Playoffs bring a change in perspective

The NBA Playoffs are where legends are made. It is when hopes are highest, and in turn where the stakes become greater as well. Having teams to battle it out in a best of seven series helps us find the time to take a closer look at the players and allows us to see the best and worst in them. Here is a list of players who I now hold in higher regard due to their postseason efforts, and those whose postseason has affected my perception of them in a negative way.For the better...Glen "Big Baby" Davis - After spending the majority of the season as an under-utilized role player, Davis capitalized on his increased role in the playoffs. Filling the shoes of the injured Kevin Garnett, Davis more than doubled his regular season scoring average (7 ppg to 15.8 ppg) and provided the Celtics with some much needed frontcourt toughness. He also came through with a clutch buzzer beater in a heated game against the Magic. His manhandling of a courtside kid also nets him bonus points in my book (but minus points for apologizing). Carmelo Anthony - 'Melo is showing us why he deserves to be right in the mix with Dwyane Wade and Lebron James in that 2003 draft class (apologies, Darko, for the exclusion here). While he had somewhat of a ho-hum regular season, Anthony has improved on his regular season averages in every major statistical category, and is scoring at an impressive clip of 28 points per contest. While I can't say that he's gotten the best of Kobe Bryant in this current series, he certainly has given him trouble and kept the Nuggets highly relevant in the race to the finals.Ben Gordon - Thinking back on the Chicago Bulls' reluctance to sign Ben Gordon in the past offseason is now looking laughable. While the Bulls failed to advance to the second round, they were part of one of the greatest first round series of all-time. Gordon was a huge part of that, shouldering much of the Chicago scoring load at 24 ppg. He even went off for 42 points in their Game 2 loss. And while Gordon struggled with his shot during some stretches, he also was able to frequently deliver when the Bulls desperately needed a bucket. Gordon's fearless attitude and determination helped to win me over in that series.Trevor Ariza - Ariza has been highly efficient for the Lakers, scoring 11 ppg while shooting 55% from the field. He has been the unsung hero for the Lakers, especially in the current series against the Nuggets, where he has had several crucial steals that have heavily impacted the games in their favor. He's also been deadly from behind the arch, netting 26 of 51 attempts thus far. While Ariza has expressed that his comfort level is at its highest when coming off the bench, he's shown to be a supremely valuable starter for the Lakers during the postseason.The Houston Rockets - While they dismantled my beloved Portland Trail Blazers, I came to really respect this Rockets team. Even moreso after they pushed the Lakers to seven games even without Yao Ming in the lineup. This team plays hard every night, and they have a group of players that are just easy to root for. Luis Scola showed us that he might be one of the most underrated players in the league, effortlessly knocking down mid-range jumpers, and using crafty moves in the post to get easy buckets. Aaron Brooks, a second-year point-guard who took over the helm after Rafer Alston was traded to Orlando, averaged 17 ppg and was a terror for opposing defenses. And then there's Ron Artest, who in the span of one postgame interview automatically catapulted to my favorite players list. You just can't write this stuff. For the worse...Rajon Rondo - While Rondo played ridiculously well in the playoffs (he averaged a triple-double for God's sake), and likely increased his stock as a player, the main descriptor that comes to mind when I think of him now is "dirty." There is a difference between "dirty" and "competitive," and Rondo was "dirty." The combination of tripping Kirk Hinrich as he was going to the hoop, slapping Brad Miller in the face (might I add the ball was nowhere near Miller's face), and throwing Hinrich into the scorers' table only equals one thing. Dirty. Travis Outlaw - Outlaw was a steadying force for the Blazers all season long, providing a major scoring punch off the bench and often connecting on crunch time shots. However, after the Blazers' first round loss to the Rockets, Outlaw received a great deal of criticism (and rightfully so) because of his lackluster play. He struggled mightily with his shot, shooting only 32% from the field and contributing only 9 ppg. This has Blazers fans wondering if his playoff woes were "first-time jitters" or if he lacks the killer instinct needed to perform well when the game intensity is at its highest. Joe Johnson - I remember seeing a sign in the stands during the playoffs that said "Will the real Joe Johnson please stand up?" I think that perfectly captures his postseason performance, and has me questioning whether Johnson is capable of being the main man on a winning team. While we saw glimpses of his ability to take over games, more often than not we saw him struggle with routine shots and often times fade into a virtual non-factor within the game. When you are an elite player, 10-15 point performances just don't cut it, and he had six of those.Andrew Bynum - The Lakers are thanking their lucky stars that they already have one of the best big men in the league in Pau Gasol, because Bynum has been M.I.A. for most of the playoffs. The supposed future centerpiece of the Lakers has played such uninspired basketball this postseason that it's hard not to notice. Bynum is averaging less than six ppg. If that isn't telling enough, he has scored four points or less on seven occasions during the playoffs (including three scoreless games). The sad thing is, Bynum should have ravaged all of the opposing frontlines the Lakers have faced in the playoffs. The Jazz have no true center, unless you count Mehmet Okur who played in only two games in the series. By game four, the Rockets were without both Yao Ming and Dikembe Mutombo. Now, Bynum faces a Nuggets frontline that also boasts no true center that gets meaningful minutes. Bynum has suggested that his injured knee still isn't at full strength, and while that is likely true, I'm not buying its impact on his poor play. If you recall, Bynum was highly productive in the final four games before the playoffs as he averaged 17 ppg. Where's your head at Andrew?The Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat - Atlanta and Miami gave us some of the least entertaining playoff basketball that one could not hope for. This was mainly due to the sheer lack of any competitive games. Although the series (unfortunately) went seven games, every game resulted in a blowout. Then Atlanta went on to face Cleveland in the second round and had an equally uncompetitive series, as they failed to win even one game against the Cavs. The only thing that these teams gave me was an effective sleep aide.Who are you looking at in a different way based on their playoff performances or antics?