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Chris Paul

ESPN.com's NBA experts and the TrueHoop Network have once again come together to rank the top NBA players via the #NBArank project, counting them down from No. 30 to No. 1 on Twitter (@NBAonESPN). The 2012 #NBArank project had LeBron James as the league's best player, while SportsNation preferred Kevin Durant. Who tops your rankings as the 2012-13 season comes to an end?
All stats from 2012-13 season through games of April 8.

Top NBA players

Carmelo Anthony
Knicks F
28.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.5 APG

Chris Bosh
Heat F
16.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 53.2% FG

Kobe Bryant
Lakers F
27.0 PPG, 6.1 APG, 5.5 RPG

Stephen Curry
Warriors G
22.5 PPG, 6.9 APG, 45.2% 3-pt FG

Tim Duncan
Spurs F/C
17.7 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 2.7 BPG

Kevin Durant
Thunder F
28.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 4.5 APG

Marc Gasol
Grizzlies C
14.3 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.7 BPG

Blake Griffin
Clippers F
18.2 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 53.9% FG

James Harden
Rockets G
25.8 PPG, 5.9 APG, 4.8 RPG

Al Horford
Hawks C
17.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 1.1 BPG

Dwight Howard
Lakers C
16.7 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 2.4 BPG

Kyrie Irving
Cavaliers G
22.5 PPG, 5.8 APG, 1.6 SPG

LeBron James
Heat F
26.9 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 7.2 APG

Joakim Noah
Bulls C
12.2 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 2.2 BPG

Dirk Nowitzki
Mavericks F
16.9 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 47.4% FG

Tony Parker
Clippers G
20.6 PPG, 7.5 APG, 35.3% 3-pt FG

Chris Paul
Clippers G
17.0 PPG, 9.6 APG, 2.4 SPG

Dwyane Wade
Heat G
21.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 5.0 APG

Russell Westbrook
Thunder G
23.4 PPG, 7.6 APG, 1.8 SPG

Deron Williams
Nets G
18.7 PPG, 7.7 APG, 1.0 SPG
Warriors guard Stephen Curry lit up Madison Square Garden, dropping 54 points on the Knicks in a 109-105 loss. Curry did most of his damage from the outside, making 11 of 13 3-point attempts. For the season he's shooting 46 percent from distance and 90 percent from the free throw line. But is Curry the best pure shooter in the NBA? Mouse over the images to see each player's shooting stats from this season, and click on the images to rank them. You must rank at least five for your vote to count.
Stats through Feb. 27, 2013. Statistical support provided by NBA.com.

Best pure shooters in NBA

Ray Allen
Miami Heat
40.1% jump shot FG pct
42.7% 3-pt FG pct
86.8% FT pct

Ryan Anderson
New Orleans Hornets
40.1% jump shot FG pct
37.7% 3-pt FG pct
86.3% FT pct

Kobe Bryant
Los Angeles Lakers
30.5% jump shot FG pct
32.9% 3-pt FG pct
84.8% FT pct

Jose Calderon
Detroit Pistons
40.7% jump shot FG pct
44.5% 3-pt FG pct
90.9% FT pct

Stephen Curry
Golden State Warriors
35.1% jump shot FG pct
46.0% 3-pt FG pct
90.6% FT pct

Kevin Durant
Oklahoma City Thunder
38.0% jump shot FG pct
42.6% 3-pt FG pct
91.0% FT pct

Kyrie Irving
Cleveland Cavaliers
36.9% jump shot FG pct
42.0% 3-pt FG pct
85.8% FT pct

Kyle Korver
Atlanta Hawks
44.9% jump shot FG pct
46.4% 3-pt FG pct
85.7% FT pct

Kevin Martin
Oklahoma City Thunder
40.1% jump shot FG pct
43.5% 3-pt FG pct
90.4% FT pct

Steve Nash
Los Angeles Lakers
41.0% jump shot FG pct
43.2% 3-pt FG pct
90.0% FT pct

Steve Novak
New York Knicks
41.7% jump shot FG pct
44.3% 3-pt FG pct
95.7% FT pct

Dirk Nowitzki
Dallas Mavericks
41.9% jump shot FG pct
41.3% 3-pt FG pct
82.2% FT pct

