Every Wednesday I’ll compile a list of the top eight playoff performers from eighth to first. When the Finals are decided I’ll pick my MVP for the postseason; an award I absolutely think should exist in addition to Finals MVP.
8. Rajon Rondo: I’m not ready to declare Rondo out of his slump, but DAMN, he killed the Knicks last night. You don’t expect to open a box score and see 30 points next to Rajon’s name. 90 percent of his shots last night were layups in transition, so it remains to be seen how he’ll play against a legit defense. We can only hope he plays like it’s 2008…
7. Jason Kidd: It’s hard to believe that Kidd, after a lackluster regular season, can keep up his torrid pace. He’s made 9-16 threes coming off of his worst three-point shooting season in eight years. After playing like a mummified version of T.J Ford for much of the season, Kidd is back to making a difference and swinging games. Can it last?
6. Kevin Durant: Kevin Durant happens to be exceptionally skilled at placing the ball in the hoop. He showcased that incredible skill against the Nuggets, a large part of the reason Oklahoma City was able to win game one. At one point in the third quarter Durant scored 12 straight points; three three-pointers and an and-1 layup. It was a tie game when his scoring binge started, but they came out of it with a four point lead.
5. Carmelo Anthony: What Carmelo Anthony did to the Celtics last night was a capital offense. No Amare, no Chauncey, just Melo’ and a bunch of guys I may have played with at my local Y over the summer. Midway through the fourth quarter I was pleading with my television that Doc Rivers would triple team Carmelo—what are the likes of Jared Jeffries, Roger Mason Jr., and Bill Walker going to accomplish? That trifecta wouldn’t even sniff the floor on almost any other playoff team. Again, Carmelo’s performance against the best defense in basketball, historically great at shutting down your best option, was unbelievable.
According to Basketball-reference, Carmelo is one of only four players since the 1991 playoffs (as far back as their database goes) to score 40+ points, grab over 15 rebounds, and dish out 6+ assists. Pretty remarkable.
But part of me felt like he enjoyed it. No Amare, no Chauncey, just Carmelo and his shot at immortality. Finally, New York was all his, the chance to put the Knicks on his back and will them to victory. Didn’t he choose New York because he wanted to be basketball royalty; he wanted to be king of the most esteemed basketball court in the world? Carmelo enjoys the spotlight, and he adores being the guy. Carmelo’s current state reminds me of Michael Jordan before he learned to trust his teammates and realized that it didn’t matter how he won, just that he won.
Carmelo Anthony wants to win, but he wants to win on his terms.
4. Dwight Howard: Dwight followed up a monstrous 46-19 with an almost as monstrous 33-19. His performance is all the more astounding when you realize Orlando’s other four starters went a combined 13-49. That’s 27 percent! And in game one? 14-39! It’s a good thing General Manager Otis Smith made that blockbuster trade for Gilbert Arenas, who’s scored eight points in both games combined.
3. Derrick Rose: Two come-from-behind victories, two all-world Derrick Rose performances. Two games, 34 trips to the foul line. Every single good thing that happens on offense for the Bulls is a direct result of Derrick Rose, whether it’s relentless drives to the hoop, drawing double teams, driving and then dishing to a teammate open behind the three-point line, or firing bullet passes to Chicago’s bigs, Rose makes it happen. Besides CP3’s performance, no one has shouldered as big of a burden—and delivered.
2. Dirk Nowitzki: Gets second place because he completely dominated the fourth quarters in games one and two, with 18 and 14 points respectively. Every time Portland made a run at the Dallas lead Dirk would answer in only the way Dirk can: long loping strides to the bucket that look like he’s running in suspended animation, awkward step-back jumpers that somehow find the bottom of the net, and best of all, those long, flowing, sweat-drenched golden locks. Does that guy look like a basketball player or what? Without Dirk’s explosive fourth quarters Dallas could very well be the ones in a 2-0 hole, not the Blazers.
1. Chris Paul: Gets the first place nod because he orchestrated the biggest upset of our first few days of games and played the point guard position about as well as anyone ever has. Remember when the late Heath Ledger absolutely knocked his role as the Joker out of the park in The Dark Knight and acted about as well as anyone can act? That’s exactly what Chris Paul’s performance reminded me of. When you can make Aaron Gray look like a legitimate player and effortlessly drain jumpers over 7’0” Pau Gasol you’re on a whole different level…
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