Ricky Rubio was snubbed by Bleacher Report

The Phoenix Suns’ improvement this season has largely been due Ricky Rubio, yet somehow Bleacher Report omitted him from the league’s best point guards.

Andy Bailey and Dan Favale of the Bleacher Report released a list of their top 15 point guards in the NBA for the 2019-2020 NBA season. Somehow, Phoenix Suns point guard, Ricky Rubio, was not included in the list, despite being one of the main reasons for the Suns’ improvement along with his individual success.

Rubio is probably not a top-five, or even top ten-point guard, but not being included in the top 15 is absurd, especially with some of the guys put above him.

Bleacher Report snubbed Phoenix Suns point guard Ricky Rubio.

Coming in at 15 is Spencer Dinwiddie, best known as an elite level sixth man, Dinwiddie played in 64 games and started in 49 of them, mostly due to the constant injuries to Kyrie Irving. To most casual NBA fans, the difference in team record and points per game (30 wins to 26, and 20.6 points to 13.1) may be enough to put Spencer above Ricky, but it goes a lot deeper than that.

Rubio is third in the league in both assists per game and total assists. While that is evidence Rubio is the better playmaker, and you can also add in his defense. Rubio averaged 1.5 steals per game, compared to Dinwiddie’s 0.6.

Even if the average fan admits Rubio is better at play-making and defense, they could still make the argument that Dinwiddie is the better shooter, but that has not necessarily been true this season. Rubio shot 35.1 percent from 3 on 3.3 attempts compared to Dinwiddie’s 30.8 percent on 6.3 attempts per game.

In Dinwiddie’s defense, he made a total of 123 shots from behind the arc compared to Ricky’s 66, so it comes down to a personal preference of having the more efficient shooter or the shooter who is less efficient but has more makes.

After looking at the stats, you have to look at the team success, which is where Dinwiddie obviously has the advantage. However, you can credit the Eastern Conference and teammates for part of that.

Since Rubio arrived in Phoenix, the Suns have their best record since drafting Devin Booker, and have the lineup with the highest net rating in the NBA (Ayton, Booker, Bridges, Oubre, Rubio) so while his team may have four fewer wins, the Suns have been pretty successful given their preseason predictions.

Ranked at 12 was former Phoenix Suns point guard, Eric Bledsoe, who is one of the best defensive guards in the NBA, but has not been quite as impactful for the Bucks as Ricky has been for the Suns.

Rubio once again has the lead in assists and steals along with rebounds. While I agree that Bledsoe’s defense is easily superior to Rubio’s, I think Ricky’s impact on the offensive end along with what he brings on D, makes him the overall better point guard.

Rubio also outplayed Bledsoe head to head this season. In their one matchup this season (Rubio sat out in one contest), Rubio had an incredible triple-dozen with 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 13 assists in a nine-point Suns win compared to Bled’s 28 points, three rebounds, and seven assists in a losing effort against his old squad.

Another positive for Rubio has been his effect on Booker. You can also add in more experience and maturity, but Booker has reached an amazing new efficiency peak while playing with Ricky compared to when he had Bledsoe running the show for the Suns.

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Finally, the last player I think you could put Rubio above is De’Aaron Fox who was placed at 11th. This one is pretty close, but I’m still going to give the edge to Rubio. The Kings only have 2 more wins than the Suns, but the Suns also had their way with the Kings during the first game of the season with a dominating 29 point win. In game one, Rubio had 11 points, and 11 assists in the huge win compared to De’Aaron’s eight points and five assists in 26 minutes due to foul trouble (5 total fouls). Overall Rubio averaged more assists, steals, and rebounds, along with a higher 3 point percentage. Fox obviously has the potential to be better than Rubio ever has been, but he has not yet seemed to consistently put it together, so for now, Rubio is better.

Not placing Rubio in the top 15 for point guards was disappointing to say the least, but you have to wonder about Phoenix Suns bias, considering Bailey rarely has anything good to say about Devin Booker in his tweets.

Keep hating. The Suns will keep getting better.