Everyone loves to focus on the lottery, but there are good players to be had in the late first round as well. A while back, I put together a list of the top second round picks of the modern era, so now I’m going to focus on those players that were drafted between pick #21 and pick #30 in the first round. (Note: If a player was drafted in the second round, even if they were taken with the #29 or #30 pick overall, they are ineligible to make the list. Sorry, Gilbert.) Since there are more star-quality players available in the 20’s, I’m limiting this list to the last ten drafts (i.e. 1999 through 2008).

It is sometimes tough to rank older players with newer players, but even if a younger player holds more trade value right now, I am going to take into account each player’s entire career. For the young guys, I have to project a little bit, so keep that in mind as you read and react. I feel great about the top eight guys, but there are a few players that missed the list that are pretty interchangeable with #9 and #10.

On with the list…

10. Aaron Brooks, Rockets
26th pick in 2007
I had to decide between Brooks and Nate Robinson here and went with Brooks given his fine performance in the playoffs this season (16.8 ppg, 3.4 apg, 42% from 3PT) and how Robinson’s numbers are a little inflated playing for Mike D’Antoni. Brooks is not a natural point guard, but his sharpshooting is a good fit given Houston’s inside-out attack. He’s small, but he’s quick and is able to score at the rim when given some daylight. The Rockets feel good enough about Brooks to trade Rafer Alston away midseason, so you have to like his upside.

9. Kendrick Perkins, Celtics
27th pick in 2003 (drafted by the Grizzlies)
In the world of “big” guys, I also considered Boris Diaw here, but it’s tough to pass on a 6’10” 24-year-old who averaged 8.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game on a team loaded with vets. Without Kevin Garnett in the playoffs, the C’s needed Perkins to step up his game and he responded with 11.9 points, 11.6 boards and 2.6 blocks per contest. He also did a pretty good job on Dwight Howard, who had his worst numbers of the playoffs against the Celtics.

8. David Lee, Knicks
30th pick in 2005
Isiah Thomas couldn’t make a good trade to save his life, but he could spot talent in the draft. Lee has turned out to be a steal with the last pick in the 2005 draft. He’s an athletic lefty whose best traits are his hustle and smarts. In just his fourth season, Lee averaged 16.0 points and 11.7 rebounds per game, which made him one of the most consistent double-double guys in the league. His stock is so high right now that the Knicks might be able to use him as trade bait in order to land Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire. Maybe they’d be better off sticking with Lee…

7. Gerald Wallace, Bobcats
25th pick in 2001 (drafted by the Kings)
Even though he plays in Charlotte, Wallace has a reputation for being one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. Throw in the fact that he’s a capable scorer (15.9 ppg last season) and you have one of the best all-around small forwards in the league. His jumper is improving (if slowly), but he’s at his best when he’s using his superior athleticism to attack the rim. If he had landed in a bigger market or for a better team, he wouldn’t be playing so far under the radar.

6. Andrei Kirilenko, Jazz
24th pick in 1999
AK-47 was named to just one All-Star game, but has made three All-Defensive teams. Let’s not forget that Kirilenko was Utah’s leading scorer in the 2002-03 season, the year before the arrival of Carlos Boozer. Then came Deron Williams, and Kirilenko has settled into a more complementary role as a key defender, shotblocker and rebounder. He has had an up-and-down few years in Utah, but the fact remains that he was one of the top picks of the late first round.

5. Tayshaun Prince, Pistons
23rd pick in 2002
At Kentucky, Prince was known more for his offense than he was for his defense. The reverse has been true since he entered the league in 2002. He was named to the All-Defensive 2nd Team four straight times, while averaging better than 13.2 points per game for the last five seasons. His jumper is ugly, but it goes in, as evidenced by his 40% accuracy from long range last season. Simply stated, he is one of the most productive “glue guys” in the league and he was instrumental in the Pistons’ solid run over the last seven years.

4. Kevin Martin, Kings
26th pick in 2004
Here’s a guy that has made himself into one of the best scorers in the league. He has always possessed great quickness, but has gone from shooting 20% behind the arc in his rookie season to just over 41% last season. He can score in a multitude of ways and was second in the league in free throws attempted with 10.3 per game (behind Dwight Howard and ahead of Dwyane Wade). Moreover, he’s just 26, so he has room to grow.

