Image via Complex Original
The point guard position is one of the toughest in sports. It’s a huge responsibility, and the point guard often has to find a very delicate balance between getting all of his or her teammates involved while also making sure that he/she gets his/her own shots up as necessary. While some players are certainly more successful at finding this equilibrium than others, the best to ever play the game always seemingly know intuitively when to pass and when to be more selfish.
Some of the greatest legends in NBA history (think Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Magic Johnson) have been able to find a way to both score and distribute to teammates from the point guard position. A list complete with many Hall of Famers and some present-day players like Deron Williams and Russell Westbrook, here are the 25 Best Scoring Point Guards in NBA History.
25. Norm Nixon
Career: 1977-1989
Team(s): Lakers, Clippers
Stats: 15.7 PPG, 8.3 APG, 2.6 RPG, 1.5 SPG
Accomplishments: 2x All-Star, 2x NBA Champion, 1978 All-Rookie First Team
Highlights
Largely overshadowed by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, few remember Nixon's important role on two championship-winning "Showtime" Lakers teams. Nixon was outstanding in the 1982 playoffs, averaging a team-best 20.4 points per game as L.A. won their second title in three years. He was a remarkably consistent scorer overall, averaging between 17.1 and 17.6 points per game over six of seven seasons during the prime of his career; injuries were ultimately what did him in, as he missed both 1986-87 (nerve damage in knee) and in 1987-88 (torn Achilles').
Upon returning in 1988-89, he only managed to play one ineffective NBA season before calling it quits. Call it a case of bad timing; had he come around 20 years later, advances in medical technology would likely have allowed Nixon several more productive years.
24. Lenny Wilkens
Career: 1960-1975
Team(s): Hawks, SuperSonics, Cavaliers, Trail Blazers
Stats: 16.5 PPG, 6.7 APG, 4.7 RPG, 1.3 SPG
Accomplishments: 9x All-Star, 1971 All-Star Game MVP
Highlights
More known now for his career as a coach, Wilkens was an outstanding point guard. First with the St. Louis Hawks and then as a player-coach for the Seattle SuperSonics in the '60s and early '70s. Unlike most scorers, he got better with age; his four highest scoring seasons all occurred after age 30, including 1972-73 when he put up 20.5 a night at age 35. His success could be attributed to his health; only three times in his 15-year career did Wilkens fail to meet or exceed 71 games played in a season.
23. Mark Price
Career: 1986-1998
Team(s): Cavaliers, Bullets, Warriors, Magic
Stats: 15.2 PPG, 6.7 APG, 2.6 RPG, 1.2 SPG
Accomplishments: 4x All-Star, 1x All-NBA First Team, 2x 3-Point Shootout Champion
Highlights
A deadly three-point shooter who could also split double teams like nobody who had ever played before, Price was about as unassuming a star player there was in the late '80s and early '90s. In 1988-89, he became just the second player in history (Larry Bird was the other) to become part of the 50-40-90 club after shooting at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three and 90 percent from the free-throw line.
The only reason his career did not last longer was due to injury, and he is not terribly well-known because his Cleveland teams were overshadowed by the powerhouse Celtics, Pistons, and Bulls squads that reigned during his career.
22. Chauncey Billups
Career: 1997-Present
Team(s): Celtics, Raptors, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Pistons, Nuggets, Knicks, Clippers
Stats: 15.4 PPG, 5.5 APG, 2.9 RPG, 1.0 SPG
Accomplishments: 5x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Second Team, 2004 NBA Finals MVP
Highlights
Although it took Billups four teams and three seasons before he really caught on in the NBA, when he did he became a reliable scorer and notorious clutch shooter for the better part of a decade. After a breakthrough half-season as Minnesota's starting point guard in 2002, Billups signed with the Pistons and became the anchor of their championship-winning squad and several other contending Detroit teams.
If you look at his career numbers just from his arrival in the Motor City on, his points per game jumps to 17.0 and assists to 6.0; this late-career renaissance may very well be enough to get him to the Hall of Fame when he decides to retire.
