Deron Williams Says He's the NBA's Best Point Guard

DENVER -- If you want to see the best point guard in the NBA, come out to that lost American time zone, also known the Rocky Mountain one.

No, not Steve Nash in Phoenix.

It's Utah's Deron Williams. And he doesn't disagree.

"I feel I was the best point guard in the league for a while,'' said Williams, when asked by FanHouse during a media session after Wednesday's shootaround at the Pepsi Center if he's the NBA's top point guard. "I think I'm the best point guard in the league. No reason. I just think I'm the best.''

Williams is sure showing that during a West first-round series the Jazz lead 3-1 over Denver heading into Wednesday night's Game 5. Williams is averaging 25.8 points and 11.0 assists in the series, and has become just the fourth NBA player ever to record at least 20 points and 10 assists in the first four games of a playoff series.



Share In somewhat of an attempt to combat him, the Nuggets will start point guard Chauncey Billups against Williams for the first time in the series rather than shooting guard Arron Afflalo.

"We just want to show him something different,'' Billups said. "How I guard him is a little different than probably Arron does. I'm probably a little more physical.''

Billups knows it will be a tough task. He was asked if he feels Williams is the NBA's top point guard.

"I think I'm the best point guard in the league. No reason. I just think I'm the best."
- Deron Williams "He's as good as it gets, man,'' Billups said. "He can do everything. He really doesn't have any weaknesses. I think that's the ultimate compliment that you can pay to a player is to say that he doesn't have any weaknesses, and I think he's reached that point now.''

Williams, who averaged 18.7 points and 10.5 assists during the regular season while making his first All-Star Game, has thought that for a while. He was asked who the second-best point guard is in the NBA.

"CP,'' said Williams, referring to New Orleans' Chris Paul, who was taken No. 4 in the 2005 draft while Williams went No. 3, with Paul getting off to a quicker NBA start. "Just like he probably thinks he's the best and I'm No. 2.''

So who's the bronze medalist in this point-guard derby?

"Steve Nash,'' Williams said. "You got to argue him, what he's doing at this age (36) is crazy. I felt he's been the best point guard for the first probably three or four years that I was in the league.''

Well, this is Williams' fifth year. So that gives an idea of when Williams believes he passed Nash.

"Hands down,'' Utah forward Carlos Boozer said when asked if Williams is the NBA's top point guard. "I think he's proven that throughout the course of the season. I think he's taking on the challenge of playing against Chauncey Billups, and he's stepped his game up even more.''

The only other players to have recorded 20 points and 10 assists in the first four games of a playoff series are Cincinnati's Oscar Robertson in 1965, Phoenix's Kevin Johnson in 1989 and the Lakers' Magic Johnson in 1990.

Count Robertson and Johnson as two of the greatest ever to play the game. But as far as being the best point guard in the NBA now, Williams gives it to himself.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com or on Twitter @christomasson