Grades for Warriors’ Top 5 Players

January 13, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts during the first half against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 116-105. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

So far, the Warriors are having quite some trouble in this 12 game stretch. Luckily, they’re in a safe spot because of the surprising success they had on their roadtrip.

Who deserves credit for these wins? Obviously Mark Jackson, but which players have really stepped it up this season to get the Warriors where they are today. This list cancels out injury.

1. Stephen Curry: So far this season, Curry’s ankle has held up (knocking on wood). He’s playing very well, and currently at the 8th spot on the MVP Ladder. Not that he’s going to win it, but it’s still a nice gesture. The Warriors, without Curry, most likely wouldn’t be this far along. They’re lucky that he’s having fun as well, and becoming a three point assassin. Unfortunately, however, he does play inconsistently from time to time. Grade: A –

2. David Lee: Lee’s intensity and career season has also benefited the Warriors. Lee is the only player in the league to average 20+ PPG and 10+ rebounds. Those are some incredible numbers. He’s helping the Warriors make noise and drawing attention of many other teams: the Warriors are in the top 6 in the western conference. Who would have thought? Grade: A +

3. Andrew Bogut: This season, Andrew Bogut has appeared in three games. He thought he was ready, but it was later revealed that he had a surgery in April that could have been the cause of his apparent injury. His ankle, swollen, won’t be healed for a while. Still, the Warriors are making highlights and producing wins without him. He can take all the time he needs. Grade: Incomplete

4. Klay Thompson: Klay Thompson has been a surprisingly good pick at number 11 last year. Thompson, however, is in a sophomore slump. While still averaging and scoring double digits consistently, he no longer shows flashes of brilliance, i.e. scoring 28 points in a game. He’s still capable of doing that, but as long has he doesn’t have his confidence, he will still be a streaky shooter. Still, Klay is one of the best players on the Warriors and continues to draw attention of superstars. He just needs to find a good game to break this slump. Grade: B (-) ?

5. Jarrett Jack: Jack, at some time was an easy candidate for 6th man of the year behind only JR Smith and Jamal Crawford. Unfortunately, his productivity in the last couple of games has decreased. He seems to be shadowing Curry now instead of controlling the game like he did before. Jarrett Jack is a veteran point guard that the Warriors are lucky to have, but can he return to that stint of 10 games where he shined as a superstar? Grade: B +