2. Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat)
Playoff Jimmy has cooled some but remains one of the most dangerous players in the league. Overall for the playoffs, Butler is averaging 28.5 points, seven rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. He is shooting 48.3% from the field, 35.6% from deep, and 80.6% from the line in the playoffs.
One could argue that Butler is not 100% right now due to the ankle injury he suffered in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Knicks. Even with the injury, Butler has still been a very strong player in the last two series, averaging: 24.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 2.2 steals per game in the 12 games he’s played in the last two rounds. Even the “not 100%” performances from Butler remain better than what most players can do at full health.
In the regular season, Butler averaged 22.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He was a 2nd team All-NBA selection while shooting 53.9% from the field, 35% from 3, and 85% from the line in one of the most efficient seasons of his career.
1. Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
While he couldn’t capture the MVP threepeat, Nikola Jokic has been the star of the playoffs so far this year as he looks to win his first title. So far in the playoffs, Jokic is averaging 29.9 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 10.3 assists per game. He’s doing that while shooting 53.8% from the field, 47.4% from deep, and 78.4% from the line. That comes after a regular season in which he averaged 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game on 63.2% shooting (38.3% shooting from deep).
He’s been balanced through every series as well. Against Minnesota in the 1st round, Jokic averaged 26.2/12.4/9.0 on 48.5%/50%/70.6% splits. Then in round two against the Suns, Jokic had an unbelievable series, averaging 34.5/13.2/10.3 on 59.4%/44.4%/85.4% shooting. In the Western Conference Finals, Jokic averaged 27.8/14.5/11.8 with 50.6%/47.1%/77.8 splits.
Jokic has also already broken Wilt Chamberlain’s record for most Triple-Doubles in a single playoff run with his 8th in Game 4 against LA (and he still has anywhere between four and seven games remaining to add more). Jokic is also just one rebound away from becoming just the third player ever to have at least 440 points, 200 rebounds, and 150 assists in a single playoff run (joining LeBron James (four times) and Larry Bird in 1987)).