We recently looked up playoff GameScore ratings from the indispensable Basketball-Reference, an advanced stat created by former Grizzlies front-office member John Hollinger which gives “a rough measure of a player’s productivity for a single game.” …
We recently looked up playoff GameScore ratings from the indispensable Basketball-Reference, an advanced stat created by former Grizzlies front-office member John Hollinger which gives “a rough measure of a player’s productivity for a single game.”
According to GameScore, LeBron James has been the No. 1 player in more playoff series than anyone else, which speaks to the four-time league MVP’s sustained level of excellence and longevity. James has been the top statistical player 38 times out of the 45 playoff series he’s taken part in, per GameScore, good for a percentage of 84.4 percent.
Not to be outdone, however, Michael Jordan owns the best percentage of series in which he was the best player. Only twice out of the 37 playoff series he competed in was he not the top player, giving him a strong percentage of 94.6 percent.
James and Jordan finish as runaway No. 1 and No. 2 on our rankings here respectively, James with 38 playoff series as the No. 1 player per GameScore and Jordan with 35.
Other eye-opening entries on these rankings: Hakeem Olajuwon, Kevin Durant and Reggie Miller rank higher than you might expect based on how they are typically ranked in GOAT lists. Olajuwon was the No. 1 statistical player in 19 playoff series (as many as Shaquille O’Neal), Durant in 15 series (three more than Kobe Bryant) and Miller in 11 series (as many as Wade).
There is one important caveat to consider here: These numbers are only dating back to 1983-84. If not for that, legends like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird would rank higher, and others like Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar would make the list, though they still wouldn’t beat LeBron or Jordan based on the number of series they played in.
For the full ranking of the Top 22 players with the most playoff series as the top player, just click through the gallery above.
Gilbert Arenas was a smooth and effective scorer during his NBA career.
Before Gilbert Arenas became a star with the Washington Wizards, he was an up-and-coming player hooping in the Bay.
Arenas was drafted No. 31 overall by the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the 2001 NBA Draft, and he played his first two seasons with the franchise. A guard out of Arizona, Arenas displayed his penchant for scoring in college. In two seasons with the Wildcats, he averaged 15.8 points per game on 46.6% shooting.
The first two seasons of Arenas’ career were filled with promise. During the 2001-02 campaign, his rookie season, Arenas ranked fourth among rookies in points per game (10.9), with his teammate Jason Richardson ahead of him at third.
With his passing ability, Arenas ranked third among rookies in assists per game (3.7), with only Jamaal Tinsley and Tony Parker ahead of him.
The following season, Arenas continued to build his reputation around the league. During his sophomore campaign, Arenas was second on the Warriors in scoring behind Antawn Jamison.
He was second among sophomores in points per game (18.3), right behind Pau Gasol. Arenas won the Most Improved Player award in 2003, and he was second among second-year players in assists per game (6.3), only behind Tinsley.
Arenas had one of the best performances of his career during March 2003, when he dropped 41 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished five assists in a win against the Wizards.
Throughout most of his career, Arenas could drive through the lane and finish at the rim. But he could also size up an opponent, create space with his dribble and pull up for a smooth jumper.
His moves were made with purpose, and once he created the space he needed, he usually scored. Arenas’ scoring peaked with the Wizards, and he earned all three of his All-Star appearances with the franchise.
He signed with the Wizards in the summer of 2003, as the Warriors couldn’t match the offer sheet Washington gave him. Arenas was a restricted free agent early in his career because he wasn’t on a rookie scale contract; only first-round picks qualify for those.
Because of this, the NBA made a provision that limits the amount of money teams can offer restricted free agents who only have one or two years of experience, per Hoops Rumors. With the provision, teams cannot offer a first-year salary higher than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
Arenas’ career with the Wizards was stellar. He had his best overall season during the 2005-06 campaign, when he scored a career-high 29.3 points per game and dished 6.1 assists a game. That season, he ranked fourth in the league for scoring, with the late Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson and LeBron James ahead of him.
Knee injuries and the gun incident with Javaris Crittenton unfortunately shortened Arenas’ career, but his standing in the Wizards’ record books remains high.
Per Basketball Reference, Arenas ranks 10th all-time in points on the franchise’s all-time leading scorers list. He ranks seventh on the list in assists.
LeBron James and the Miami Heat are back in the Finals, looking to defend their 2012 title against the San Antonio Spurs.
During the NBA’s indefinite hiatus, I will be rewatching every game of LeBron’s NBA Finals career. Every Finals game from the last 20 years is available to NBA League Pass subscribers on the NBA app or through apps like YouTube TV. We will be going chronologically through LeBron’s Finals career.