3. Josh Howard, Mavericks
29th pick in 2003
Sure, he’s kind of a knucklehead, but there’s no doubt that Howard has game. He slipped in the draft because of an apparent lack of upside. When he came out of college, he wasn’t a superb athlete and wasn’t great at any one thing, but he was a very good all-around player, which is why he won the ACC Player of the Year in his senior season at Wake Forest. In the NBA, he has steadily improved his offensive repertoire and has a reputation for being one of the better defensive small forwards in the league. He was named to the All-Star game in 2007 and is often used as evidence that it’s not always smart to pass on a proven college upperclassman for perceived upside.

2. Rajon Rondo, Celtics
21st pick in 2006 (drafted by the Suns)
Rondo slipped in the ’06 draft due to concerns about his non-existent jumper. As a second-year player, he successfully molded his game to fit with veterans Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to help lead the Celtics to a title in 2008. He was named to the All-Defensive team in 2009, and when Garnett went out with a knee injury late in the year, Rondo turned it on come playoff time. In the first round against the Bulls, he averaged a stellar 19.4 points, 11.6 assists and 9.3 rebounds, including two triple-doubles. Due to his work ethic, energy and the tutelage of Doc Rivers, he’s quickly becoming one of the best young point guards in the game. But can he keep this career trajectory once the Big Three start departing and defenses can afford to pay more attention to him?

1. Tony Parker, Spurs
28th pick in 2001
Parker is just 27 and already has had an illustrious career. He has been named to three All-Star games, and was the Finals MVP in 2007 when it became apparent that the Cavs didn’t have a guy that could stay in front of him. In fact, there are very few players in the league who can effectively defend Parker, who is one of the very best at getting to the rim in transition and off the pick and roll. He has helped the Spurs win three titles, and it has been interesting to see his transformation from a 19 year-old rookie to wily veteran over the past eight seasons. It will be even more interesting to see how he adjusts to being “The Guy” as Tim Duncan gets older and less productive. Parker went late in the first round because he was a foreigner (remember, international scouting was not as sharp in 2001) and because he was/is short and slight. But he really benefited from the rules changes that reduced hand checking on the perimeter and has flourished since he joined the league.

Honorable Mention: Nate Robinson, Boris Diaw, Delonte West, Rudy Fernandez, Morris Peterson, Samuel Dalembert, Leandro Barbosa, Courtney Lee, Jarrett Jack, Kenny Thomas, John Salmons, Jordan Farmar, George Hill, Linas Kleiza and Beno Udrih.

What can we draw from this list?

1. There are four small forwards — Howard, Kirilenko, Wallace and Prince — that are all known more for their defense than their offense, and Howard and Prince both scored in the high teens in college.

2. There are three point guards on the list. Two were deemed too small (Parker and Brooks) and the other couldn’t shoot (Rondo).

3. There is a power forward (Lee) and an off guard (Martin) who are known for their tremendous work ethics. Lee is a big-time hustler on the court and Martin is a gym rat who has transformed himself into one of the best scorers in the league.

4. There’s a 6’10” center (Perkins) who came to the NBA straight out of high school. It’s especially tough to find a good big late in the first round, as anyone with size and talent is usually long gone by now. Check out this list of 6’10” or taller players that were drafted in the late first round over the last 10 years: Pavel Podkolzine, Iakovos Tsakalidis, Kosta Koufos, Dalibor Bagaric, Primoz Brezec, Johan Petro, Mamadou NDiaye, Tiago Splitter, David Harrison, Samuel Dalembert, Jeff Foster, Nenad Krstic, Ryan Anderson, Josh Boone, Brian Cook, Serge Ibaka, Ian Mahinmi, Donte Greene, Leon Smith and Joel Freeland. While there are a few contributors on that list, the vast majority ride the bench or aren’t even in the league.

The lesson? Go small. Look for a player with an impressive work ethic. Try to find someone that has the physical tools to play good defense or a point guard that is too quick to be covered. These are the types of players that seemed flawed, but have the potential to develop into first round steals.

