From King James to the Greek Freak to the Joker, here are the top ten players in the NBA in 2022.
10. DeMar DeRozan (Chicago Bulls)
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DeMar DeRozan has had a career year at age 32 for the Chicago Bulls in 2022, scoring an impressive 28 points per game on tremendous efficiency (59% True Shooting) while also making incredible strides as a passer and performer in clutch situations.
9. Chris Paul (Phoenix Suns)
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After making his first trip to the NBA finals in 2021, Chris Paul and Phoenix Suns have been the best team in the land this season, with a 62-16 record that has propelled them to the top of the Western Conference. Just like his old pal LeBron, Paul continues to defy father-time at age 37, as the ‘Point God’ leads the NBA in assists in 2022 while also remaining a plus defender and an assassin in crunch-time situations.
8. Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies)
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Ja Morant has elevated himself into the top echelon of players in the NBA after his phenomenal MVP-level season with the Memphis Grizzlies. Morant has defied expectations with his meteoric rise this campaign, and the 22-year-old has helped Memphis finish with the second-best regular-season record in the NBA in 2021/22.
7. Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)
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After getting over some off-season rust and injury issues in the early months of the campaign, Luka Doncic has been one of the top five players in the NBA since the turn of the year and is averaging an incredible 28.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game in 2021/22.
6. Lebron James (LA Lakers)
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Lebron James continues to produce super-human performances in year 19 of his NBA career as the King leads the league in points per game this season (30.3) to go along with his 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. The less said about his supporting cast at the Los Angeles Lakers though, the better.
5. Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors)
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Steph Curry’s shooting numbers may have suffered a slight dip this season, but the point guard has led the Golden State Warriors back into title contention in 2022 and remains the most feared-offensive player in the league due to his ability to flip a switch and start draining three-pointers if they were a lay-up.
4. Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)
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Along with Giannis, Joel Embiid remains the most impactful star in the NBA on both ends of the court as the 7-foot-2 centre dragged the Simmons-less Philadelphia 76ers to a top-four seed in the East by putting up over 30 points and 11 rebounds per game.
3. Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
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The reigning league MVP has somehow continued to get better in 2022, with Jokic adding an improved defensive skill-set to his other-worldly offensive repertoire of passing, court vision and shooting efficiency.
2. Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets)
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Despite battling through injuries through the last three seasons, Kevin Durant is the greatest scorer in the NBA right now and amongst the conversation for the best player in the world. Durant put up 30 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists per game this season with some incredible efficiency, and the 33-year-old has almost single-handedly lifted the Brooklyn Nets into playoff contention in the Eastern Conference.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
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The reigning NBA Champion and Finals MVP is the most dominant player in the NBA in 2022, with the Greek Freak’s athleticism, elite defence and ability in transition taking him to number one on our list. More impressively, Giannis has shown considerable improvement in his three-point shooting and efficiency numbers this season, indicating that he could still be 1-2 years away from his overall peak in the NBA.
[Featured Image Credit: Milwaukee Bucks]
Shivaan Shah