Has Anthony Edwards been the Best Player in these Playoffs so far?

[HotelVitale]

All playoffs first team so far would be

Maxey
Edwards
Siakim
AD
Jokic

Honorable mention to Joel with the 50 piece

I think I'd say Luka over Maxey, and I wouldn't consider AD after his massive failure in the 4th quarter of game 2.

I didn't even think of Maxey as having played that well this PO, then checked his stat line and it is pretty sweet. Feel like he definitely has another gear in him, he's been really streaky so far and has had some cold snaps too. Not saying he's playing at his basement (he's definitely capable of worse shooting than what he's done), just that I don't think he's actually been that dominant or great so far.

[zero rings]

He's been terrific, but it's not clear cut that he's been the best player on his team.

There is no way someone who has watched the Wolves this post season could say that with a straight face.

1000000000000000% a box score watcher

Ant is a lot more fun to watch than Gobert, but I don’t think he’s having a bigger impact on winning. The Wolves are dominating with defense and Gobert is the anchor of that defense. He’s also having a hell of an offensive series, scoring 17 ppg on 80% TS! He’s been flat out dominant.

[Bank Shot]

You can't be the best player in the playoffs when your three-game sample size includes a 3-12 night, even if you're playing some nice defense. So far, Jokic 's quietest night is 24/15/9 on 69% shooting.

[Duke4life831]

Ya I think for these kinds of threads, you just need to start them off with “not including Jokic”.

Jokic isn’t just on his own tier as the best player, there seems to be a pretty sizable gap between him and the next guy and that gap is growing.

With that said, Edwards has looked great. Especially considering his age.

[Han Solo]

Edwards plays like a cockier version of Kobe. I’m here for it.

[Movics]

Really?

Gobert is having a helluva series, I could see arguments for him being more valuable and impactful in the post season so far

I love Rudy as much as anyone.

Ant’s at 30% usage on 61.5 TS%, 28.8 points, 7.7 boards, 6.6 assists, 2.3 steals, and incredible defense too.

Without him, we literally cannot score enough to win. And we probably can’t defend enough either. You can say the same for Gobert, yes, but that applies more to his defense.

Gobert could be one of thr best players in the playoffs! He can be that and Ant can still be clearly the best player on this team. I believe Ant is. You need an Ant to enable the value of a Gobert.

And Ant is having as well-rounded and successful of a playoffs as anyone.

I agree with you, Ant has been better in my eyes too. I’m just enjoying the moment that there are two absolute beasts on the Wolves who are dominating a PO series. Finally we are not cheering for a higher lottery pick… feels very satisfying after a decade of disappointments.

[mcmurphy]

Ya I think for these kinds of threads, you just need to start them off with “not including Jokic”.

I agree
in game 3 really seems like he wasn't at 100% effort... I think he's actually saving himself for round 2... it's brutal with 28/15/8 with ts% 0.70

[vulture]

It’s always joker and it will always be joker until he declines.

[famicommander]

It's Jokic and it isn't close.

[Duke4life831]

Ya I think for these kinds of threads, you just need to start them off with “not including Jokic”.

I agree
in game 3 really seems like he wasn't at 100% effort... I think he's actually saving himself for round 2... it's brutal with 28/15/8 with ts% 0.70

Yup. And it’s not like he’s doing this against some young skinny offensive big who struggles defensively. The dude looks like he’s coasting while flirting with averaging a 28 point triple double on 70 TS% against Anthony Davis.

One of the best and most versatile defending big men in the last decade or so, in the playoffs. And Jokic is just cruising like it’s nothing.

[cupcakesnake]

1. It's Nikola Jokic

2. I don't think what Rudy Gobert is doing right now should not be trivialized. Phoenix's is posting a 105 Ortg. They're completely unable to score against this Gobert-anchored defense. Everyone said Phoenix's pull up game would be the death of Gobert, instead he's been the death of Phoenix's pull up game. On top of that, Rudy is having a pretty excellent offensive series, hitting 72% of his shots and getting to the line as much as Ant. Box score wise, Ant and Rudy are very similar (average game scores of 21.7 and 19.4, respectively). Defensively, Ant is a role player doing his job, and Rudy is the star.

