We're officially in the dog days of the lockout. Negotiations between the players and owners have stalled and seemingly every day there's talk of another star jumping overseas. But not even the lockout is cause to stop evaluating the best players in the game and seeing how they stack up against their peers based on talent, skill and productivity. This week, I'll be ranking the top five players at each position and breaking down what makes them so special. Each day, I'll look at a different position, starting with point guards and finishing with centers. Today, we'll look at shooting guards. Toss out postseason awards and career accomplishments and find out who's the best of the best.
SHOOTING GUARDS | POINT GUARDS
1. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Thanks to an absolutely tireless work ethic, Bryant is the most skilled player in the league with virtually every weapon at his disposal. His turnaround jump shot is the best since Michael Jordan's, and his footwork is unmatched by any active player. His will to win and focus are unparalleled, making him the single most intense competitor in the game.
He'll be 33 next month, and the soaring poster dunks are fewer and farther between, but that's only made him more dangerous. Over the past five seasons, the extensive work on his back-to-the-basket game has made him one of the best low-post threats in the league, regardless of position. Bryant bases his game not on flashy drives but an economy of movement with as few dribbles as possible in half-court situations. He uses his pivot and shoulder fakes to bait his defender into a mistake, then quickly strikes when he's off-balance. Bryant uses both hands equally well around the rim and is as crafty a passer at the 2 as there is.
But what makes Bryant truly great is his leadership. Although he can be abrasive and demanding at times, he's one of the few 2s who actually raises the performance level of his teammates. If they don't bring it, they won't be on the floor with him very long.
2. Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
Wade is smack in the middle of his prime and finished the season stronger than anyone at the position. Wade made a run at the top of this list, but he can't match Kobe's shooting, defense or skills in the post. Still, on any given night, Wade can play like the best player on the planet thanks to the most impressive physical tools -- strength, quickness, leaping ability -- of any shooting guard today.
Wade rolls drama and artistry into each foray to the basket. He's become one of the league's great improvisers and routinely makes shots he doesn't practice when defenses collapse on him. All of that artistry is made possible by balance, body control and the kind of hang time that allows him to change hands in the air. Wade's not-so-secret weapon is his vaunted Euro step in which he evades a defender after baiting him in the opposite direction. The move has drawn comparisons to Manu Ginobili's own version, but unlike the Spurs guard, Wade is able to finish with power at the rim as opposed to the runners that Ginobili offers up.
Where Wade really shines is in transition. By using his great breakaway speed and the ability to jump off one leg or two, he's become one of the game's best finishers.
3. Monta Ellis, Golden State Warriors
Ellis' in-between game is what puts him in such elite company. From a catch-and-shoot position to creating off the dribble, he's what his new coach, Mark Jackson, might call "a knockdown shooter." Ellis also excels when it comes to shooting the midrange pull-up off screens and curls from the baseline and wing. Some might look at his size as a hindrance, but he's turned it into a positive by developing runners, floaters and one-handers in the lane that most shooting guards never take the time to practice. As a result of so many go-to weapons, Ellis' 46 percent shooting from the field is second only to Wade's 48 among shooting guards in the top 25 in scoring.
One of Ellis' unique abilities is coming to a stop much quicker than most defenders can. His coaches marvel at his ability to go from full tilt on the break to a complete stop in just a couple of steps. His rapid deceleration creates a chasm between him and his defender, which allows him to get off a clean look. Thanks to excellent body control, he can plant his feet and release his shot without sacrificing form. But he also gives it up. Ellis was the only shooting guard in the top 25 in assists, giving the Warriors a second point guard on the floor without losing any scoring punch.
4. Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs
Ginobili plays the game with the sort of reckless enthusiasm you don't expect a 34-year-old (his birthday is July 28) to possess. With great shot selection (only once has he shot below 43 percent) and feel for the game, he opens up the floor and fits in perfectly between Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.
But The Manu Show really begins when he goes to the hole, where he breaks out a host of tricky ball fakes and indulges in his love for contact. Ginobili has the unique ability to contort his body in the lane to avoid defenders and get off unorthodox shots. His handy Euro step frustrates opponents by allowing him to sidestep defenders in the lane who otherwise had established good position.
Ginobili is one of the more fluid ball handlers at the position, allowing Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to lean on him as a playmaker. Ginobili is second among shooting guards in assists but actually has more of a facilitator's mentality than Ellis. Ginobili's routine headlong trips to the floor for loose balls serve to inspire his teammates and have helped define San Antonio's toughness for nearly a decade.
5. Eric Gordon, Los Angeles Clippers
Gordon entered the league during the same season as Russell Westbrook, and despite not receiving the same level of attention as the Thunder's star point guard, Gordon put up numbers from the 2 spot that were comparable this season in every major statistical category, except assists. Gordon has flown primarily under the radar thanks to very little national television exposure and the fact that he's yet to make a playoff appearance in his three-year career. But make no mistake: Gordon is as skilled as any young shooting guard in the league and could be this season's breakout player.
Gordon is a master at creating his own shot off the dribble, with his herky-jerky in-and-out dribble being one of his most reliable weapons. He loves to pull up and sling his quick release trey on the break, and he connected on 36 percent of his 3-point attempts despite being plagued by a wrist injury, which caused him to miss 26 games.
Gordon could be, pound-for-pound, the strongest player in the game under 6-foot-4. Forwards who outweigh him by 30 pounds bounce off his sturdy frame as he bullies his way to the rim. He also possesses deceptively good leaping ability. With a full, healthy season, there's little reason Gordon shouldn't contend for an All-Star berth at shooting guard.
Chris Palmer has been a frequent contributor to ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com's NBA coverage since 1999. Follow him on Twitter.