I am going to say who have been the most impressive players and teams in the playoffs so far, while also saying who have been the most disappointing.
Most Impressive Players
Kobe Bryant: An obvious choice here, as he is on his way to his fourth ring. He has played marvelously in all facets of the game. When his opponents forced him to shoot, he would burn them, and when they tried to make him distribute he would get all of his teammates involved. On top of that, he has been very efficient (51 percent from the field) and very good defensively as usual.
Chris Paul: His first playoff appearance didn't disappoint, as he dominated the Mavs and Spurs. He averaged an amazing 24 points, 11 assists while grabbing five boards and getting over two steals a game. All this and he still shot over 50 percent from the field and averaged less than two turnovers a game. He led his team to the second round and nearly defeated the defending champs.
Dwight Howard: He had a fantastic playoff run. Howard averaged 19 points while dominating inside, grabbing nearly 16 rebounds a game. He was also a dominant force in the middle defensively, as he averaged 3.4 blocks a game. He also led the Magic to the second round of the playoffs by beating his good friend Chris Bosh and the Toronto Raptors.
Most Impressive Teams
Los Angeles Lakers: They have been the best team in the playoffs by far. They have an amazing 12-3 record while facing good competition. They swept an extremely talented Denver team, beat a very good Utah club and dominated the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. As I have previously predicted, I think they are on their way to the franchise's 15th championship (10th in L.A.).
San Antonio Spurs: Yes, they couldn't handle the Lakers, but they still defeated championship contenders in the first two rounds of the playoffs. They completely dominated the Suns, winning in five. They also made a remarkable comeback against the more youthful and athletic Hornets. They were down 0-2 and then 2-3.
Most Disappointing Players
Ray Allen: In my opinion, he has been the most disappointing by far. He has been completely average. He is averaging a pathetic 14 points per game (even defensive-minded forward Tayshaun Prince is averaging more) while shooting a dismal 38.8 percent from the field. He is also shooting 33.7 percent from the three-point line while grabbing a mere three rebounds and getting only 2.8 assists a game.
Carmelo Anthony: A lot of people talk about Tracy McGrady never making the second round, but Anthony is on his way to becoming the next T-Mac. In his career, he is only 4-19 in the playoffs. That is a 0.174 winning percentage. In these playoffs, he averaged 22.5 points while grabbing 9.5 rebounds. It sounds like pretty good stats, right? Still, he averaged only 2.5 assists, played terrible defense, had his team get swept and shot a pathetic 36.4 percent from the field.
Gilbert Arenas: I know Agent Zero wasn't healthy all season, but he cost the Wizards a chance to beat the Cavs by trying to play when he shouldn't have been playing. The Wizards were a much better team without him, because Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison were far better when Arenas was on the bench in street clothes instead of when he was playing. He averaged only 11 points while shooting a very bad 38.8 percent from the field.
Most Disappointing Teams
Phoenix Suns: I know Game 1 against the Spurs was a dagger in the heart, but they should have beaten San Antonio regardless. They had far more offensive weapons and were much quicker and more athletic than the Spurs. They are no longer a championship contender, as the Lakers, Jazz, Spurs, Rockets, Hornets and even the Trailblazers will all be better than them next year. The Shaq deal was a gamble, but it wasn't a good one. They are stuck with his $20 million contract for the next two seasons.
Denver Nuggets: I know they weren't even supposed to come close to beating the Lakers, but they were pathetic during the whole series. They never played hard or played any defense. They are as talented as any team in the league, but they are a selfish and lazy team who don't care about anything except for getting their individual numbers to earn a good contract.
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4 months ago
Very interesting article, Marcel. Nice work. Did you hear that Sean Crowe kicked Ray Allen out of the "Big Three" in Boston?
4 months ago
Thanks for the compliment Andrew. Ray Allen has always been a good player on bad teams, but he is not or was he ever a superstar. He was only a fantastic shooter who god a lot of shots. Anyone can average 20 points a game is they get 18 plus attempts and attempting 7-8 threes a game. He is an average rebounder, can't pass the ball for his life and is one of the worst defensive players in the last ten years of the NBA.
4 months ago
ray allen's also the reason the celtics beat the pistons, sure he started slow but his last three games in particular games 4 and 5 he dominated. early on he was coming off injuries and seeing as he came good when it counted i think the critisism is perhaps slightly over the top.
4 months ago
I agree with Mitch's assessment of Ray Allen. I'm going to wait to see what he does against the Lakers before passing judgment.
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