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The NBA playoffs have had an ominous start in the first 2 days, with an overtime game and several closely fought matchups. While the Warriors blew out the Kawhi-less San Antonio Spur at home and the Sixers took care of 6th-seeded Miami, the rest of these games were well-contested for the most part, and we saw a number of heroes emerging from the first round of games.
The likes of John Wall and Giannis Antetokounmpo, despite having great nights and leading their teams to what might have been upset wins on away ground, ended up with the L. For this reason, they have not been considered for our list here.
The following 5 players were mightily important to their teams' victories over the weekend, and to rank their performances, we take into account both their contributions as well as their irreplaceability. The list goes as follows:
#5 Klay Thompson
On a night when defense reigned supreme at the Oracle Arena, the Golden State Warriors managed to create separation from the San Antonio Spurs mainly due to their outside shooting, as chances in the interior came at a premium for both sides.
Klay Thompson, in particular, was on fire for the Warriors, as he led both teams in scoring with 27 points on 11-of-13 shooting from the field. He made 5 out of his 6 attempts from downtown, helping the Warriors run out to an early lead which they never relinquished.
For the most part, Klay Thompson was a commendable defender on the night. His constant on-ball pressure helped the Warriors enforce a number of turnovers and 24-second violations, and his +/- of +22 was the highest for any player on the night.
#4 Paul George
Paul George has shown in the past that he can turn it up a couple of notches in the postseason, and he did just that to power the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 116-108 win over the Utah Jazz in the first game of their series.
While Russell Westbrook also put up a solid statline, it was George's night as the 5-time All-Star went OFF for 36 points on 13-of-20 shooting from the floor. He was even better from behind the 3-point line, making a staggering 8 out of 11 shot attempts from downtown.
One of his signature moments from the game was a buzzer-beating 3-point shot at the end of the 3rd quarter to put the Thunder up by 9 points, and they never looked back from that point onwards, going on to put the game beyond the reach of the Jazz at 109-91 with around 3 minutes left in the final quarter.
#3 Victor Oladipo
If there was ever a game from this season which could have clinched Victor Oladipo's all-too-deserved spot on an All-NBA roster, it was this one. The 5th-year stud from Indiana did it on both sides of the ball for a spirited Pacers team that took the game to the Cavs and came away with the W from the Quicken Loans Arena.
Oladipo recorded a stat line of 32 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. He shot 11-of-19 from the field and a fiery 6-of-9 from downtown. Whenever the Cavaliers threatened to make a run, Oladipo made a big play either on the defensive end with a stop or with a pull-up jumper that was falling for him on the night.
If he continues to play this way and the Pacers continue to assert their defensive dominance on a Cavs team that looked short of ideas, LeBron James might very well be facing an ignominious first-round exit.
#2 James Harden
James Harden, the MVP-elect for most experts and fans alike, lit up the Toyota Center in the Rockets' first postseason game to everybody's delight. The MVP chants came hard and fast as Harden razzled and dazzled his way to 44 points and 8 assists in 40 minutes.
On a night when the Rockets as a team shot only 10 out of 37 3-point shots, Harden made 7 of those all by himself on 12 attempts for a staggering 58.3% average on his 3-point makes. In total, he took 26 shots, making 15 of them. He also got to the line at his usual rate and scored 7 out of 9 free throws.
To round off an excellent night, he threw in 2 steals for good measure as the Timberwolves got outclassed by his pure quality on the night, losing 104-101. Harden solidified his credentials for the MVP honors with this spectacular, match-winning display.
#1 Anthony Davis
The Unibrow made a late-season push for MVP candidacy, and he's carried the form over to the postseason to earn his first career playoff victory. It came in tough circumstances - away from home against the 3rd-seeded Blazers with two of the most dynamic scorers at the guard position.
Neither Lillard nor McCollum could do much as AD led the Pelicans to a 97-95 win on the strength of his contributions mostly. He put up a stat line of 35 points, 14 rebounds, 2 steals and 4 blocks, and converted 2 late free throws to put his team 2 points ahead before Jrue Holiday secured the victory for the Pelicans with a block on Pat Connaughton's layup attempt which could've tied the game.
No one on the Blazers' roster had an answer for Davis' two-way onslaught on the night, as AD made shots from all ranges and scenarios possible and unleashed his full repertoire of moves. If Davis continues to dominate like this, the Pelicans will make it to the second round without a shadow of a doubt.