21. Stephen Curry
Career: 2009-Present
Team(s): Warriors
Stats: 19.2 PPG, 6.1 APG, 4.0 RPG, 1.7 SPG
Accomplishments: 2010 All-Rookie First Team
Highlights
While he has only played four seasons in the NBA, Stephen Curry has proven that he has all the ability necessary to become one of the great scoring point guards ever to play the game. He makes the Golden State offense go, dishing out over six assists per game while also raining in threes at a career percentage (.446) that is the second best in league history.
In 2012-13, he set the NBA record for threes made in a season with 272, which greatly contributed to his career-best 22.9 points per game average. As long as he can keep his troublesome ankles healthy, no shooting record is safe.
20. Deron Williams
Career: 2005-Present
Team(s): Jazz, Nets
Stats: 17.8 PPG, 9.0 APG, 3.2 RPG, 1.1 SPG
Accomplishments: 3x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Second Team, 2006 All-Rookie First Team
Highlights
After a solid but not statistically eye-popping rookie season in Utah, Williams quickly emerged in his second year as an outstanding scorer and overall talented point guard, and by the next season fully made the leap to star player. His career-best shooting percentages of .507 from the field and .395 on three-pointers allowed the third year player to average nearly 19 a game despite taking just north of 13 shots a night, an incredibly efficient output.
In the five years since, Williams has been remarkably consistent in averaging no more than 21 but not fewer than 18.7 points per game, and there is no reason why the 28-year-old should slow down any time soon.
19. Steve Nash
Career: 1996-Present
Team(s): Suns, Mavs, Lakers
Stats: 14.4 PPG, 8.5 APG, 3.0 RPG, 0.7 SPG
Accomplishments: 2x NBA MVP, 8x All-Star, 3x All-NBA First Team
Highlights
While Nash is best known for his jaw-dropping passes and horrible defense, he also has been an incredibly efficient scorer throughout his career. Unheralded coming out of Santa Clara, Nash had several decent years in Phoenix and the Mavericks before really busting out in 2000-01. His points per game bounced from his career average of 7.2 up to 15.6, and has pretty much stayed at or above that level ever since until suffering a slight decline the last two seasons. During his peak especially, Nash was a gifted shooter; between 2001 and 2010, the Canadian native shot at a .496 clip from the field and .437 from three point land.
18. Russell Westbrook
Career: 2008-Present
Team(s): Thunder
Stats: 19.9 PPG, 6.9 APG, 4.8 RPG, 1.6 SPG
Accomplishments: 3x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Second Team, 2009 All-Rookie First Team
Highlights
Perhaps the best way to appreciate Russell Westbrook is to watch the Thunder try to play without him. His absence is palpable; the Thunder sorely miss his ability to run the fast break and blow by defenders with ease. His partnership with Kevin Durant—heavily scrutinized at times—has been put on display as a perfect balance of responsibility between two elite scorers.
Westbrook has demonstrated the past three seasons (22.8 points per game average) that he can score with the best of them, getting to the rim whenever he sees fit. He also has been able to stay on the floor, never missing a game until his freak injury during OKC's first round series against Houston.
17. Derrick Rose
Career: 2008-Present
Team(s): Bulls
Stats: 21.0 PPG, 6.8 APG, 3.8 RPG, 0.9 SPG
Accomplishments: 2011 NBA MVP, 3x All-Star, 2009 Rookie of the Year
Highlights
Rose's career is only just beginning, but already he is looking like one of the best scoring point guards to come around in years. The reckless abandon with which he attacks makes him one of the most explosive scorers around, yet also partially explains the reason behind his injury-riddled regular season and ACL tear in the playoffs last year. Rose has only played one style his entire career, but he'll need to refine his game if he wants to stick around long term. Considering how quickly he's adapted to the NBA, there's no reason to think he won't be able to make the changes necessary to becoming an MVP candidate again in the near future.
16. Stephon Marbury
Career: 1996-Present
Team(s): Timberwolves, Nets, Suns, Knicks, Celtics
Stats: 19.3 PPG, 7.6 APG, 3.0 RPG, 1.2 SPG
Accomplishments: 2x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Third Team, 1997 All-Rookie First Team
Highlights
There may be no better representative than "Starbury" for the group of shoot-first point guards that littered the NBA in the late '90s and early 2000s. After breaking in with Kevin Garnett's Timberwolves, Marbury emerged as a volatile but talented scorer with the Nets, Suns, and Knicks before finally pissing off enough people that nobody wanted him anymore.
