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The 2019 NBA Playoffs are finally upon us and it promises to be a fascinating 2 months of action. Both the Golden State Warriors and Milwaukee Bucks are the #1 seeds in their conferences and currently loom as title favourites.
That said, there are a ton of excellent NBA players that could really have a strong impact throughout the playoffs. This article will focus on the 5 top players who are incredibly important to their chances of playoff success.
We’ve focused primarily on their 2018-19 regular season, while also taking into account their previous playoff performance. Without further ado, let’s get into it.
5. James Harden
After an incredible MVP campaign last year, Harden had another spectacular regular season. He averaged an insane 36.1 points per game, maintaining relatively efficient numbers on high volume.
Harden was also much more well-rounded this season, completing his stat-line with averages of 7.5 assists and 6.6 rebounds. He also showed noticeably more effort on defence in 2019, managing 2 steals per game.
Despite leading Houston to an impressive 53 wins, Harden will face an uphill battle in the 2019 playoffs. He opens the campaign against a very impressive Utah Jazz side who have one of the best defences in the NBA.
Should he make it past Utah unscathed, he then likely has to face the dynastic Golden State Warriors again. The Warriors have been a thorn in Harden’s side in recent years, eliminating him in 3 of the last 4 playoffs.
That said, the case can definitely be made that Harden is coming off the best season of his career. On his best nights, he is close to unguardable against even the best opposing defences. If he can replicate this with a deep playoff run this year, it could go a long way to cementing his legacy.
4. Stephen Curry
As we’ve come to expect from the NBA’s best Point Guard, Stephen Curry had yet another outstanding season in 2018-19. He had the second highest scoring output of his career, averaging 27.3 points per night.
Perhaps most impressive is his fantastic shooting from 3 on very high volume, shooting just under 44% on 11.7 attempts per game. His stat line is among the most well-rounded in the game today, averaging 5.3 rebounds, and 5.2 assists on the year.
As part of the NBA’s best team, Curry has already won 3 titles in the past 4 seasons. The only reason he isn’t higher on this list is that he has excellent teammates who can pick up the slack if he isn’t 100 percent. Nevertheless, if Curry has the playoffs that he is capable of, the Warriors are a near lock for the title.
3. Kevin Durant
One of Curry’s aforementioned excellent teammates, Durant has been a revelation since joining Golden State in 2016. He has won a championship in both of his seasons in Oakland so far, winning 2 Finals MVP awards in the process.
His 2018-19 regular season was stellar as always, averaging 26 points to go along with 6.4 boards and 5.9 assists. He was also very efficient this year, shooting over 52% from the field and 88% from the line.
Given the quality of Small Forwards that Golden State will have to face if they win another Championship, I think Durant is their most important player in these playoffs. Even if he does decide to leave this year, I’m sure he’ll be incredibly motivated to win a 3rd ring with Golden State. If KD can reach the level that he’s capable of in the playoffs, he’s got a very strong case as the best player in the NBA.
2. Kawhi Leonard
While many thought Kawhi Leonard could struggle in his return from injury, he has had a very stellar season in Toronto this year. He effectively filled up the stat sheet, averaging 26.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. He also continues to be one of the NBA’s best perimeter defenders, consistently locking up some of the best scorers in the game.
Although Toronto are arguably the deepest and most versatile side in the NBA, Kawhi is still far and away their best player. He is also their most experienced playoff performer, having won a title and Finals MVP award in his time with San Antonio.
If Leonard can’t perform at his best these playoffs, the Raptors chances of a lucrative NBA Finals berth appear slim. That said, he has a chance to re-enter the best player in the NBA conversation with a strong performance during these next two months.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo
The rightful favourite for MVP, Giannis has definitely deserved his spot atop the list this year. He was an integral part of a Milwaukee side that had the best record in the association, finishing the year at 60-22.
His stat line was simply outstanding, enjoying career highs in points, rebounds, assists, and field goal percentage. To put these numbers into perspective, Giannis averaged 27.7 points on 57.8% shooting, 12.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists.
While the Bucks have been fantastic all year, they are still heavily reliant on the dominance of Giannis. If he can’t replicate his regular season form in the playoffs, they could well be primed for a Conference Semi Finals exit.
That said, if he can maintain or even improve on this regular season performance, the Bucks loom as legitimate title contenders. With such a huge range of potential outcomes, I have to say Giannis is the most important player in these NBA Playoffs.
Guess the Lakers players!