Chris Paul
Los Angeles Clippers
37.2% jump shot FG pct
34.6% 3-pt FG pct
88.4% FT pct

J.J. Redick
Milwaukee Bucks
37.2% jump shot FG pct
39.1% 3-pt FG pct
90.0% FT pct
He might not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of the NBA's great "clutch" players, but Joe Johnson has some serious last-second credentials, and he added to them Tuesday night. Johnson hit a game-tying three-pointer near the end of regulation to force overtime, then topped that with a game-winner at the buzzer. It was Johnson's second game-winning field goal with no time left this season, and his eighth career game-winning basket in the last five seconds of a game. So where does Brooklyn's star rank among the league's best clutch players? Click on the images to set your rankings!

Most clutch players in NBA

Carmelo Anthony
New York Knicks
14 career game-winning baskets in last 5 seconds of 4th quarter/OT

Kobe Bryant
Los Angeles Lakers
16 career game-winning baskets in last 5 seconds of 4th quarter/OT

Kevin Durant
Oklahoma City Thunder
Five career game-winning baskets in last 5 seconds of 4th quarter/OT

Rudy Gay
Toronto Raptors
Eight career game-winning baskets in last 5 seconds of 4th quarter/OT

Kyrie Irving
Cleveland Cavaliers
Four career game-winning baskets in last 5 seconds of 4th quarter/OT

LeBron James
Miami Heat
Seven career game-winning baskets in last 5 seconds of 4th quarter/OT

Joe Johnson
Brooklyn Nets
Eight career game-winning baskets in last 5 seconds of 4th quarter/OT

Chris Paul
Los Angeles Clippers
Eight career game-winning baskets in last 5 seconds of 4th quarter/OT

Paul Pierce
Boston Celtics
10 career game-winning baskets in last 5 seconds of 4th quarter/OT

Dwyane Wade
Miami Heat
11 career game-winning baskets in last 5 seconds of 4th quarter/OT
Who would win a one-on-one tournament between the NBA's biggest superstars? This is what our friends at NBA Coast to Coast (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2) will be debating every Tuesday this month, and we're asking SN to weigh in! Each week we'll give you the one-on-one matchups and you vote for the winners until one superstar is declared the winner!
Next week's matchups:
Carmelo Anthony vs. Russell Westbrook
Kevin Durant vs. James Harden
LeBron v. D-Wade

LeBron James is averaging nearly a triple-double this season, but will face a tough matchup when he squares off against his teammate, Dwyane Wade, one of the best shot-blocking guards in the game.
Kobe v. CP3

The battle for L.A. is on! Kobe Bryant is having an MVP-caliber season, but Chris Paul -- the league's premier point guard -- has turned the Clippers into serious championship contenders.
The fans have spoken and the starters of the 62nd NBA All-Star Game are set. There wasn't a lot of parity among the players who were elected to start. The West team will consist of two Lakers, two Clippers and a Thunder guard, while the East will be represented by two Celtics, two Heat players and a Knicks forward. How do you size up the 10 players who will be the first to step foot on the hardwood in Houston? Set your rankings below!

NBA All-Star starters

Carmelo Anthony
Knicks F
Six-time All-Star

Kobe Bryant
Lakers G
15-time All-Star

Kevin Durant
Thunder F
Four-time All-Star

Kevin Garnett
Celtics F
15-time All-Star

Blake Griffin
Clippers F
Three-time All-Star

Dwight Howard
Lakers C
Seven-time All-Star

LeBron James
Heat F
Nine-time All-Star

Chris Paul
Clippers G
Six-time All-Star

Rajon Rondo
Celtics G
Four-time All-Star

Dwyane Wade
Heat G
Nine-time All-Star
The men's basketball roster for Team USA is set, and the latest incarnation of the Dream Team is ready to go for the gold in London. The squad is missing some big names -- two-thirds of the Miami Heat's Big Three and Dwight Howard, to be specific -- but it's rounded out with guys like Blake Griffin and James Harden. Coach K thinks this squad could be better than 2008's team, but will it also win the gold?
More: Who are the best players on Team USA?
Wade or Howard?

Neither Dwyane Wade nor Dwight Howard will be able to attend this year's Olympics due to health concerns.
Biggest snub?

Many pundits thought Anthony Davis would be a good addition to the squad, but he and others were left off in the end.
2008 or 2012?