The fact remains, though, that the guy could flat out score; he poured in 20-plus points per game seven years in a row, including a career-best 23.9 in 2000-01. It seems fitting, though, that despite that output Marbury's Nets team that season failed to make the playoffs.
15. Calvin Murphy
Career: 1970-1983
Team(s): Rockets
Stats: 17.9 PPG, 4.4 APG, 2.1 RPG, 1.5 SPG
Accomplishments: 1x All-Star, All-Rookie First Team
Highlights
Standing at just 5' 9", the diminutive Murphy relied on his incredible quickness to become a Hall of Famer after playing with the Rockets (first in San Diego then Houston) for all of his 13 years in the NBA. Despite his lack of size, Murphy could score with the best of them as he managed to pour in 20-plus points per game five different times thanks in large part to his incredible burst and ability to get to the rim. He was also aided by the fact that he was one of the greatest free-throw shooters of all time, with a career percentage of .892, and in 1981-82 set since-broken records for most consecutive free-throws made and highest percentage in a season.
14. Gary Payton
Career: 1990-2007
Team(s): SuperSonics, Bucks, Lakers, Celtics, Heat
Stats: 16.3 PPG, 6.7 APG, 3.9 RPG, 1.8 SPG
Accomplishments: 9x All-Star, 2x All-NBA First Team, 2006 NBA Champion
Highlights
Initially looking like a bust after entering the league amidst high expectations, Payton blossomed into one of the league's premier point guards after a few years of seasoning. During his 12.5 years in Seattle, "The Glove" scored 20 or more points per game seven times (if you include his half-season in 2002-03 when he was traded), with all seven coming in his final nine years there. He finished his career with 21,813 total points, which currently ranks him at 34th all-time, one spot ahead of Larry Bird and two spots ahead of Hal Greer. Pretty good company.
13. Tony Parker
Career: 2001-Present
Team(s): Spurs
Stats: 17.1 PPG, 6.0 APG, 3.0 RPG, 1.0 SPG
Accomplishments: 5x All-Star, 3x NBA Champion, 3x NBA Finals Champion, 2007 Finals MVP
Highlights
It is absolutely amazing that Parker is now wrapping up his 12th season with the Spurs yet is only 30 years old. Parker's boost in production has allowed Tim Duncan to age gracefully, lengthening his career while at the same time bringing the French point guard along gradually as the Spurs' primary offensive weapon. In 2012-13, Parker averaged over 20 points in his career for the second time while playing a very manageable 33 minutes a night. He's simultaneously become an even better ball distributor, averaging the two best assist totals of his career over the last two seasons. As Duncan and Manu Ginobili continue to wind down their careers, Parker's scoring totals will only continue to climb.
12. Tim Hardaway
Career: 1989-2003
Team(s): Warriors, Heat, Mavs, Nuggets, Pacers
Stats: 17.7 PPG, 8.2 APG, 3.3 RPG, 1.6 SPG
Accomplishments: 5x All-Star, 1x All-NBA First Team, All-Rookie First Team
Highlights
There wasn't much not to like about Hardaway's game. As part of the "Run TMC" trio in Golden State, the point guard quickly emerged as a dynamic threat particularly in the Warriors' high octane offense. His devastating crossover helped popularize the move among younger players, and helped Hardaway to find immediate success on the court as he topped 20 points in a season four years in a row early in his career. He was the second-fastest player in NBA history to reach 5,000 points and 2,500 assists, bested only by Oscar Robertson. He also showed that he was not to be messed with, as one night late in his career, Hardaway flung a TV monitor onto the court in a rage.
11. Chris Paul
Career: 2005-Present
Team(s): Hornets, Clippers
Stats: 18.6 PPG, 9.8 APG, 4.4 RPG, 2.4 SPG
Accomplishments: 6x All-Star, 2x All-NBA First Team, 2006 Rookie of the Year
Highlights
Anyone who watches the NBA knows that when he is healthy, Paul is the best point guard in the league due to his incredible ability to both distribute to his teammates and score from seemingly impossible angles. Along with David West, he carried several lackluster Hornets teams before hurting his knee in 2009-10, nearly winning the MVP award in 2007-08. With the Clippers, he has become their go-to crunch time scorer as guys like Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan willingly defer to him in nearly every key situation. He's been an All-Star six seasons in a row, and there's no reason to think that streak won't continue indefinitely as long as he stays healthy.
