The 25 Best Players in the NBA Right Now

With about 25 games to go in the 2013-14 NBA season, the league’s top stars have already treated fans to some incredible individual performances. We’ve seen players like Paul George and Stephen Curry make the leap to superstardom, and usual suspects like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Carmelo Anthony have continued to enjoy their usual nightly success.

James and Durant, in particular, have treated us to one of the most competitive MVP races we’ve seen in a long time, with both players putting up historically good numbers through the first two-thirds of the year. To a degree, their superlative efforts have actually overshadowed some of the incredible seasons other players are having, and if you haven’t been playing close attention you might have missed the emergence of some of the league’s great young players.

The All-Star game is now in the books, the trade deadline has passed, and the season’s final leg is now in full force. This is when teams will be leaning on their stars more than ever to either get them into the playoffs or improve their seeding, and the game’s best will respond with their most impressive stretches of the season. While this list may be reshuffled after we’ve seen these final two months of the regular season, here are the 25 Best Players in the NBA Right Now.

RELATED: The 25 Best Point Guards of All Time
RELATED: The 25 Greatest Shooting Guards of All Time

Team: Indiana Pacers
Team record: 42-13 (First place, Central Division; No. 1 overall in Eastern Conference)
2013-14 stats: 11.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.3 APG, 2.5 BPG

True centers are hard to come by in today's NBA, but Roy Hibbert is certainly built in that mold. While Paul George grabs headlines for his jaw-dropping athleticism, Hibbert has quietly turned himself into one of the league's preeminent interior defenders, altering the shot of anyone who gets near him. At 7'2", he's the second-tallest player in the NBA behind only Hasheem Thabeet, and he uses every inch to disrupt play in the paint. In fact, his dominance has earned him the top defensive rating on Basketball Reference's rating system.

Team: Dallas Mavericks
Team record: 34-23 (Third place, Southwest Division; No. 8 overall in Western Conference)
2013-14 stats: 21.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.9 APG, 0.9 SPG

Another year, another phenomenal offensive season for Dirk Nowitzki. The former MVP has been one of the steadiest offensive players of this generation, and at age 35 earned another All-Star selection for his outstanding effort this season. While a decline seemed logical given Nowitzki's injury woes last year, he has instead swung in the opposite direction; Dirk is back to averaging 20-plus points per game and is on his way to a second 50-40-90 shooting percentage split, a mark that has only been achieved multiple times by Larry Bird and Steve Nash.

We're willing to bet that, if he wanted to, Dirk could just stand in the corner and chuck up threes for an NBA team for the next 15 years.

Team: Phoenix Suns
Team record: 33-21 (Second place, Pacific Division; No. 6 overall in Western Conference)
2013-14 stats: 20.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.4 SPG

It has been an incredible, breakout season for the Suns' Goran Dragic, who turned himself from a good (if nondescript) complementary player into one of the best guards in the league at getting to the hoop. He ranks in the top 20 in points, assists, and steals per game, and his 22.3 PER is good for 12th in the entire NBA. Since Eric Bledsoe went down on Dec. 30, Dragic has improved upon his averages across the board while leading the upstart Suns team to a very respectable 14-10 record. His All-Star snub was perhaps the most egregious of all, and apparently also cost Dragic a lot of money.

Team: Chicago Bulls
Team record: 29-25 (Second place, Central Division; No. 4 overall in Eastern Conference)
2013-14 stats: 11.8 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.4 BPG

The Chicago Bulls just won't go away, and Joakim Noah deserves much of the credit. Despite losing Derrick Rose (injury) and Luol Deng (traded) this season, both of whom are multi-time All-Stars and a huge part of the Bulls' gameplan, Noah has continued to play with the intensity and passion that have made him one of the most polarizing players in the country dating back to his college days in Florida. He may never be a 20-point per game scorer, but every night he's going to play through any nagging injuries, register a double-double, and play All-NBA caliber defense. Any of the 29 other NBA teams would love to build around a big man like that, and the Bulls may well ride Noah's consistency into an unexpected playoff berth.

Team: Miami Heat
Team record: 39-14 (First place, Southeast Division; No. 2 overall in Eastern Conference)
2013-14 stats: 16.9 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.0 BPG

How have the Heat been able to keep winning with Dwyane Wade missing so much time and LeBron James posting "average" numbers? The answer is Chris Bosh, who has gone from a star in Toronto to a complete afterthought behind his more famous teammates in Miami, but still continues to be one of the most productive forwards in the NBA. Bosh has been a steady No. 2 for the Heat all year, and while his team struggles to put the same lineup out on the floor every night he continues to provide the kind of steady production the defending champs need to stay at the top of the NBA food chain.