2008: Anthony, Boozer, Bosh, Bryant, Howard, James, Kidd, Paul, Prince, Redd, Wade, Williams
2012: Anthony, Bryant, Chandler, Durant, Griffin, Harden, Iguodala, James, Love, Paul, Westbrook, Williams
On Friday, "First Take" debated Chris Paul's future with the Clippers. He's got some options with his deal, as he hasn't signed a long-term commitment to the team yet. Israel Gutierrez thinks he'll sign eventually, but Rob Parker doesn't see it happening this offseason. Bomani Jones thinks Paul will find a better place to play, even though he is a good fit for his current team. What's your take?
The Clippers are out of the running, which is normally a sentence one would say sometime around December. This season, however, they made it all the way to the conference semifinals, taking care of a tough Grizzlies team in seven games before falling to the aging but still effective Spurs juggernaut. Seriously, 18 straight wins since mid-April? That's somewhat notable, don't you think? Anyway, the Clippers clearly must be pleased with how their season turned out overall, but there are questions about their long-term future, as neither Blake Griffin nor Chris Paul has signed a long-term contract extension. Will both reside in Lob City for the long haul?
Paul's and Griffin's futures?

Blake Griffin is eligible to sign an extension this summer, while Chris Paul is under contract for only one more year.
Championship potential?

Paul and Griffin meshed well in their first season, but it'll take more than a barrage of alley-oops to win a championship.
Are the Spurs favorites?

The Spurs have been written off as done before, but they're looking like the mid-2000s team of old in these playoffs.
Preseason jitters?

The new-look Clippers took it to the Lakers on Monday night, possibly heralding a changing of the guard in Los Angeles basketball.
Are the Lakers still elite?

The Lakers have had a less-than-stellar offseason, but they're still loaded with talent, including the undoubtedly motivated Kobe Bryant.
Paul or Griffin for MVP?

Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will each benefit from the other's presence, but which of them will truly shine in Los Angeles?
Do Clippers have championship combo?

Chris Paul is finally on the move, traded to the Clippers for Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and a first-round pick. Do he and Blake Griffin represent a championship duo?
Is Chris Paul around for the long haul?

Paul is expected to exercise his player option for 2012-13. But in the summer of 2013, both he and Griffin (restricted) could test free agency.
Changing the worst culture in sports?

You remember Chris Wilcox, Michael Olowokandi and Darius Miles, right? Are those former Clippers part of the worst legacy in pro sports?
Are Clippers the best game in town?

Kobe Bryant and Blake Griffin are still in place, but has the balance of power in Los Angeles shifted with Lamar Odom leaving and Chris Paul arriving?
Did NBA get best deal for Hornets?

Eric Gordon averaged 22.6 points per game a season ago, Chris Kaman is a big body with an expiring contract, and an unprotected Timberwolves pick is always a good thing.
A chapter for David Stern's legacy?

David Stern said this situation wasn't a lot of fun, which is saying something for a guy who just went through a lockout. But how will it affect his legacy?

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Crabtree #Ouch
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Even @kobebryant is pumped that the Charlotte Hornets are back! http://t.co/fP6DNJ7ND2
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Congrats to Brian Urlacher on an awesome career! In celebration, here's a picture of him as Bane -> http://t.co/OeJziqcoLS
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Enjoy it one more time. @deandrejordan posterizing @CharissaT in the hallway -> http://t.co/KjbjQIhivn
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TIM DUNCAN #GODMODE
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Tony Allen, your Oscar winner for Best Flagrant Drawn
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You heard Jeff Van Gundy say it! Time to start the official campaign! #PutTMacInTheHallOfFame
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Charles Woodson is BACK in the Raider silver and black! http://t.co/SnoxCeSep1
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The Cavs come out of nowhere to win the No. 1 overall pick! Will @NerlensNoel3 end up in Cleveland? http://t.co/NNgFx2v5FP
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THE CHARLOTTE HORNETS ARE BACK!!! http://t.co/r1vaRWUk5y
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Welp. I think that went well. For him. Not me. http://t.co/RMBAfyVMvG
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RT @redcrossokc: Hal Smith on behalf of @KDTrey5 delivers the Kevin Durant Family Foundation $1 million gift. Thanks KD. #oklahoma http://t…
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