NBA Playoffs 2012: Why Tony Parker Is Having League's Best Playoff Performance

It's hard to believe that Tony Parker has been in the NBA for 11 seasons. And while Parker has always been one of the game's better point guards, he’s never played better than he has this season.

In fact, to be more specific, Tony Parker has never played better than he has during this postseason. During the postseason, Parker has gone from one of the better players in the NBA to the league’s best player.

Here are five reasons why Tony Parker is having the league’s best postseason performance.

More Offensive-Oriented Attack from Spurs

The Spurs have long been known for their stellar defense. That's still the case this season. However, the Spurs have been playing better on offense this season and during the playoffs.

The Spurs own the highest shooting percentage—49.1 percent—of any team in the playoffs. San Antonio also has the highest three-point percentage (42.3 percent) and the most assists per game (24.3) of any team in the playoffs.

It makes for an environment that fits perfectly with Parker's skill set. Parker, for his part, is capitalizing on San Antonio's offensive attack, and it's one of the reasons why he's playing at such a high level this postseason.

He's the Most Valuable Player on the Best Team

The San Antonio Spurs are absolutely rolling through the playoffs. The Spurs are 9-0 in the postseason and are beating their opponents by an average of 12.55 points for game. If their performance throughout the playoffs is an indication of things to come, then the Spurs are well on their way to a fifth NBA championship.

Tony Parker is the most valuable player on the Spurs, indicated by his finishing fifth in the NBA's regular season MVP voting and leading all Spurs in the voting. As the most valuable player on the best team in the NBA, Parker is having the league's best postseason performance.

Parker's in His Prime

A significant part of Parker's success this postseason is the fact that he's in his prime. I know it's a simple explanation, but sometimes the most obvious explanation can also be the truth, as it is in this case.

At 30 years old, Parker is at the perfect crossroads in his career. He's young enough to still possess the physical skills that have made him an elite player. He's also experienced enough to capitalize on his skills when playing younger, less experienced point guards like Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul and Devin Harris.

Lock-down Defense

Tony Parker has been matched up against three of the league's better point guards in Devin Harris, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook during the playoffs. Two of those three—Westbrook and Paul—are top-five point guards in the NBA. Despite the tough opposition, Parker has done an excellent job of keeping them in check.

Parker and the Spurs held Devin Harris to averages of 13 points, 3.75 assists and three turnovers per game in the first round. It was backed up against an even better foe in Chris Paul, who was held to 12.75 points, 9.25 assists and 4.5 turnovers per game in the second round. That was after Paul averaged only 2.1 turnovers per game during the regular season.

If Game 1 of the Western Conference finals is a sign of things to come, then Westbrook is going to have a difficult time against Parker and the Spurs. After averaging 24.1 points, 4.4 assists and 1.55 turnovers per game in the first two rounds of the playoffs, Westbrook was held to 17 points, five assists and was forced into four turnovers in Game 1.

Familiarity with Teammates and the System

Not only has Parker played for the Spurs for his entire 11-year career, he's also played with largely the same teammates and the same system.

Gregg Popovich has been Parker's coach throughout his entire NBA career. Tim Duncan has been with the Spurs since before Parker was drafted. Manu Ginobili has been there for all but one of Parker's NBA seasons.  So not only is Parker experienced as an individual player, he's also well versed as a team player in the Spurs system.

From years of playing in the same system with the same players, Parker knows where his teammates will be on the court and when they'll be there. That's a dream scenario for a point guard, and it's one of the reasons why Parker has been playing better than anyone else throughout the playoffs.