Like most NBA fans (outside the greater Houston area), once the news broke that Yao Ming was going to miss the rest of the playoffs with a foot injury, I wrote off the Rockets. How could they possibly keep pace with one of the top two teams in the league without their best player?

Since the injury, the Rockets have taken two of three from the Lakers, and if Kobe and Co. were truly championship worthy, they would have gone on the road and won Game 4 or Game 6. Laker apologists will probably just say that their team will still win in Game 7 and they’ll go on to win the championship, but really, they shouldn’t be in this position in the first place. Anything can happen in a single game, and sometimes, no matter what you do, it’s just not your night. What if the Rockets collectively catch fire like they did in Game 4? What if Kobe has one of his 5-for-20 days? Or what if Pau Gasol goes down with an injury that knocks him out of the game?

By letting the Rockets get back into the series, the Lakers have no margin for error. That’s the whole point of a seven-game series — it’s designed so that poor luck and bad nights don’t send a true champion home early.

The Lakers are probably going to win Game 7 and advance to play Denver. But the damage may already be done. Doubt has crept into the minds of the Laker rotation players. Andrew Bynum is averaging less than five points in just 15 minutes of playing time. Sasha “The (Self-Proclaimed) Machine” Vujacic is averaging 3.5 points per game on 29% shooting. Derek Fisher isn’t doing any better — 5.2 ppg, 29% FG%. Luke Walton is shooting just 30% in the series. Trevor Ariza and Jordan Farmar are playing decent, and Lamar Odom is doing okay in limited minutes, but it hasn’t been enough to help Kobe and Pau put a beat up Rockets team away. Phil Jackson is scrambling to find a five-man unit that works, and he’s having a hell of a time.

But these Lakers lack what every Laker team has lacked for the last several years…chemistry. Think about it — to varying degrees, the Cavs, Nuggets, Celtics, Rockets and Magic all seem to actually enjoy playing with each other. The congratulations seem enthusiastic, and the comfort seems genuine. But these Lakers look like nine or 10 different individuals playing a team game. Kobe is only happy with his teammates when they succeed. If they don’t, he treats them like a passive-aggressive (or just aggressive) stepfather who never wanted to be a parent in the first place. And there is so much pressure on Kobe’s “kids.” If they fail and the Lakers don’t win a championship, they’ll be responsible for daddy being denied the one thing in this world that he really wants — another championship.

If they do manage to win Game 7 on Sunday and advance, how do these Lakers go on to beat the Nuggets or (likely) the Cavs, two teams that are playing their best basketball of the season? Will they be able to put this series behind them and suddenly everything will start clicking again? It’s possible, because we don’t know for sure what kind of toll the Rockets’ defense is having on these Lakers — maybe seeing a new team will give everyone the fresh start that they need.

Then again, maybe the damage is already done.

There were three games last night and the best one was on NBA TV, so nobody saw it. The Cavs beat the Pistons (Cavs lead, 2-0), the Lakers beat the Jazz (Lakers lead, 2-0) and the Blazers nipped the Rockets (series tied, 1-1). Here are a few random observations about Tuesday’s action:

– It’s a bad idea by the NBA to schedule both 1/8 matchups on the same night. Moreover, TNT aired both games while the best action (Blazers/Rockets) was relegated to NBA TV. The Jazz made a game of it against the Lakers, but could never quite get over the hump. Deron Williams was outstanding (35 points, nine assists, four rebounds, four steals, two blocks), nailing six threes but turning the ball over seven times. Six Utah players scored in double figures, but when you allow the Lakers to shoot 60% from the field, you’re going to have a tough time winning. (Sorry, I just channeled Hubie Brown’s third-person shtick there for a minute.)

– Where in the world is Jordan Farmar? He played just four minutes last night, and has seen his playing time decline from 20.5 minutes per game in November to 16.1 minutes in April. Year to year, his PER has fallen off a cliff — 15.29 last season vs. 9.93 this season — and he’s being outplayed by Shannon Brown. Farmar is battling some tendinitis, but he’s looking less and less like a future starter and more and more like a career backup.

