Ranking the top 10 players in the NBA conference finals
The top two seeds in the Eastern Conference and three of the top four teams in the West are gone, but the conference finals are loaded with talent. On the NBA's second-biggest stage, here are the 10 best players remaining in the playoffs.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SGA led his team to 68 wins and will likely pick up his first MVP trophy this week. But as good as the Thunder's defense and young supporting cast are, it's Gilgeous-Alexander who takes on the biggest scoring burden. He creates his own offense, averaging 29 points and 6.4 assists in these playoffs, but also creates transition opportunities with 1.5 steals per game. In bad news for the Minnesota Timberwolves, SGA has broken out of his three-point shooting slump.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards
At age 23, Edwards reached his second straight Western Conference Finals with two five-game series victories, in which he averaged 25.5 points and 5.9 assists, making 38.5 percent of his three-pointers. Apart from a 0-of-11 performance from behind the arc in Game 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers, Edwards has been deadly from distance, a constant threat to attack the rim, gets 1.5 steals per game and might be the best athlete left in the playoffs.
3. Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton
Haliburton also reached a second straight conference finals, going 8-2 as the Pacers vanquished the Milwaukee Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games each. At 9.8 assists per game, he's the engine behind a Pacers offense that's averaging 118 points per contest. But when the Pacers need him to score, Haliburton is fully capable of knocking down threes or blowing by defenders, especially for game-winners.
4. New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson
The New York Knicks' playoff strategy is simple: Keep the opposing team within striking distance and then let Jalen Brunson, the Clutch Player of the Year, win the game for them. Brunson scored 102 points in the fourth quarter in his first 10 playoff games, averaging 28.8 points and 7.7 assists. Plus, he's held up defensively even as teams target him, keeping him available to save the game.
5. New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns
Towns hasn't always been known for his playoff toughness, but the NBA's No. 2 rebounder this season is grabbing 11.3 rebounds and averaging almost one block per game. He's been the secondary scorer the Knicks needed while also providing a post threat. And despite leading all players in playoff fouls, he's remained on the court when New York needs him.
6. Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam
The Pacers are considered a finesse team because of their offensive wizardry, but they're tougher and more physical than their reputation. That's exemplified by Siakam, who averages 18.8 points on 54.7 percent shooting and 44.1 percent from behind the arc. Siakam's ability to rebound, guard bigger players and pass the ball has been invaluable for the Pacers. Plus, he's a matchup nightmare: Too fast for most strong big men, too strong for wings.
7. Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle
Randle came over from the Knicks in a late-summer trade for Towns and has done nothing but rack up points for the Timberwolves in these playoffs. He's averaging 23.9 points and making over half of his shots, particularly shredding a stingy Golden State Warriors defense in the second round. Randle has also been automatic from the foul line, making 22 of 23 free throws against the Warriors.
8. New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges
The Knicks may not have depth, but their top-level talent has come through during these playoffs. Mikal Bridges is making huge defensive plays throughout the postseason, including two game-saving stops against the Boston Celtics. On the other side of the ball, Bridges is taking a back seat to Brunson and Towns, but scores when the team needs him to.
9. Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams
The Thunder's All-Star forward has been an inconsistent scorer during the playoffs, including a few rough games against the Denver Nuggets (he shot 10-of-43 from Games 4-6). But Williams continued to rebound much bigger than his size, play tough perimeter defense and terrorize opposing teams in transition.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert
The four-time Defensive Player of the Year has often seen his defensive magic disappear in the playoffs, but against the Los Angeles Lakers, he dominated their small lineups. Gobert had 27 points and 24 rebounds, eliminating the Lakers, then collected 9.4 rebounds and blocked 1.8 shots per game against the Warriors. Will he be able to hold up against the fast and athletic Thunder? Gobert has earned the benefit of the doubt this season.
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