To say that this series means a lot to me would be an understatement. It is probably the best game-for-game series in the last, oh I don’t know, forever of the NBA Finals. With all due respect to the 2016 Finals, most of the games in that series were blowouts. The 2012-13 season was also the first year that I was paid to cover the NBA, working as a media intern for the Portland Trail Blazers. It was Damian Lillard and Anthony Davis’ rookie season. And most importantly for the context of the league as a whole, LeBron had finally gotten over the hump and was a champion.
The Heat coming to town took on less of a villainous tone and more that of a traveling show that you couldn’t miss, a show that I was lucky to witness at least once during that season. The hatred of season’s past towards LeBron had generally worn off. While his brooding look before Game 6 in 2012 against the Celtics lives on as arguably LeBron’s most iconic moment, 2013 LeBron may have given us the best two-way basketball he’s played in his entire life. He carried it through the postseason, fending off a surprising challenger in the Indiana Pacers, who forced the Heat to a Game 7 in the Eastern Finals.
But what awaited LeBron on the other side of the Pacers was an old foe, one he has yet to score a win against in an NBA Finals, the San Antonio Spurs, this time with a twist: an athletic forward who was at least LeBron’s athletic equal, second-year forward Kawhi Leonard and another athletic wing with 3-point range by the name of Danny Green.
The 2007 Spurs destroyed LeBron’s Cleveland Cavaliers due to their incredible advantage at guard play with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, as well as a collection of big men that were more skilled than what Cleveland had, alongside Tim Duncan. Thiago Splitter may not have been as skilled as Fabricio Oberto, but his rolling presence, rim-running, and rim-protection were the tenants that a modern center next to Tim Duncan needed to have. And while Bruce Bowen is no longer on the Spurs, they have modernized to join the times like the Heat.
And so begins the Heat’s title defense, at home, after racking up an NBA-best 66-16 record, which included an iconic 27-game win-streak that still stands for many as the peak of the LeBron-era Heat. But long win-streaks are but answers to trivia questions when teams don’t bring home the title, as LeBron has had two 60-win seasons to this point in his career come up short of a championship. For the first basket, LeBron gets in transition and feeds a trailing Wade for a dunk, something that happened pretty much never in the 2007 Finals when LeBron passed to a teammate. 1 minute in, he’s already got a trailing cutter who can get a dunk. He’s a come a long way from watching Larry Hughes brick from the top of the key. The Spurs are up 9-2 early, however, as they’ve been a buzzsaw through the West playoffs.
The emergence of Leonard has been a huge factor for the Spurs in these playoffs, as he steps to the free-throw line in the first few minutes of the game. He’s averaging nearly 37 minutes per game and he will be the first choice for the Spurs to guard LeBron. The addition of Leonard helped the Spurs add athleticism and an upset by the Memphis Grizzlies over the Oklahoma City Thunder, who were without Russell Westbrook (or James Harden, who had been traded to Houston in October of 2012), moved the team that knocked them out the previous year out of the playoffs. In 2012, it looked like the Heat and Spurs were on a collision course until the Thunder reeled off four straight wins, and now we finally have it.
As for the Spurs who have been to the Finals before, Parker is still the catalyst for the Spurs offense with Duncan adding the glue, and Ginobili added much-needed sauce. Almost on cue, Ginobili is about to check in after Duncan connects with Parker for a layup. But the Heat are having no trouble keeping pace and actually have a 15-13 lead midway through the first quarter, as Wade and Bosh, in particular, are being active in the scoring, while Chalmers hit an early 3-pointer. LeBron is more of a facilitator for most of this game, only turning on the scoring punch until he had to in the 4th quarter.
Also, Boris Diaw is in the game and he immediately assists on a corner 3-pointer for Danny Green to give the Spurs the lead back. This is a Boris Diaw fan blog. I just wanted to let you all know here and now. Diaw ballooned in weight with the Charlotte Bobcats because he didn’t want to be there, got waived because Michael Jordan got fed up with him, and eventually became a part of two Finals teams with the Spurs while enjoying pregame cappuccinos. We have no choice but to Stan.
However, the Heat have made a few changes this season as well to boost their bench. Chris “The Birdman” Anderson, is prominently filling the role of back-up center and has been a great release valve for LeBron James, while the Heat also managed to steal away Ray Allen from the rival Boston Celtics, something that is still a sensitive subject for Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo to this day. Allen hits a pair of 3-pointers and the Heat are up 27-23 early in the 2nd quarter. The Heat end up pushing the lead to 38-31, but the Spurs are trying to change the game a little bit. Duncan goes to work in the post and quickly, Birdman picks up two fouls and has to go to the bench.
To add some 3-point shooting to the floor, the Spurs have added Matt Bonner and Gary Neal into the fray. But the Heat still lead, even as LeBron watches from the bench, with Wade and *checks notes* Norris Cole making incredible drives to the rim. After the Cole layup, Pop has seen enough and calls for a timeout. By halftime, the Spurs cut the lead to 54-49 and are still firmly in this game.
