Ranking the Top Ten Players of the NBA Playoffs
The NBA playoffs are well underway as the first round is nearing completion. With some exciting matchups unfolding, there have been some very key players stepping up.
Here are the top 10 players of the NBA playoffs thus far:
10. Trae Young - Atlanta Hawks
Though Young is currently down 3-1 in his series against Boston, he has been putting up some impressive numbers. He’s averaging 26.8 PPG, 9.5 APG, and 1.8 STL but on poor shooting splits and he is a -31 over four games. The poor shooting and plus minus make it difficult to put him much higher, especially with the current position of the team.
9. Anthony Edwards - Minnesota Timberwolves
Despite being down 3-1 with their backs against the wall, the Timberwolves should be very excited with what they’ve seen from Edwards this postseason. At just 21 years old, Edwards is averaging 32.3 PPG in the playoffs against the one-seeded Denver Nuggets. They didn’t go out with the brooms but it’s highly unlikely they will be able to complete the 3-0 comeback. Either way, they will be set with Edwards as their guy for years to come.
8. Russell Westbrook - Los Angeles Clippers
Westbrook has had one of the most surprising postseasons, finding some resurgence in his career and play. So far through four games, Westbrook has averaged 26 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 7.0 APG. He has been putting up these numbers without the top two players on the Clippers playing and has single-handedly kept them in games throughout the series. That said, the Clippers are down 3-1 and it’s hard to rank him over more winning players .
7. De’Aaron Fox - Sacramento Kings
Sacramento is having a historic season and they have been led by their star point guard in Fox. He has continued his unreal season in the playoffs averaging 31.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 7.0 APG. He is currently tied with Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors but are looking to continue to light the beam into the Western Conference Semifinals.
6. Kevin Durant - Phoenix Suns
Durant has been the perfect complement to the insanely talented Devin Booker thus far in the playoffs, averaging over 27 PPG as the “second option”. It has been the Booker show so far but Durant deserves his credit for continuing to bring his elite offense.
5. Jayson Tatum - Boston Celtics
Tatum has led the Celtics to a 3-1 series lead over the Atlanta Hawks as they prepare to move on to the second round. Tatum has been a dazzling +32 in the playoffs with a 28.5 PPG average and great shooting splits, hitting 40 percent of his three-pointers. He has certainly stepped up more than he did in the finals and he has earned a spot in the top five.
4. Steph Curry - Golden State Warriors
Curry and Fox have had extremely similar performances this series, but Curry was much more efficient and is a whopping +42 for the playoffs. The Warriors are also seeming to take the edge on the Kings, and we could see smithy victory for Thompson and Curry.
3. Nikola Jokic - Denver Nuggets
The likely MVP runner up Jokic has been outstanding in the playoffs so far, averaging a ridiculous stat line consisting of 25.8 PPG, 11.3 RPG, and 8.3 RPG. and they lead the Timberwolves 3-1, dominating for the majority of the series. Outstanding individual and team performance in the playoffs
2. Devin Booker - Phoenix Suns
Booker has been ridiculous this postseason, averaging 34.8 alongside Kevin Durant. Booker had carried the Suns all year and he has greatly carried his bench this postseason, picking up slack that is left in that department. He would be the obvious pick for No. 1 but there is just one player that deserves it even more.
1.Jimmy Butler - Miami Heat
Butler single-handedly gave the Miami Heat a 3-1 lead over the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks as he finished with 56 points in the most important game of the series. As Joel Embiid called him, “Playoff MF Himmy Butler'' was in full effect tonight. This game set him as the league's leading scorer with over 36 PPG. If he makes it through to the second round, the Heat will desperately need this play from him again.
