Ranking the Top 5 NBA Players at Every Position: Melo Moves Up at Small Forward

The best of the best at each position aren't free from the NBA's unfortunate rash of injuries.
Just look at how many prominent players from each of the five spots in the lineup have fallen victim:

• Point guard: Chris Paul, Jrue Holiday, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Rajon Rondo, Deron Williams, Eric Bledsoe
• Shooting guard: Kobe Bryant, Tyreke Evans
• Small forward: Shawn Marion, Danilo Gallinari, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
• Power forward: Ryan Anderson
• Center: Marc Gasol (though he recently returned), Nikola Vucevic

Ouch. Literally.
The ranks are thin, especially at point guard, but plenty of standouts still deserve some serious recognition for their on-court contributions. It's worth noting, though, that these are reactive rankings in which recent performance matters a lot.
Chris Paul is still the best point guard in basketball, but that doesn't matter here. He hasn't played recently, which means he hasn't contributed anything to the Los Angeles Clippers' efforts. Therefore, he isn't able to keep up with the guys who are playing well right now.
Just keep that in mind as we run through the countdowns and see how everyone has shifted since the last edition. Due to injuries and recent performances, we have no fewer than a handful of players making the jump from unranked to a featured spot.