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Kendrick Perkins Didn't Hesitate When Asked To Name Best Player Left In NBA Playoffs

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ashish Mathur | Last updated May 19, 2025 5:22 PM ET

There are four teams left in the 2025 NBA playoffs: the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Knicks and Pacers play each other in the Eastern Conference Finals, while the Timberwolves and Thunder clash in the Western Conference Finals.

On Monday's episode of NBA Today, former Boston Celtics center and current ESPN NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins was asked by Malika Andrews who the best player left in the postseason is and the one-time NBA champion didn't mince words.

Perkins, who won the 2008 championship with the Celtics, went with Knicks All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson.

"If I had to say anybody is the best player remaining in the postseason, it's Big Body Brunson." @kendrickperkins says Jalen Brunson is the best player left in the NBA playoffs pic.twitter.com/8ZfjtiXT9b
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 19, 2025

The Knicks beat the Detroit Pistons in the first round in six games and took out the Celtics in the second round in six games.

New York is in the conference finals for the first time since 2000.

Brunson is averaging 28.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 7.7 assists in the 2025 postseason while shooting 44.0% from the field, 36.3% from beyond the arc and 81.9% from the free-throw line.

The 28-year-old Brunson has never been to the NBA Finals, while the Knicks haven't been to the NBA Finals since 1999.

New York lost the 1999 NBA Finals to the San Antonio Spurs in five games.

After beginning his career with the Dallas Mavericks, Brunson joined the Knicks in the summer of 2022. The lefty is averaging 26.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 6.7 assists in the regular season and 29.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists in the postseason in a New York uniform.

It will be fascinating to see if Brunson can lead the Knicks to the championship this season. Indiana defeated New York in the second round of last year's postseason, so Brunson and Co. can't overlook Tyrese Haliburton's squad.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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