– Speaking of Brown, he has played at least 14 minutes in each of the last six games, averaging 8.0 points, 2.2 assists and 2.3 rebounds over that span. Brown is really athletic, plays pretty good defense and has an improving offensive game. Interestingly, he was originally drafted by the Cavs, so if he continues to play well, it might come back to bite Danny Ferry in the bum. Mitch Kupchak acquired Brown as part of the Vladimir Radmanovic/Adam Morrison trade a few months ago.

– After dropping Game 1, Portland was in “must-win” mode and they got a much needed victory to tie the series. Brandon Roy came up big (42 points, 7 rebounds) and LaMarcus Aldridge posted a nice game (27 points, 12 boards) after scoring just seven points in Game 1.

– The Rockets will be without Dikembe Mutombo for the remainder of the playoffs (probably forever, actually) after he suffered a knee injury.

– Greg Oden had a nice follow up dunk, but he’s a fouling machine. He had six fouls in 12 minutes. Wowsers.

– The trade that sent Rafer Alston to the Magic hasn’t hurt the Rockets at all. They also acquired Kyle Lowry from the Grizzlies and he and Aaron Brooks are providing good play at the point. The two combined for 33 points, six assist and five boards on Tuesday night.

– The Pistons cut the Cavs’ lead to eight with about four minutes to play, but a Cleveland 9-2 run put the game away. I get confused when I look at the box score and see the Pistons’ best perimeter defender — Tayshaun Prince — only played 26 minutes and wasn’t in any foul trouble. Meanwhile, LeBron goes for 29/13/6 — do you think Prince should get a little more run?

– In other news, there are reports flying that Derrick Rose will win ROY and Jason Terry will win the Sixth Man award. No surprises there.

The Lakers went into Boston and snapped the Celtics’ 12-game winning streak, 110-109, in overtime. This is the second time this season that the Lakers ended one of Boston’s long winning streaks. The Celtics had won 19 straight before losing in L.A. on Christmas Day.

Anyway, here are six observations about the game.

1. My TiVo stopped recording with three minutes remaining in OT.
This is due in no small part to my forgetfulness in canceling my season pass for “My Name Is Earl,” which just isn’t very funny anymore. I recorded “Smallville” on the other tuner, so I was only able to extend the recording for the game by a half hour. This would have worked had TNT not spent the first 15 minutes of the broadcast jibber-jabbering about this and that. If you are saying that the game starts at 8:00 PM ET, tip-off should be no later than 8:05 PM. Grrr.

2. The “Garden” was rockin’.
Aside from a grumpy Bill Belichick sitting under one of the baskets with his arms crossed, refusing to applaud, the crowd was into the game from the get-go. NBA crowds are notorious for sitting on their hands, especially during the regular season, but last night’s crowd in Boston was pumped and ready to go. They were nowhere near the bar set by the Golden State fan base a few years ago, but it’s good to hear substantial chants of “DE-FENSE” early in the ball game.

3. The game was chippy.
Kobe and Rajon Rondo got into it. KG and Lamar Odom got into it. Kendrick Perkins got into it with just about everybody. I couldn’t tell what happened with Kobe and Rondo, but it looked like Rajon was a little pissed that Kobe came in at the end of a play and knocked his hand down, so he pushed him. That garnered the finger from Kobe that you see in the picture above. The KG/Odom bit started when the ref called an offensive foul on Garnett and Odom slapped him on the butt. KG took offense and the two talked sh*t for a few moments until teammates came and broke it up.

4. Garnett’s sixth foul changed the game.
It was a ticky-tack foul and the official should have known better. This is the NBA — when a superstar has five fouls, you better make sure that if you’re going to foul him out, he better damn well deserve it. There was barely any contact, Derek Fisher flopped and the ref fell for it. And it probably changed the outcome of the game.

5. Sasha Vujacic and Jordan Farmar are probably the two most annoying players in the NBA.
If I sat down and thought about it, I could probably come up with a few others, but there is no player more annoying than Sasha “The Machine” Vujacic. He has the greasy hair held back by some sort of girly hair net and he complains about every call. There was a great sequence in the first half when the Celtics made a run where Vujacic had back-to-back turnovers that led to five points for Boston. I love watching him get pissed off as he get benched. As for Farmar, as soon as he gets into the game he starts bitching to the refs. I wish some of these younger guys would just play ball.

