10. Stephen Curry
The NBA's new reigning single season three point champ with 272 in a single season. Has made the jump this season from sharp shooter to borderline superstar. One of this seasons most exciting moments was his 54 point outburst in Madison Square Garden. When the rim must have looked like an ocean to him on this night because he simply couldn't miss. As prefaced above the regular season accomplishments are nice and all, but superstar status is earned April thru June. This is Curry's first foray into the playoffs so he doesn't have to even a win the series to see this postseason as an accomplishment. Still, he certainly has to shine like Derrick Rose did against the Celtics in that tantalizing opening series a few years ago that cemented his superstar status.
9. Marc Gasol
Over that last few season the lesser known of the Gasol brothers has established himself as a defensive force in this league, on of the best big man passers in the league, and the second best center in the entire league. Yet, he is arguably in terms of talent the league's most overlooked player by the common NBA fan. He has yet to make a single All Star team while lesser players have been invited to the festivities in February. In a tumultuous Western Conference as anyone can remember. The Grizzles are only the second team in the history of the NBA to win 56 games in a season and not have home court advantage in the opening round. If Gasol can lead the league's best defense to the Western Conference Finals or even push the Thunder to a lengthy series in the second round, amenity for him will be a thing of the past.
8. James Harden
Harden's plight is very similar to that of Curry's this postseason. He turned in a spectacular regular season to knock on the door of NBA super stardom, the playoffs though is where that status is earned. In his first season as a starter he finished fifth in the league in scoring with 25.9 PPG. He has shown that he is a franchise cornerstone that Houston can build its future on. Now no one is expecting him to lead the Rockets in an upset of his deeper and more talented former team the Thunder in the opening round. Still, a few performances like his 46 point revenge effort like his against the Thunder in the regular season will be enough to elevate Harden to superstar status and into the argument as to who is the NBA's best shooting guard.
7. Kevin Durant
Durant turned in one of the great efficiency seasons ever with his 28.1 PPG across .510 FG%, .416 3P% and .905 FT%. He joined the allured .50/.40/.90 that had only ever been accomplished previously by five players: Larry Bird, Mark Price, Reggie Miller, Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki. Durant is universally considered the NBA's second best player to LeBron James, but the only reason he doesn't rank higher on this list is because there isn't a scenario where I believe that Durant could be detrimental to his status. The only thing Durant can achieve is winning the title and making an argument out of who is the league's best player with LeBron. Yet, if he doesn't achieve that this season no one will criticize of think less of Durant, we will just say his time will come.
6. Chris Paul
Chris Paul is regarded as the league's best point guard. Last year was the first time he made it out of the first round of the playoffs with the Clippers' game seven win over the Memphis Grizzles. Yet, in the second round they were abruptly swept by the San Antonio Spurs. If Paul wants be considered a top five player in this league and be remembered as one of the great point guards in NBA history he will need to accomplish more. For the first time in their history the Clippers have established themselves as the Los Angeles' best team by sweeping the Lakers, and winning the most games in franchise history. Still real success is determined in the playoffs. Paul is surrounded by the most talent he has ever had and arguably the league's deepest bench the Clippers should make an extended run in these playoffs. At the bear minimum they can't be swept by the Thunder in the second round, they to need to push them to at least six or seven games to not view this season as a failure. Honestly though to see this season as a success the Clippers need to make the Western Conference Finals if not the NBA finals. Those possibilities rest on the shoulders of Chris Paul.
5. Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is a physical specimen, a ferocious defender, the league's most underrated dunker, and talented offensive player. Still, he receives as much national ridicule as any player in the entire league. Reason for the ridicule stems from his tumultuous relationship with media members and his on court "temper tantrums". He also shoots more shots than his teammate Kevin Durant arguably the league's best scorer. There are also people who think with Harden's departure this season the Thunder will miss him in fourth quarters this postseason. Due to the fact all the distribution responsibilities will now fall on Westbrook. He needs to help lead the Thunder to their second consecutive Western Conference title or the critics will only multiply and become more outspoken. If the Thunder come up anything short of a Finals appearance the blame will rest with Westbrook not Durant.
4. Tim Duncan
Duncan has absolutely nothing to prove to anyone. He is as accomplished as any player in NBA history with four Larry O'Brien Trophy's to his credit. Yet if he can win his fifth this season spanning 14 years he could not only make an argument out of being one of the five best players of all time. Also, the Spurs could make a serious case for being the league's greatest dynasty. No team has ever had a span of 14 years in between championships with the same coach and star player. Yet, that is a possibility for Duncan and Popovich this postseason. Duncan has had a Renaissance this season turning back the clock posting numbers per 36 minutes just as good as his lone MVP season.
3. Dwight Howard
With his championship win last season LeBron rescinded his title as the league's most widely ridiculed player. With his dramatic exit from Orlando, ego centric comments to begin his Lakers' career and difficulties adjusting to playing with Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard has taken over the thrown of NBA ridicule. Now with Kobe's achilles injury Dwight has the opportunity to prove that he can be championship cornerstone. He has the opportunity to silence all his critics with an extended playoff run and remind everyone why after the 2009 season he was considered the league's future with LeBron. Howard can only do that if he dominates these playoffs. With the injuries and the season the Lakers had he doesn't nor expected to get past the Spurs in the first round but he absolutely has to dominate and be the defensive force that won three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards. Yet, if can lead the Lakers to an upset of the Spurs and even a Western Conference Finals appearance he can silence his critics maybe forever.
2. LeBron James
LeBron was able to silence his critics last season with his first championship. This season's Heat also look even better than last shown in their 27 game win streak. He also turned in one of the great statistical regular seasons in NBA history in both efficiency and all around stat stuffing. Still, LeBron wants to go down as one of the best players of all time and that is only accomplished with multiple and consecutive championships. Jordan, Magic, Bird, Russell have set this precedent and it is up to LeBron to live up to it starting this postseason. And if the Heat come up short of a championship then all his critics will come out of the woodwork. LeBron can only do what is expected, a championship, or this season will be seen as a failure. PS. LeBron please do the dunk contest next year.
1. Carmelo Anthony
No player in this postseason has more to prove than Carmelo Anthony. He wants to be seen on the same level as LeBron. He has only ever been out of the first round of the playoffs once in his career. The downtrodden Eastern Conference sets up for the Knicks to make the conference finals. If they don't Melo's critics will only grow louder. He did something over the Knicks' 14 game win streak I never expected from him, he dominated in an area other than just scoring. Melo started to use his tremendous size for his position and started to attack the glass on both ends with a veracity I had never seen from him before. He still plays lackadaisical defense and doesn't create quite enough for teammates for my liking. Yet the playoffs set up well for the Knicks with only the Celtics and probably Pacers keeping from the Eastern Conference Finals. If the Knicks don't make it the critics such as myself will only get louder and if they lose to the Celtics in the first round Carmelo better find a isolated dark place to hide from the avalanche of criticism that will come his way this off-season.
First Round Perdictions
East:
Heat win in four games
Knicks win in six games
Pacers win in five games
Nets win in seven games
West:
Thunder win in five games
Spurs win in six games
Nuggets win in seven games
Clippers win in seven games
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