10 BEST NBA PLAYERS IN THE 2024 PLAYOFFS

The 2024 NBA Playoffs are well underway as the first round is giving us entertaining action with the reigning NBA champions Denver Nuggets up 2-0 against the Los Angeles Lakers, with many close series including the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks seemingly going to go down to the wire.

We have collected the 10 best NBA superstars in this year’s playoffs, based on their play heading into the postseason and their performances so far.

1. Nikola Jokic

2023-24 Regular-Season Stats: 26.4 PPG, 12.4 RPG, 9.0 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.9 BPG

2023-24 Postseason Stats: 29.5 PPG, 16.0 RPG, 8.5 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG

Nikola Jokic has been the best player in the world since last year and he has continued his elite play in the postseason, posting 29.5 points and 16.0 rebounds per game over his two games against the Los Angeles Lakers. He posted 32 points and 12 rebounds in Game 1, followed by a monster 27-point, 20-rebound, and 10-assist performance to outshine Anthony Davis' 32-point performance.

Jokic is the favorite for his third MVP award this season, meaning he joins an elite company with only a select number of players including Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James having more. Jokic is the driving force of the Nuggets this season and the Nuggets will likely win the series handily against the Lakers in the first round.

2. Luka Doncic

2023-24 Regular-Season Stats: 33.9 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 9.8 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.5 BPG

2023-24 Postseason Stats: 32.5 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 7.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG

Luka Doncic is a one-of-a-kind talent when looking at his ability to put up monster numbers across the board. The NBA’s leading scorer in 2023-24 is off to another great start in the postseason, posting a near double-double as he ties the series with the Clippers in Game 2.

Doncic has shot only 11-26 in each of his two games, but he had 33 points in Game 1 and 32 points in Game 2 as the game's leading scorer in both matchups. He is talented enough to get his team to the second round, but it won’t be easy to take down the Clippers who just got Kawhi Leonard back. Their series will likely go to six or seven games, so Luka needs to prove he is head and shoulders above the rest.

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

2023-24 Regular-Season Stats: 30.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 6.2 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.9 BPG

2023-24 Postseason Stats: 30.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should be in the MVP conversation and is possibly the biggest contender to Nikola Jokic. So far in the playoffs, the guard has maintained his averages from the regular season and has the Thunder in a strong 2-0 position against the New Orleans Pelicans. The number one seed in the West, the Thunder are favorites to proceed.

He dropped 28 points and 6 rebounds in Game 1 followed by 33 points and 5 assists in Game 2, so he has been the driving force of the Thunder this postseason. Shooting an incredible 13-19 from the field and 3-5 from three, Gilgeous-Alexander has been hot as fish grease to start the Thunder's dreams of a deep postseason run.

4. Donovan Mitchell

2023-24 Regular-Season Stats: 26.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 6.1 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.5 BPG

2023-24 Postseason Stats: 26.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.5 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG

The Cleveland Cavaliers have gone up 2-0 against the inexperienced Orlando Magic, and it is expected that Donovan Mitchell will be key in what could be a series sweep or at least a gentleman’s sweep. Mitchell had a terrific 30-point performance in Game 1 on 11-21 shooting, followed by a 23-point performance in Game 2 that was enough to have a 96-86 victory.

Mitchell is simply too athletic and talented for the Magic right now, and he cannot be stopped by a single defender. Despite his uncertain future in Cleveland, what happens this season about the team comes down to what Mitchell will do but the Orlando Magic have had no answer for him so far.

5. Damian Lillard

2023-24 Regular-Season Stats: 24.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 7.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG

2023-24 Postseason Stats: 34.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.0 BPG

Damian Lillard hasn’t had Giannis Antetokounmpo by his side in the playoffs yet, but he has performed at a superstar level. His scoring has gone up tremendously compared to his regular season performances, and he is driving the Bucks in the first round so far. It won’t be easy for the Bucks to defeat the Pacers if Giannis isn’t playing, but Lillard will help make it a competitive series.

We are seeing the Portland Trail Blazers version of Lillard in terms of taking the game over and dropping 35 points and 34 points in Games 1 and 2 respectively. Making six three-pointers in each game, Lillard is doing his best to give the Bucks a fighting chance in a 1-1 series while Giannis recovers.

6. Jayson Tatum

2023-24 Regular-Season Stats: 26.9 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 4.9 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.6 BPG

2023-24 Postseason Stats: 25.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG

Jayson Tatum didn’t have the best game shooting the ball against the Miami Heat in Game 1, going 7-18, but he had a monster triple-double and picked the opponent apart, as he should. However, the fact that Jimmy Butler isn’t available for Miami places even more pressure on the Heat to extend the series as long as possible with the hope their star returns.

So far, Butler seems to be nursing a rather serious MCL injury that could keep him out of the series entirely. Tatum posted 28 points in Game 2, but only shot 2-6 from three, and losing at home to the depleted Heat is not a great look for the regular-season MVP candidate. Tatum needs to be better to prevent a shocking early exit by the Celtics.