He has even expanded his game to beyond the arc, hitting on .363 percent of his career-high 2.2 threes per game and opening up Miami's offense even further.

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder
Team record: 43-13 (First place, Northwest Division; No. 1 overall in Western Conference)
2013-14 stats: 15.0 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 0.9 APG, 2.5 BPG

With Russell Westbrook missing a lot of time this year, the Thunder have asked Serge Ibaka to take on a bigger role. He has responded emphatically, averaging career bests in points and rebounds per game while continuing to play his intimidating brand of defense. He currently ranks tenth in the NBA in shooting percentage while at the same time ranking second in blocks per game, dominating on the inside and also showing an improved range from beyond the three point arc with a career-best .366 shooting percentage.

Team: Sacramento Kings
Team record: 19-36 (Last place, Pacific Division; No. 15 overall in Western Conference)
2013-14 stats: 22.5 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.2 BPG

We feel for you, Kings fans. DeMarcus "Boogie" Cousins is one of the most frustrating players in the league to root for, an incredible talent who puts up huge numbers but also pouts and stomps around the court with the petulance of a young, spoiled child. The good: he ranks tenth in the NBA in points per game and sixth in PER. The bad: he turns the ball over a ton (3.5 per game), leads the league in technical fouls (13), and is such a difficult person that the first piece of advice the outgoing management team gave to new owner Vivek Ranadive was to ship Cousins out of town.

Team: San Antonio Spurs
Team record: 40-16 (First place, Southwest Division; No. 2 overall in Western Conference)
2013-14 stats: 17.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 6.2 APG

Serious question: how are the Spurs still so good? They have the Western Conference's second-best record despite an aging roster that has been decimated by injuries this season. A major part of the answer—at least to this point—has been the ever-reliable Tony Parker, who has continued to play at an All-Star level despite being in his 13th NBA season and having an additional two seasons' worth of playoff games under his belt as well. With the Frenchman out "for the foreseeable future" due to "a variety of maladies," the Spurs' depth will once again be tested as they look to get back to the NBA Finals and avenge last year's heartbreaking defeat.

Team: Toronto Raptors
Team record: 31-25 (First Place, Atlantic Division; No. 3 overall in Eastern Conference)
2013-14 stats: 22.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.1 SPG

DeMar is having a great season so far. He has managed to make the Raptors relevant again and that alone guaranteed him a spot on this list. He made his first of many All-Star games this year and his play has Toronto at a respectable 31-25. DeRozan's game has developed from a one dimensional slasher to one of the best all-around guards in the NBA. He's fearless around the rim and his mid-range game is getting better by the game. If he and Kyle Lowry continue to catch wreck in the Great White North, the Raps are going to be a tough out in the second round of the playoffs.

Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Team record: 22-34 (Fourth place, Central Division; No. 10 overall in Eastern Conference)
2013-14 stats: 21.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 6.2 APG, 1.3 SPG

Kyrie Irving may have been the MVP of the All-Star game, but until he finds a way to will his team to more victories, he'll forever be stuck on the outside looking in when it comes to the game's truly elite players. The former No. 1 overall pick has nevertheless had another excellent season, keeping his PER above 20 for the third year in a row and playing a career-high 35.2 minutes per game. These last 26 games will be huge for him; Cleveland has gone "all in" trying to make the playoffs after acquiring Luol Deng in early January and Spencer Hawes at the deadline last week, and it will be up to Irving whether those moves translate into wins and a playoff berth in the atrocious Eastern Conference.

Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Team record: 37-18 (Second place, Northwest Division; No. 5 overall in Western Conference)
2013-14 stats: 23.9 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 2.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.0 BPG

The Portland renaissance may be undergoing a slight course-correction (the Trail Blazers are 6-9 in their last 15 games after a 31-9 start to the season), but LaMarcus Aldridge has continued to show that he's a legitimate No. 1 option in the NBA. Now in his eighth season in the league, the power forward has gotten more involved on offense and has been rewarded with career-best averages in points and rebounds per game, and both his strong mid-range game and skill around the basket are what makes the Trail Blazers' offense go.

With Aldridge now out at least a week due to a groin strain, Portland will have to find a way to tread water without one of their best players.

Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Team record: 37-18 (Second place, Northwest Division; No. 5 overall in Western Conference)
2013-14 stats: 21.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 5.8 APG

After participating in every single event during All-Star weekend, Damian Lillard has officially landed on the national radar after a Rookie of the Year campaign in 2012-13. In addition to improving his scoring average and three-point percentage, he has also contributed a number of memorable moments to this season's highlight reel and helped transform the Trail Blazers into a contender. Lillard ranks in the top 20 in the NBA in a number of key categories, including minutes played, field goals made, free-throws made, and assists per game, and with less than two years of NBA experience there's nowhere for him to go but up.

Team: Washington Wizards
Team record: 27-28 (Second place, Southeast Division; No. 5 overall in Eastern Conference)
2013-14 stats: 19.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 8.6 APG, 2.0 SPG

While it seemed risky for the Wizards to hand John Wall a five-year, max extension this summer after a hot stretch of play following last year's All-Star break, he has rewarded his team this season by earning his first All-Star selection and leading them into the thick of the playoff race. Wall ranks in the NBA's top 20 in points (20th), assists (4th), and steals (5th) per game, posting career-best numbers in all three categories. He has also been exceedingly durable, and currently ranks 7th overall in minutes played on the season. If he keeps this up, that new contract may end up being a bargain after all.

Team: New Orleans Pelicans
Team Record: 23-32 (Last place, Southwest Division; No. 12 overall in Western Conference)
2013-14 Stats: 20.3 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.6 SPG, 3.1 BPG

It has been a breakout season for "The Brow," who has made a major leap after a rookie season where he was slowed by injury. On any given night, 20-year-old Anthony Davis is basically a lock to put up 20 points and 10 rebounds, and after making a name for himself in college owning the paint, he's continued to do so in the NBA. Davis' 3.1 blocks per game leads the league by a wide margin, easily outpacing second place Serge Ibaka by over half a block. If he can hold his current pace for the rest of the season, Davis would belong to a very elite club.

Only eight other players in NBA history have averaged at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks per game in a season where they played at least 70 games: Bob Lanier, Bob McAdoo, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O'Neal, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Team: Houston Rockets
Team record: 37-18 (Second place, Southwest Division; No. 3 overall in Western Conference)
2013-14 stats: 18.7 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.9 BPG

While his 2012-13 season with the Lakers will be seen as a lost year for Dwight Howard, he has come back strong with Houston and quietly reasserted himself as one of the premier bigs in the NBA. He has definitely been helped by the fact that he's healthy again, his shoulder and back now fully recovered from their various maladies last season, and his play in the middle of the Rockets' defense has been perhaps the biggest reason for their leap in the standings. His game and James Harden's complement each other perfectly, and together they should be able to take Houston deep into the Western Conference playoffs.

Team: Houston Rockets
Team record: 37-18 (Second place, Southwest Division; No. 3 overall in Western Conference)
2013-14 stats: 24.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.4 SPG

Even though he's taken a very slight step back since last year's breakout campaign, James Harden is still putting up huge numbers, and along with fellow star Dwight Howard has the Rockets near the top of the stacked Western Conference. Harden has actually improved his overall field goal percentage despite taking almost the same number of shots per game as last season, bumping his average up from .438 to .451. His defense may be a complete atrocity, but he is so efficient on the offensive end that it almost doesn't matter. It also helps that he has Howard and Omer Asik roaming the paint behind him this season, too.

Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Team Record: 37-20 (First Place, Pacific Division; No. 4 Overall in Western Conference)
2013-14 Stats: 24.4 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.1 SPG

It's a shame that when most people think of Blake Griffin, all they think about is dunking. The Clippers' power forward has dramatically improved his game over the last several years, and has turned himself into a very strong mid-range shooter in addition to his work close to the basket. He has been absolutely huge this year when his team needed him most, putting up 27.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game and carrying the Clips to a 12-6 mark while fellow star Chris Paul was out for 18 games with an injury.

Griffin's .538 field goal percentage ranks him No. 12 in the NBA, and he is quickly becoming one of the most under-appreciated stars in the league given everything he can do.

