NBA Playoffs: Top 10 Leaders

This season's playoffs have been full of success stories and were full of great teams and performances. In this year's playoffs, we witnessed great trades make a final series no one would have expected at the end of last season.

The Big Three were even bigger then we thought and the Pau steal is something the Lakers should be arrested for. We also saw the Hornets go a long way in the playoffs, while the Spurs were more impressive than anyone expected.

Why was all this? That's easy; it was due to the fact that great leaders have been being there for their team whenever needed. With that said, I believe it's time for another top 10 list, this time ranking the best leaders so far in the playoffs.

10. Joe Johnson:

The Atlanta Hawks this year were the most shocking of all. They pushed a series with the best team in the league to game seven. How could such a thing happen? Two words: Joe Johnson. He was the reason Atlanta was so close to eliminating the C's in what was an exciting to say the least seven game series. Joe is a young leader that will be leading the Hawks for many years to come.

9. Tracy McGrady:

T-Mac was the slim hope in the Houston Rockets; it was his solid play that kept his team in the series for six games. He was the only good player on the Rockets and he managed to survive a sweep and reach a game six against the Jazz, who have more than one great player. His game proved to everyone in the league that next year with a healthy Yao, who knows how big of a contender they will be?

8. Dwight Howard:

The man-child was dominant to say the least in the series against the Raptors by recording two 20-20 games and proving to everyone that he's the most dominant C in the league. It was because of his play that the Magic passed the first round for the first time since the days of Shaq and Penny.

The Pistons, on the other hand were too much for one leader to manage and they fell short simply because they were facing a team full of leaders.

7. Richard Hamilton:

Chauncey Billups has been leading Detroit for many years in the playoffs, but this year he was faced with injury. Someone had to step up for the club and Hamilton answered the called and stepped up big time.

During the playoffs, Hamilton was 47 percent from the field, averaging over 20 points per game. He also shot 91 percent from the line and over 30 percent from the arch. His game was elevated to an even higher level and his performance kept Detroit from almost getting eliminated by the Orlando Magic.

6. Deron Williams:

Deron Williams has evolved into one of the greatest point guards in the league. That was obvious during the playoffs. He was the reason the Rockets were never able to build on their momentum. Every time they started heating up, Derron would come back down the floor and burry a triple. Derron is a young leader that will only get better by time and I do believe he will bring a title to Utah.

5. Lebron James:

LBJ has been drafted as a leader of the Cavs and does so in a great way, game in and game out. Lebron had a series full of beating against the Wiz and he was still able to be a great solid player that made good moves and decisions when it counted most.

For example, the pass to Delonte West for the three in game four with 5.4 seconds left gave them that series and that showed us just how mature Lebron is.

The series against the C’s started slow for James but even when his shots weren't falling he was able to get to the line and make his shots. Game seven of that series was Lebron at his absolute best! He went for 45 points and showed us how much he really wants to win. With Lebron, the Cavs are set for a long time and if I were them I would do all I could to keep such a great leader.

4. Tim Duncan:

You can make a strong case that Duncan is the best PF of all time, but there is absolutely no question about him being a great leader. Duncan showed us that he still is great in game one of the Phoenix series where he had 36 points and scored a clutch three pointer to send the game to double overtime.

Duncan also reflected his leadership skills in the series versus New Orleans when the Spurs closed out the series in game seven in New Orleans. Tim Duncan may be getting older but he has proven to us that he's still got the heart of a champion and that he will always be known for his great performances and leadership he has shown with the Spurs.

3. Chris Paul:

CP3 was a strong candidate for being named MVP this season, and he showed us why in the playoffs. He played solid against the veteran J-Kidd and showed us all that he wasn't going to let Parker get an edge this season just because he was last season's Finals MVP.

He was extraordinary in that series and was just short from sending his team to the conference finals. CP3 exploited Kidd's age in the first round and taught us that he really is one of the best point guard's in the league when he faced with Tony Parker. With CP3, the Hornets I believe will be contenders for a long time coming.

2. Paul Pierce:

The truth has always played at a high level and has been leading the C's for a long time. This season I think that many believed with KG and Ray coming to Boston that that could change. They were wrong.

Pierce has boldly told everyone this season that the Celtics are his team and he always puts the ball in the hole when needed. In game seven of the Cavaliers series, Paul went one on one with Lebron James, who is by far the best SF in the league. He matched Lebron's 45 with a 41 of own and that was his night and it was because of the way he elevated his game to match Lebron that they won that series.

Even though the C's have a Big Three, the fact that they have Paul Pierce as a leader is that much bigger, and it will be his leadership that will decide if they win the title or not.

1. Kobe Bryant:

KB24 is this season's MVP and it is so not because he is a great player. If that was the case, this would be his third or fourth MVP award. This season Kobe became a true leader and remained so during the course of the post season.

Kobe was why the Nuggets got swept and even AI said: “we could have had 10 people and we still couldn’t have stopped him” after his 50 point game. He also proved to us all once again that he doesn’t let injury get in the way when his team needs him, by playing through back problems against the Jazz and ending the series in Utah.

He single handedly brought back his team from first a 20 point deficit and then a 17 point deficit. Those comebacks are something that a leader inspires and expresses on the court whenever his team needs him. Kobe will be the Celtic’s main problem come Finals and Paul will have to match his game or someone will have to step up and stop him which is a job that is virtually impossible.

Kobe has shown us all that he is the best leader in this game because he leads by example and has the greatest passion for the game.

So there it is. When it comes down to it, the playoffs are a war and every good army needs a leader, and today’s NBA is not short of leaders as this post season has taught us.