6. Kobe was the difference in the end.
Say what you will about the Laker supporting cast. Lamar Odom was slightly less soft than usual and Pau Gasol did his crazy homeless look every time he made a good play, but it was Kobe’s three straight bombs over Paul Pierce late in the fourth quarter that really got the Lakers back into the game. He had an opening for the first shot, but Pierce was right in his face for the last two and Kobe still managed to knock them down.

This rivalry is very much alive. All due respect to the Cavs and the Spurs, but even though I generally root against the Lakers throughout the playoffs, I’d love to see another Boston/L.A. Finals this year.

I’ll also list the player’s age and his Player Efficiency Rating.

1. Chris Paul, Hornets
Age: 23
PER: 30.99
He’s the best point guard in the league, regardless of of age.

2. Deron Williams, Jazz
Age: 24
PER: 16.82
Better jumper than CP3, but doesn’t have his quickness or vision.

3. Derrick Rose, Bulls
Age: 20
PER: 17.51
What he’s doing in his rookie year (18.7 points, 5.8 assists) is phenomenal.

4. Devin Harris, Nets
Age: 25
PER: 27.81
He’s absolutely blowing up – 24.8 points, 6.1 assists – right before our very eyes. That sound you hear is Mark Cuban grinding his teeth.

5. Mo Williams, Cavs
Age: 25
PER: 15.91
Mo is still figuring things out on the defensive end, but he’s a nice sidekick for LeBron, despite the so-so FG% (43.7%).

6. Rajon Rondo, Celtics
Age: 22
PER: 18.73
Handled the point during the C’s championship run. Does it with passing (7.2 assists) and defense (2.2 steals).

7. Ramon Sessions, Bucks
Age: 22
PER: 17.67
It was Sessions, not Ridnour, that prompted the Bucks to trade Mo Williams away. 15.6 points and 5.8 assists indicates he’s the point guard of the future in Milwaukee.

8. Jordan Farmar, Lakers
Age: 22
PER: 14.84
He’s struggling with his shot this season (41.9%) and is still playing behind Derek Fisher.

9. Nate Robinson, Knicks
Age: 24
PER: 17.88
He’s thriving in Mike D’Antoni’s system (14.5 points, 4.2 asissts), but at just 5’ 9”, is he limited in his upside?

10. Russell Westbrook, Thunder
Age: 20
PER: 15.06
He just joined the starting lineup, but is still averaging 12.3 points and 4.1 assists.

Before you blast me for missing a player or two, be sure to check his age. All these guys are 25 years-old or younger.

12/4 Update: Mo Williams is 25, not 23.

Other lists:

Top Young Shooting Guards
Top Young Small Forwards

Utah (5-1) @ Philadelphia (2-4)
The 76ers are off to a disappointing start. Offseason acquisition Elton Brand is more than five points per game off his career mark, and Andre Iguodala is shooting a miserable 38% from the field. Second-year swingman Thaddeus Young is lighting things up with a 16.5 ppg average on 52% shooting. This game will feature a great power forward matchup between Brand and Utah’s Carlos Boozer. The Jazz have been without Deron Williams, but Utah still managed to get off to a 5-1 start. He’s expected to make his debut tonight. Too bad the game is only available in local markets (unless you have the NBA League Pass). Game time is 7 PM ET.

Atlanta (5-0) @ Chicago (3-4)
Three of the Hawks’ five wins have come on the road and they hope to extend their unbeaten streak tonight in Chicago. Unfortunately, the high-flying Josh Smith is sidelined with a high-ankle sprain, but Joe Johnson has been doing his best MVP impersonation (25.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.8 apg). For the Bulls, Ben Gordon (20.0 ppg) leads his team in scoring, but it’s rookie sensation Derrick Rose (17.7 ppg, 5.1 apg) who is really turning heads. The game is on locally at 8:30 PM ET.

L.A. Lakers (5-0) @ Dallas (2-4)
The Mavs are off to a slow start, but in Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard, they can compete on any given night. They host the Lakers who are coming off a long stretch of down time in their schedule. L.A. is getting great play from Kobe (of course) and Pau Gasol, while Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom have been a little disappointing. Trevor Ariza and Jordan Farmar anchor a terrific bench. The game is on NBATV at 8:30 PM ET.