Celtics Title Town

As an NBA fan in general, there's really nothing quite like seeing two premiere point guards lead their teams into battle; watching them spend 40-some-odd minutes jostling for control, while simultaneously trying to dictate the tempo and straddle the line between getting theirs and keeping the other guys involved. And lucky for us, it's hard to remember a time when NBA point guard play was as across-the-board exciting and competitive as it is right now.

First off, any discussion of NBA floor generals should begin with a nod to the elders.

Jason Kidd turns 40 in March ... How great was Kidd in his prime? Take a closer look at the rest of the names on those Nets teams that he led to back-to-back Eastern Conference titles. My God.

Andre Miller turns 37 in March, has played for six different teams over 13 seasons and, in that time, has built an extremely steady and underrated resume. ...

Speaking of old men, it's probably/definitely premature to list Steve Nash alongside Kidd and Mille...here's to one of only two point guards in NBA history to win multiple MVPs, and a guy who's 76 assists shy of becoming only the fifth player to register 10,000 in a career.

After the old guys, there's heavy helping of youngsters that are still on the way up, but already capable dominating in spurts and providing even the league's top tier of point guards with all that they can handle. Portland rookie Damian Lillard has exploded onto the scene with the poise and confidence of a seasoned veteran. Brandon Jennings is playing with an extension-less chip on his shoulder and has led the Bucks to a 2-0 start. Kyle Lowry's finally found a happy home in Toronto and (assuming his ankle's all right) will take things to another level. Ty Lawson's already there in Denver, Jrue Holiday's getting closer in Philly and if Steph Curry can just stay healthy, he's a nightly threat for Golden State. Tyreke Evans has all the tools (expect the one between his ears) in Sacramento and is always a risk to go off. Ditto for Jeff Teague in Atlanta and Mario Chalmers in Miami.

Who knows what to expect from Derrick Rose and Ricky Rubio this year ... John Wall still has a lot to prove in Washington...

And that brings us to the top of the heap. We've already discussed Paul and Irving (who might not be there yet, but it won't be long). Then there's Deron Williams, Rajon Rondo and Russell Westbrook. Tony Parker's getting older, but he's still fast as hell and has maintained a firm grip on his elite status.

We spend a lot of time these days arguing over who really deserves the title of "NBA's Best Point Guard."