NBA Playoffs 2019: Ranking The 10 Best Players In The Postseason

LeBron James will miss the postseason for the first time in 14 years, but the 2019 NBA playoffs will still feature plenty of star power. There's a real chance that one superstar will seize the title of the world's best basketball player from James with an impressive run over the next two months.

There are so many good players in this year's playoffs that the likes of Kyrie Irving, Blake Griffin and Klay Thompson probably don’t even rank among the 10 best. If that's the case, who are the top 10 players in the 2019 playoffs?

1) Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors

Durant proved to be the NBA’s second-best player with two straight NBA Finals MVP awards. After going toe-to-toe with James in the 2017 and 2018 playoffs, the top spot could be his with another big postseason. He's not as well liked as Stephen Curry and doesn't get the credit he deserves because he joined an all-time great team. But since Durant signed with Golden State, he's been the one that's made the biggest playoff shots for the Warriors and carried the team when they've found themselves in trouble.

2) Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Many would say that Curry is the better player than Durant, and there’s certainly an argument to be made. The point guard was easily the most important player on the Warriors in the regular season, considering how poorly the team played without him. He remains the greatest shooter of all time and has seemingly become slightly underrated because we are so used to seeing him hit ridiculous shots night after night. Maybe this is the year that he wins NBA Finals MVP.

3) Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

He can't be first on the list since he still hasn't won a playoff series in his career, but Antetokounmpo can establish himself as the best player in the NBA this postseason. He's become the most dominant player in the East and will likely win the regular season MVP award after being the best player on the best team. Not only is he an elite scorer and playmaker, but he's also one of the sport's best defensive players and might somehow still be getting better.

4) Kawhi Leonard, Toronto Raptors

It's easy to forget how amazing Leonard was two postseasons ago when he briefly put a scare into the Warriors before suffering an injury that ended his playoff run. Leonard remains a top defensive player, and he's an incredibly efficient scorer. It'll be interesting to see if Toronto can go up another level in the playoffs now that he won't be sitting games like he did in the regular season.

5) James Harden, Houston Rockets

If it wasn't for his postseason failures, Harden might have an argument to top the list. After winning last year's MVP award, he had one of the great offensive seasons in NBA history by averaging more than 36 points per game and carrying the Rockets to home-court advantage in the first round. Harden wasn't bad last postseason, but he didn't look like the MVP in the Western Conference Finals. It's time that his regular-season prowess is matched with an equally stellar playoff run.

6) Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

The center is the biggest reason why the Nuggets finished with the second-best record in the West and challenged the Warriors for the top seed for much of the season. Like Antetokounmpo, he hasn't won a playoff series, but he's got a real chance to lead Denver to the Western Conference Finals and show casual basketball fans just how good he is. Jokic isn't a good defender, but he's maybe the best passing big man we've seen. Expect Jokic to take it upon himself to be more of a scorer in the playoffs.

7) Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

When Embiid is on his game, there are few, if any, more dominant players in basketball. Even with the 76ers’ star-studded starting lineup, the team still played poorly whenever he was on the bench. He's a beast defensively and is usually unstoppable in the paint. Embiid had troubles against the Boston Celtics when Philadelphia was eliminated in last year's second round, so he does have something to prove in the postseason.

8) Paul George, Oklahoma City Thunder

George took his game to another level this season, joining the MVP discussion for about two-thirds of the year. A shoulder injury slowed him down and he likely wouldn't have been able to continue that pace, but the small forward has to be regarded more highly than he was a year ago. George became one of the best high-volume three-point shooters in the league, in addition to being a great defender. He also has a history of playoff success, last year notwithstanding, having made it to a few Eastern Conference Finals with the Indiana Pacers.

9) Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers

After another terrific season, Lillard might be among the league's most underrated stars. It's hard to believe he was able to carry Portland to the No.3 seed after the team suffered key injuries late in the year. But he's another guy that's coming off a very disappointing postseason. The Blazers haven't won a playoff series since 2016, and Portland needs to beat Oklahoma City if he wants to prove he's truly among the league's elite players.

10) Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

Westbrook really is a one-of-a-kind player. He's somehow averaged a triple-double in three straight seasons, and he probably plays harder on a nightly basis than anyone in the league. His shooting percentages became a real problem this season and they could hurt the Thunder tremendously if the point guard takes too many shots. Oklahoma City has a real chance to reach the Western Conference Finals if Westbrook isn't too erratic.