Team: New York Knicks
Team record: 21-35 (Third place, Atlantic Division; No. 11 overall in Eastern Conference)
2013-14 stats: 27.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.2 SPG

While the Knicks have been perhaps the NBA's biggest disappointment, free agent-to-be Carmelo Anthony has had no such issues on the court. He may share our bemusement with his team from time to time, but he also has been playing some of his best ball this year. His biggest improvement has been in his three-point shooting, where he's putting up a career-best .419 percentage on 5.1 attempts per game. We saw what he can do during the All-Star game, where he set a single-All-Star game record with eight treys.

He also leads the NBA in minutes per game at 39.1 a night, although if this season has shown us anything it's that one man can't do it all alone.

Team: Golden State Warriors
Team record: 34-22 (Third place, Pacific Division; No. 7 overall in Western Conference)
2013-14 stats: 24.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 8.9 APG, 1.7 SPG

Stephen Curry burst onto the national scene during last year's playoffs, and that wave of publicity has done nothing to stunt his growth as a player. Curry has been shooting lights-out again this season, once again leading the league by a wide margin in three-pointers both attempted and made. His per game numbers have continued to climb, with the only noticeable dip coming in his three-point percentage, which is down from a career average of.440 to a still-excellent .421. More importantly, the Warriors have leaned entirely on Curry to be their star and their go-to man on offense this year, and he has responded admirably.

Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
Team record: 27-28 (Third place, Northwest Division; No. 10 overall in Western Conference)
2013-14 stats: 26.2 PPG, 13.3 RPG, 3.9 APG

His team may be mediocre, but Kevin Love can never be accused of failing to do his part on the offensive end. The master of the outlet pass has been an absolute monster of late, posting his first career triple-double on Saturday night and averaging 33.1 points and 14.2 rebounds a night over his last 10 games. The biggest knock against his game is that he does not devote the same kind of intensity to defense as he does to offense.

Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Team record: 37-20 (First place, Pacific Division; No. 4 overall in Western Conference)
2013-14 stats: 19.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 11.1 APG, 2.5 SPG

Even though Chris Paul has missed some time due to injury this season, his health has not slowed him down on the court one bit. The point guard has continued to rip opposing teams apart on both ends of the floor, dishing out the second most assists per game of his career while continuing to play All-NBA caliber defense on the other end. Paul leads the NBA in both assists and steals per game, and as the leader of the Clippers has his team once again in a position to make a deep postseason run.

Team: Indiana Pacers
Team record: 42-13 (First place, Central Division; No. 1 overall in Eastern Conference)
2013-14 stats: 22.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.8 SPG

2013-14 will be remembered in part as the year Paul George made the leap from "very good" to "great." He has demonstrated not just that he's an incredible athlete and dunker, but that he's one of the best defenders in the league and someone you can build a team around. He went through a bit of a swoon heading into the All-Star game, shooting just .326 from the field and scoring only 16.5 points per game over the 10 contests prior to the break, but has come back with a vengeance in the three games since.

If he can keep up this pace for the next several years, the Pacers will have a legitimate shot to win the title every single season for the rest of the decade.

Team: Miami Heat
Team record: 39-14 (First place, Southeast Division; No. 2 overall in Eastern Conference)
2013-14 stats: 26.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.5 SPG

We have most definitely been spoiled by how great he has become, and now if he does not put up numbers that are better than his "average," we yawn and look for something new. It happened with Michael Jordan (how else do you think Karl Malone and Charles Barkley won MVPs during MJ's prime?) and now it is repeating itself all over again. The fact of the matter, though, is that LeBron has been asked to do more than ever for the Miami Heat this year given Dwyane Wade's sporadic playing time, and after his 33-point, seven rebound, three assist, four steal outburst in Thursday night's beatdown of Oklahoma City (and fellow MVP candidate Kevin Durant), LeBron tried to make his case, but with Westbrook out for most of the year and OKC still boasting the best record in all of basketball, the King has to fall back.

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder
Team record: 43-13 (First place, Northwest Division; No. 1 overall in Western Conference)
2013-14 stats: 31.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 5.5 APG, 1.5 SPG

Whether you call him "KD," "The Slim Reaper," or "The Servant," Kevin Durant has been simply unstoppable this season. His Oklahoma City Thunder own the best record in the NBA, and Durant has gotten them there with his co-star Russell Westbrook sidelined for half their games. We all know about Durant's ability to put the ball in the hoop—even with Westbrook back he should easily win the scoring title—but he has also been an ironman this season. He leads the NBA in minutes played while also leading in field goals made and free-throw attempts.

He's been asked to do it all and he's responded. The Thunder have the best record in the NBA and it's all because of Durant.