For the sixth season in a row, ESPN.com is ranking the top players in the NBA. Who will be the best player this season?To get the final ranking, we asked our expert panel to vote on pairs of players.LeBron James vs. Stephen Curry. Russell Westbrook vs. Kevin Durant. Damian Lillard vs. Chris Paul.We asked, Which player will be better in 2016-17? To decide, voters had to consider both the quality and the quantity of each players contributions to his teams ability to win games.Well roll out the rest of our top 200 players over the next week. If you want to get involved in the discussion or just follow along, #NBArank is the Twitter hashtag to use. You also can follow along @ESPNNBA and on Facebook.On to the list ...24. DeAndre JordanClippers | C | @deandrejordan6Last years rank: 252016-17 projected RPM: 4.03Insider profile:?As in 2014-15, Jordan got a boost from improved floor spacing and less competition for lobs during Griffins absence. This time over a longer period. He averaged 14.2 points and 14.4 rebounds without Griffin, shooting 70.1 percent from the field. While that performance still wasnt enough to earn Jordan All-Star honors, he did nab a spot on the U.S. Olympic team and won a gold medal as starting center during the knockout rounds.?Read more ?#NBArank 21-3021: Jimmy Butler22: Al Horford23: LaMarcus Aldridge24: DeAndre Jordan25: Paul Millsap26: C.J. McCollum27: Mike Conley28: Kevin Love29: Isaiah Thomas30: DeMar DeRozan Austin Rivers Jersey . Duchene scored two goals and had an assist, helping the Colorado Avalanche beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Friday night to match the best 10-game start in team history. Gerald Green Jersey . Perhaps Carroll was so prepared for a break because he believes there is very little the Seattle Seahawks need heading into the off-season. "I dont see anything that we need to add. We just have to get better," Carroll said. http://www.therocketsofficial.com/Authentic-Clyde-Drexler-Rockets-Jersey/ . The Montreal Canadiens announced on Friday that the veteran forward will return to the teams line-up on Saturday night when the Habs visit the Nashville Predators. James Harden Rockets Jersey . Laudrup revealed Thursday he was notified of his dismissal in "the briefest of letters which gave no reasons why such hasty and final action was deemed necessary. Charles Barkley Jersey . Catch all the action on TSN2 at 11pm et/8pm pt. The nine-time Big 12 champion Jayhawks are positioning themselves for another title, as they have run out to a flawless 6-0 mark in conference play thus far.ARLINGTON, Texas -- Adrian Beltre just keeps chugging along for the Texas Rangers. Hes making it look oh so easy, too. Beltre doubled and scored in the second inning, and then hit a two-run homer in the sixth to power AL West-leading Texas to a 4-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night. "This is what Im supposed to be doing, right?" Beltre said. "Ive been feeling better lately. Definitely." Beltres 26th homer came against rookie right-hander Jarred Cosart (1-1) and lifted Texas into a 3-2 lead. It was his 160th hit, one behind Miguel Cabrera for the major league lead. "The only way I can really describe it, hes the MVP. Hes having an MVP-calibre season," Ian Kinsler said. "Hes one of the best players in the league on one of the best teams, and he does it night in and night out." Beltre is hitting .434 (33 of 76) over his last 21 games, raising his season average 19 points to .326, third in the American League. After a leadoff double in the second, Beltre went to third on a wild pitch and scored on an infield single by Alex Rios. "Hes been swinging the bat extremely well and been getting it done in situations when we really need him to get it done," manager Ron Washington said. "Thats what Beltre is about, and it seems like every time we go down the stretch, hes right there ready to do it" Matt Dominguez homered for Houston, which has lost seven in row and 13 of 14 against the Rangers. Neal Cotts (5-2) struck out the first three batters he faced over 1 1-3 innings and was credited with the win. The lefty was the second reliever after Travis Blackley pitched four innings against his former team a week after being traded to Texas. Joe Nathan struck out the side in the ninth for his 37th save in 39 chances. Cosart allowed three runs over six innings, raising his ERA from 1.15 to 1.60. It was the first time in his seven major league starts that he yielded more than two runs. "I thought command-wise, it was my best game," Cosart said. "I had command of two pitches, fastball and curve, and didnt have to use my changeup. They couldnt sit on one pitch." Texas was down 2-1 when Kinsler drew a one-out walk in the sixth. Beltre then hit a drive to right for the first homer surrendered by Cosart in his 45 major league innings -- and one that had the 23-year-old biting his glove in disgust.dddddddddddd "That pitch was at his head. It wasnt even a strike," Cosart said. "I didnt think he would swing at it." Blackley was brought up from Triple-A Round Rock to start in place of right-hander Alexi Ogando, who was put on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation. The 30-year-old Australian, who made 42 relief appearances for Houston, allowed three hits and two runs. The Rangers expected for him to throw around 65 pitches, and he threw 66, 42 for strikes. "He did a good job," Washington said. "Other than (one pitch to Dominguez), he did what he needed to do, keep us in the game." Chris Carter walked and scored on Dominguezs 17th homer in the second. There were 11 pitches in the first, including a hard shot by L.J. Hoes that ricocheted off Blackleys foot toward the third base line. Jurickson Profar made a barehanded grab and threw in one motion to retire Hoes. Astros manager Bo Porter quickly came out to unsuccessfully argue with umpire Lance Barksdale that Profars throw pulled first baseman Mitch Moreland off the bag. Under the expansion of video review planned for next season, it was the kind of challenge Porter may have won. Max Stassi, called up from Double-A Corpus Christi earlier Tuesday, made his major league debut as the designated hitter and got a single in the fifth. He also will remember what happened after the first of his two hits. A comebacker by Marwin Gonzalez was snagged by reliever Jason Frasor, who turned and made a high throw that went off shortstop Andrus glove and caught by second baseman Kinsler backing up the play. But Stassi, apparently thinking he was already out, wandered off second base and was tagged by Kinsler. "He told me, Bo, this never happened to me in no league, and its not going to happen again," Porter said. "I told him if you are a forceout, you dont leave the base until the umpire says youre out." NOTES: Stassi, a catcher, was called up after C Carlos Corporan was put on the seven-day concussion DL after being hit in the mask by a foul tip Monday night. Corporan was returning to Houston to see a specialist. ' ' '