3. Ant is obliterating Phoenix's defense very effectively. He'd be on my all-playoff team so far, but I think there's a nice glut of players on the same level: Maxey and Embiid, Siakam, AD, Chet and Shai,

[cupcakesnake]

All playoffs first team so far would be

Maxey
Edwards
Siakim
AD
Jokic

Honorable mention to Joel with the 50 piece

I think I'd say Luka over Maxey, and I wouldn't consider AD after his massive failure in the 4th quarter of game 2.

I didn't even think of Maxey as having played that well this PO, then checked his stat line and it is pretty sweet. Feel like he definitely has another gear in him, he's been really streaky so far and has had some cold snaps too. Not saying he's playing at his basement (he's definitely capable of worse shooting than what he's done), just that I don't think he's actually been that dominant or great so far.

Yeah Maxey has felt streaky, but those stretches where things are clicking, he can obliterate a tough New York defense for several possessions. New York's favorite defensive move is "throw OG on someone" and Maxey is just too fast for that matchup to consistently work.

It's a weird series where Embiid and Maxey are dominating the battle of halfcourt offense, but New York is winning the little things.

[thinktank]

Yeah Jokic fo sho.

But then Ant for me. Most probably say Doncic after Jokic?

It’s a new and interesting subject.

[ItsDanger]

No.

[gavran]

All playoffs first team so far would be

Maxey
Edwards
Siakim
AD
Jokic

Honorable mention to Joel with the 50 piece

Embiid and honour is the same sentence...

[NZB2323]

He's been terrific, but it's not clear cut that he's been the best player on his team.

There is no way someone who has watched the Wolves this post season could say that with a straight face.

1000000000000000% a box score watcher

Defense is half the game and doesn’t really show up in a box score. Gobert has been playing fantastic defense.

[UcanUwill]

He's been terrific, but it's not clear cut that he's been the best player on his team.

Gobert is having a helluva series, I could see arguments for him being more valuable and impactful in the post season so far

I could see it too. I love Ant, but Gobert’s defensive impact is all-consuming, and he is also dispelling some of those myths that people use to criticize him. He defends out to the perimeter and PHX small ball is hardly playing him off the floor. Offensively, he’s scoring 17 PPG on FG .727, and hacking him isn’t working either - he’s only missed three FT’s in three games (.864). And a lot of Gobert’s contributions do not show up in the box score.

I may still lean towards Ant, but it’s hard to compare those two with such different games.

I think people overthink this. ANT is their best player.

Also, shootout to famicommander for being first to drop "and it's not close".

[Airmiess]

There are 2 separate factors in this discussion of being the best. It goes back to the Kobe vs Duncan days, were one guy is clearly the best in terms of results but his personality makes him go under the radar while the other guy's game and personality is much more electrifying - while producing a similar level of dominance.

[Peregrine01]

He's been terrific, but it's not clear cut that he's been the best player on his team.

There is no way someone who has watched the Wolves this post season could say that with a straight face.

1000000000000000% a box score watcher

Quite the opposite. If you can't see how Rudy has literally shut down everything within a 15 feet radius of him in this series then you haven't been watching the games. The Suns have been running AWAY from the paint whenever he's in the game.

[SeanieWard]

He's been terrific, but it's not clear cut that he's been the best player on his team.

There is no way someone who has watched the Wolves this post season could say that with a straight face.

1000000000000000% a box score watcher

How? He had a 3/12 game in Game 2. How has he been better than Jokic? Maxey? Embiid? Hell, I'm not even sure he's been better than AD individually but his team is winning and AD's is not.

I love Ant but I really hope he doesn't start getting overrated smh