7. Pascal Siakam

2023-24 Regular-Season Stats: 21.7 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 4.3 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.3 BPG

2023-24 Postseason Stats: 36.5 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.0 BPG

Pascal Siakam is on an absolute roll right now. His numbers have been off the charts for the Indiana Pacers in the playoffs, tearing apart Milwaukee’s defense right now. The Bucks struggled with defense in the regular season, ranking 21st, so they desperately need the absent Giannis back to control the All-Star forward.

Siakam is too quick and athletic to be contained by anyone in the Bucks lineup right now and his impact has been surreal after his 36-point, 13-rebound in Game 1. Posting 37 points and 11 rebounds in Game 2 ensured a victory for the Pacers, and the team will need improved performances from Tyrese Haliburton to be able to knock off the third seed in the Eastern Conference.

8. Anthony Edwards

2023-24 Regular-Season Stats: 25.9 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 5.1 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.5 BPG

2023-24 Postseason Stats: 24.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 7.0 APG, 2.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG

Anthony Edwards has struggled shooting the ball, but his all-around impact for the Timberwolves has been incredible. He has become the leader of the team and his trash talk on Kevin Durant has set the tone in the series, as his side leads 2-0. The Phoenix Suns look devoid of answers as a first-round exit would be devastation for them.

Edwards’ athleticism, scoring, and aura have made Minnesota a tough team to compete with. Edwards posted 33 points in Game 1 on 14-24 shooting from the field but only scored 15 points in Game 2 yet came away with a victory. Edwards needs to have a better performance than going 3-12, because the Phoenix Suns won't be put away easily.

9. Anthony Davis

2023-24 Regular-Season Stats: 24.7 PPG, 12.6 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.2 SPG, 2.3 BPG

2023-24 Postseason Stats: 32.0 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.5 BPG

The Lakers are down 0-2 in the series against the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets, but Anthony Davis has performed well. He is posting a double-double in the postseason and is occupying the paint as best as he can. It is not easy to stop Jokic defensively, but Davis is countering with elite numbers on both ends of the court.

If Davis can post at least 30 points per game in the playoffs along with crashing the boards, the Lakers have a fighting chance to try to even the series at home. He posted 32 points and 14 rebounds in Game 1, followed by 32 points and 11 rebounds in Game 2 so we cannot criticize him for his performances and the Lakers' deficit right now.

10. LeBron James

2023-24 Regular-Season Stats: 25.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 8.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.5 BPG

2023-24 Postseason Stats: 26.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 10.0 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.5 BPG

LeBron James is not supposed to be a top-10 player in the postseason since he is 39 years old. The King is still a superstar in terms of impact, posting a double-double in the playoffs, and played a major role in giving the Lakers a double-digit lead in Game 2. Even if James couldn’t close the deal for his team, there isn’t much he can do if Jamal Murray nails a contested mid-range jumper over Anthony Davis at the buzzer.

James needs to be superhuman for the Lakers to come back from an 0-2 deficit, and while he hasn't quite been that, he has been great. The King dropped 27 points and 8 assists in Game 1 and had 26 points and 12 assists in Game 2, but the Lakers will need more scoring from the future Hall of Famer.

Honorable Mentions

Jamal Murray

2023-24 Regular-Season Stats: 21.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG

2023-24 Postseason Stats: 21.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 7.5 APG, 0.0 SPG, 1.5 BPG

Jamal Murray’s stats haven’t jumped off the page just yet, but his impact with the Denver Nuggets is surreal. Nikola Jokic is a superstar but he can’t do it on his own and we saw that in every season when Murray was injured. Murray went 9-24 from the field in Game 1, but he dictated the play with 10 assists and went 4-9 from three. In Game 2, Murray went 9-24 again but hit an iconic game-winner over Anthony Davis.

You need to watch the Nuggets to truly appreciate how good Murray is for his team. Even when Murray struggles with his shot, he will come through in the big moments. In the fourth quarter of Game 2, Jamal Murray shot 6-8 from the field, scoring 14 points, and was a team-best +12. His game-winner will enter NBA lore, and it could be the start of something great for the Nuggets this postseason.

James Harden

2023-24 Regular-Season Stats: 16.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 8.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.8 BPG

2023-24 Postseason Stats: 25.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 8.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.5 BPG

James Harden has been the best player for the Los Angeles Clippers this postseason. He has led the offense admirably and was the main reason they managed an impressive 109-97 Game 1 victory. Even if the Clippers dropped Game 2, Harden has led the series in scoring for his side and his clever playmaking has been critical.

It is always great to see Harden perform well in the postseason because he has had far too many poor performances in the past. The guard had 28 points and 8 assists in Game 1 (6-11 from three) followed by 22 points and 8 assists in Game 2, so he has done his job moving the ball and also scoring effectively.

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2024-04-25T13:05:16Z dg43tfdfdgfd