10. Jo Jo White
Career: 1969-1981
Team(s): Celtics, Warriors, Kings
Stats: 17.2 PPG, 4.9 APG, 4.0 RPG, 1.3 SPG
Accomplishments: 7x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Second Team, 2x NBA Champion
Highlights
White was one of the signature players (along with Dave Cowens) of the era in Boston between Russell and Bird, and was a big reason why the Celtics were able to win two titles in 1974 and 1976. He was not only exceptionally quick and an efficient shooter, but the guy could simply stay on the court; White played in every single game from 1972-73 through 1976-77, averaging 18.9 points per night and winning both his rings during that stretch. He averaged 19.1 points per game over the first eight seasons of his career, only to see the final number drop due to being plagued with injuries during his 30s.
9. Kevin Johnson
Career: 1987-2000
Team(s): Cavs, Suns
Stats: 17.9 PPG, 9.1 APG, 3.3 RPG, 1.5 SPG
Accomplishments: 3x All-Star, 4x All-NBA Second Team, 1989 NBA Most Improved Player
Highlights
After being shipped to Phoenix from Cleveland during his rookie season, Kevin Johnson immediately stepped into the starting lineup and in less than a year emerged as a dynamic scorer for the Suns. He averaged 20 or more points per game in each of his first three years, and by averaging 12 assists his first full season with Phoenix he became just the third player in NBA history to average 20 and 12 for the season. Johnson made a total of three All-Star teams and was named to the All-NBA Second Team on four seperate occasions, cementing his legacy as one of the great players in Suns history.
8. Bob Cousy
Career: 1950-1970
Team(s): Celtics, Royals
Stats: 18.4 PPG, 7.5 APG, 5.2 RPG
Accomplishments: 1957 NBA MVP, 13x All-Star, 10x All-NBA First Team
Highlights
Pairing with Bill Russell, Cousy was the other half of one of the game's most dangerous duos of all time. His consistency was absolutely remarkable, as he averaged between 18 and 22 points per game every season from 1951-52 until 1960-61 and made the All-Star team a stunning 13 straight years. Few fans will remember this, but as coach of the Cincinnati Royals in 1970, Cousy actually staged a very brief seven-game comeback to help boost ticket sales. At 41 years old and having not stepped onto an NBA court in seven years, Cousy was (unsurprisingly) bad, averaging 0.7 points and 1.4 assists per game.
7. Dave Bing
Career: 1966-1978
Team(s): Pistons, Bullets, Celtics
Stats: 20.3 PPG, 6.0 APG, 3.8 RPG, 1.3 SPG
Accomplishments: 7x All-Star, 1976 All-Star Game MVP, Sx All-NBA First Team
Highlights
Now the Mayor of Detroit, Bing also happened to be an awesome point guard playing primarily for the Pistons in the late '60s and early '70s. He won Rookie of the Year in 1966-67, and over the first seven years of his career averaged 23.7 points per game to go along with 6.1 assists. Over the course of his 12-year Hall of Fame career, he made seven All-Star teams and was twice named to the All-NBA First Team. His lifetime 20.3 points per game average ranks him 11th all-time among guards, and fifth among point guards.
6. Walt Frazier
Career: 1967-1980
Team(s): Knicks, Cavs
Stats: 18.9 PPG, 6.1 APG, 5.9 RPG, 1.9 SPG
Accomplishments: 7x All-Star, 4x All-NBA First Team, 2x NBA Champion
Highlights
Clyde was excellent right from the start of his career, making the All-NBA Rookie team as a part-time player for the Knicks. He really emerged during his second season in the league, and in year three helped the Knicks win their first NBA title in a series culminating in the famous "Willis Reed Game." It really should be called the "Walt Frazier Game," considering the Knicks' point guard carried the team with a heroic 36 point, 19 assist outburst compared to Reed's four points in about two minutes of playing time. In winning the title in 1973, Frazier teamed with Earl Monroe to form what was known as the "Rolls Royce Backcourt," one of the few pairings ever to consist of two Hall of Famers.
