. Miami Heat (1-6, .167)
The Heat, who came together this offseason to win a title, can't seem to beat the best teams the league has to offer. The Heat gained a strong win over the Lakers on Christmas day, but they've fallen in all 3 matchups against Boston, and lost both games to Dallas. The Heat are yet to play the Spurs this season, and have an 0-1 record against Chicago. The Heat have been shaky all season, and like the Lakers, they definitely have the talent to win it all, they just need to bring it all together to win.