1.) KG - Best player in the NBA 3 years running. Most skilled and versitile player I've ever seen.
KG is probably the most skilled player in the game today, but it is a pity you never saw Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robinson, or Julius Erving play if he is the best player you have ever seen. Can he shoot better then Peja? - No.
2.) TD - Most effective player in the league 4 years running, very Kareem-like in his game, mannerisms and effectiveness.
Very effective power forward, but Kareem would win a straightup matchup with him. Can he shoot better then Peja? - No.
3.) Shaq - Most dominant player in the league 5 years running, has had a major drop off the last two years otherwise he'd easily be #1.
Shaq is a very effective player even when hurting, but comparing a true center to a true small forward is hardly fair to either. Could Shaq play Peja's position any better then Peja could play Shaq's? Hardly. The main reason? Can he shoot better then Peja? - No.
4.) JO - Plays both sides of the court. Excellent in every aspect of a big-mans game. Needs to mature a bit before he reaches the next level. His head is not always in the game when things don't go his way.
Definitely a player who is proving his worth at his position. Only problem? Can he shoot better then Peja? - No.
5.) Kidd - Has more of an impact on his teamates than any other player in the league. The Nets have a horrid roster offensively but when Kidd is on they look terrific. Just as good defensively as he is offensively, too bad he can't develop a reliable outside shot.
If we were comparing point guards, he tops the list. In fact, he should be put in the elite category of players. His only weakness? Can he shoot better then Peja? - No.
6
.) Dirk - Becomming nearly impossible to guard, once his inside game developes or is utilized more often he will join the top 3 in terms of unguardable. Solid rebounder but needs to get tougher mentally, you can see signs that he's getting there but he needs to be more consistent.
His defense is not as good as Peja's (who out there is still ignoring how well Peja defends his man any longer?). And I certainly feel he can be a load on offense. But! Can he shoot better then Peja? - Still, no.
7.) Yao - Already the 2nd best center in the league. There is no weakness in his game. Still needs to develop the mental aspects of the game, i.e. toughness, reading doubles, playing with fouls and banging for position.
At this point in his career, I would probably chose Yao to build my team around before Shaq, who seems to be in and out game after game as his career winds down. And when necessary he certainly can hit from outside. But, can he shoot better then Peja? - No.
8.) Kobe - He's really #4 or #5 but his inconsistency and brain farts this year have dropped him down. Easily the most competive player in the league, only KG and Artest match his intenisity night in and night out. Plays both sides of the ball well and he's the most "clutch" player in the game today.
Clutch, yes. Team player, oddly - no. Which is a problem except on the occasions when he ball-hogs and it wins games, so you tend to forget about it. He certainly wants to be the guy too, and few players are in the League you can truly say that about. But, can he shoot better then Peja? - No.
9.) T-Mac - All the pluses of Kobe with more size and athletic ability. My only issue with him is his weak mental approach to the game. If he was as mentally tough as Kobe he'd be a much better player than Kobe. T-Mac doesn't like to do much but score, doesn't play much D to begin with and when teams double/triple team him he just give up. Big wuss IMO.
I like T-Mac's overall game, but his failings are as you mentioned them. He can put his team at a disadvantage, but how dominant are his stats simply because no one else on the Magic can be trusted to make (or even try to make) plays? Plus - can he shoot better then Peja? - No.
10.) AI - Amazing player for his size. Gives it his all on the court, too bad he doesn't in practice. Very tough, gets to the line as much as anybody and really tries on defense, usually in the top 3 in steals, but his size hurts him defensively.
The quickest player in the League, and the most fearless. His aura can carry a team, but his play leads to injury and his effectiveness, IMO, has declined in the last several years because of it. He just does not seem to trust his teammates all that much. Plus - can he shoot better then Peja? - No.
My point of all this is, Peja plays on a team of shooters and passers. No one (except Christie, who brings other talents - and can shoot if necessary) is afraid to put up a clutch shot at any time from any where on the court. Yet they all would defer to Peja if they absolutely needed points. Why? Because none of them can shoot better then Peja.
He has been scoring easily from inside this year. As for his versatility, his steals are up this year, his rebounds are up, his assists are up, and he is leading the League in FT percentage. Plus, no one in the League can shoot better then him from outside. Can he be shut down by good defense, sure. But he is NOT the only offensive weapon on the Kings, so to do so means someone else will be padding their average and Peja would still be responsible helping his team out.
Is McGrady or Iverson the main focus for their teams' offensive? Well, the League's leading scorer is now McGrady, who takes 23.1 shots per game and makes 9.8 of them, Second is Iverson, who takes 24.1 shots to make 9.5. Third is Peja, who only takes 17.7 shots to make 8.5. That is still less shots then Duncan or Garnett take per game, though their shooting percentages are slightly better then Peja, in that they are shooting from inside almost exclusively.
Peja does not have to be open (NO TEAM leaves him open on the perimeter if they can help it) to make his shots. He rarely is. Peja is what you might call a "Sagger".
When the other team sees him get the ball for an open three pointer, you can visably see them as a unit sag their collective shoulders, knowing what is coming.
Should he be in the top ten in the League today? Maybe that is a question you should be asking his opponents who have to guard him -including Bowen and Fox, who both claim some success against him. And failures.