5. Magic Johnson
Career: 1976-1996
Team(s): Lakers
Stats: 19.5 PPG, 11.2 APG, 7.2 RPG, 1.9 SPG
Accomplishments: 3x NBA MVP, 5x NBA Champion, 12x All-Star, 9x All-NBA First Team
Highlights
The architect of the Lakers' "Showtime" offense was an excellent scorer himself, utilizing every inch of his 6'9" frame to over-match opponents who tried to guard him. As Kareem Abdul-Jabbar aged and the Lakers relied more upon Magic to score, the former Spartan showed just how proficient he was at getting points for his team; indeed, Magic's ability to score and lighten the load was part of the reason Kareem was able to play for so long. He also was able to accomplish all this despite not being a bad three-point shooter, sporting career percentage of just .303 and never exceeding .384 in a single season.
4. Tiny Archibald
Career: 1970-1984
Team(s): Royals, Kings, Nets, Celtics, Bucks
Stats: 18.8 PPG, 7.4 APG, 2.3 RPG, 1.1 SPG
Accomplishments: 6x All-Star, 3x All-NBA First Team, 1972-73 NBA Scoring Champion
Highlights
Few point guards have ever possessed the incredible quickness that Tiny had, and his ability to get to the basket made him an incredibly effective weapon at the point guard spot. He won the scoring title in 1972-73 on the strength of 34 points per game, setting a record for guards in the process, and also became the first and only player to lead the league in scoring and assists, dishing out 11.4 dimes a game. After suffering an injury during the 1976-77 season, Archibald was never quite the same player he was before thanks to a torn Achilles that robbed him of much of his burst. He did win a title with the Celtics in 1981 and rediscovered his form enough that year to win the All-Star Game MVP award, and in 1991 was elected to the Hall of Fame.
3. Isiah Thomas
Career: 1981-1994
Team(s): Pistons
Stats: 19.2 PPG, 9.3 APG, 3.6 RPG, 1.9 SPG
Accomplishments: 12x All-Star, 3x All-NBA First Team, 2x NBA Champion, 1990 Finals MVP
Highlights
Thomas' horrific run as an executive in recent years has clouded just how good he was on the court, leading the Pistons to two titles and winning numerous personal accolades along the way. As the leader of the Pistons throughout the '80s and early '90s, Thomas was able to blend a selfless style that saw him average as many as 13.9 assists per game with an incredibly proficient scoring game that allowed him to exceed 20 points per game five seasons in a row from 1982-83 through 1986-87. He put his incredible scoring ability on display in the 1990 Finals, scoring 27.6 points per game and winning the Finals MVP award as the Pistons won their second consecutive title.
2. Oscar Robertson
Career: 1960-1974
Team(s): Royals, Bucks
Stats: 25.7 PPG, 9.5 APG, 7.5 RPG, 1.1 SPG
Accomplishments: 1964 NBA MVP, 12x All-Star, 9x All-NBA First Team
Highlights
The conversation about great scoring point guards really begins with Oscar Robertson. The Big O could do it all on a basketball court, averaging a triple-double in 1961-62 and putting in 30-plus points per night in six of his first seven seasons in the league. While he played in an era where defense basically didn't exist, that doesn't change the fact that Robinson's unique blend of size (he was 6' 5") and athleticism made him virtually unguardable even if opponents were actually trying on defense. He made 12 All-Star teams and won an MVP award over the course of his 14 years in the NBA, so obviously he was doing something right.
1. Jerry West
Career: 1960-1974
Team(s): Lakers
Stats: 27.0 PPG, 6.7 APG, 5.8 RPG, 2.6 SPG
Accomplishments: 14x All-Star, 10x All-NBA First Team, 1970 NBA Scoring Champion
Highlights
West is one of the greatest scorers in NBA history from any position, but the fact that he was so proficient while also running the point makes his incredible career that much more impressive. In just his second season in the league, West helped make up for the absence of Elgin Baylor (called up by his Army Reserve unit) and scored 30.8 points per game, helping the Lakers reach the NBA Finals and pushing the Celtics to seven games. He'd exceed 30 points per game three more times in his career while also increasing his assists per game totals nearly every season until his retirement, cementing his legacy as one of the best ever to play.