The game would assume a nip-and-tuck rhythm for the next quarter. With just under 40 seconds left in the third quarter, Ray Allen hits a wide-open 3-point from the right corner on the hoop by the Heat bench. That spot would prove to be even more important later on in the series. However, Miami has been unable to extend their lead at all during the quarter as the Spurs have had an answer for most of their questions, with the Spurs scoring to make it 75-72 after 3. And both teams are playing small ball in the fourth quarter, with Bosh and Duncan as the only two big men. Then an offensive rebound by Leonard gives the Spurs their first lead of the second half at 79-78.
Meanwhile, LeBron is working on a 12 point, 13 rebounds and 10 assist triple-double, but he’s not delivering the scoring they need from him so far in this game. And then he gets lazy with an entry pass, which is snatched by Leonard’s baseball mitt hands, leading to a Parker basket and a timeout at 81-78 San Antonio. LeBron started the last Finals series with back-to-back 30-point outings, but in this game, he’s been probing and settling more than usual in terms of his own shot. His defense has been excellent and he’s created a ton of high-quality looks, but the Heat have built the lead because LeBron is creating quality looks for others, not necessarily many for himself. Also, the Heat have struggled at the foul-line all game long, leaving several points on the floor. The Spurs have also been smart about not fouling LeBron, limiting him to just two free-throw attempts until the final minutes of the game.
A Duncan basket gets it to 83-79 Spurs and then the Heat turns it over again, looking awful like one of their 2011 droughts rather than the well-oiled machine we saw in 2012. They’re falling apart. Another turnover by the Heat. They had led most of the game, but turnovers are giving the game to San Antonio. After having four turnovers in the first three quarters, Miami racked up four in the 4th quarter alone.
Luckily for the Heat, LeBron has a great defensive rotation to get a piece of Duncan’s hook shot to keep the Spurs lead at 4. However, the possession comes up empty again as the Spurs defense has been impeccable in the fourth quarter. Then Parker hits a midrange step-back to make it 85-79 and Tracy McGrady, who is just here for the laughs, comes over to hype Parker up. After controlling the whole game, the Heat are back on their heels.
A LeBron offensive rebound lead to a bucket out of the timeout and the Heat have now put LeBron on Parker and have taken Chalmers out of the game, who has been a disaster in this 4th quarter with a couple of loose balls and a 3-pointer that hit the side of the backboard. However, the Heat’s best laid plans are once again spoiled by San Antonio’s shot-making, as the Spurs get a triple from Danny Green, pushing the lead to 88-81 with under DOS MINUTOS.
Now, LeBron punches the gas a little bit more. LeBron gets a driving layup in transition and then finds Ray Allen above the 3-point line, who is fouled by Danny Green. Allen, arguably the best shooter ever, then makes all three of the free-throws. A 5-0 run makes it a 2-point game again, but Tim Duncan then makes two free throws, setting up another must-score possession for Miami, something they haven’t done well in the 4th quarter. Bosh misses a 3-pointer above the break that he was wide-open for and the Spurs now have the ball and a four-point lead with a minute to go.
Mike Miller gets the duty of guarding Parker on a switch, the smart play by San Antonio, but Miller does a great job for a guy with a bad back and gets a hand right in his face. Then LeBron gets to the free-throw line, just his third and fourth attempts of the game, and makes both in a clutch moment to make it a 2-point game.
But then just as he did in 2007, Tony Parker steals the spotlight from LeBron’s team. Parker in scramble, gets on his knee, does a little Curly Neal spin move, and somehow gets the shot to go under LeBron who jumps too early on the shot attempt to put the Spurs up 4 again with 5.2 seconds left. The Heat will get the ball back, but that’s game. They review the play that was as close as could be to a shot-clock violation, but Parker got the ball JUST off his fingertips to make the momentous shot. LeBron, five years after Parker terrorized his Cavs team, will have to wait for a few more nights to get his first Finals W against the Spurs.
LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers get close, but they had too many crucial failures to extend their series against the Spurs.
During the NBA’s indefinite hiatus, I will be rewatching every game of LeBron’s NBA Finals career. Every Finals game from the last 20 years is available to NBA League Pass subscribers on the NBA app or through apps like YouTube TV. We will be going chronologically through LeBron’s Finals career.
The Cavs are down 3-0 and the crowd is once again hyped as they are searching for their first-ever NBA Finals franchise victory. Ilgauskas is called for a violation on the tip-off, giving the ball to Spurs. What would the Uncut Gems folks do with that one? The broadcast then shows that the Cavs have only been swept once before in the playoffs, back in 1993 against the Chicago Bulls. It would happen again in 2018. Gotta give it to the Cavs franchise though, they only get swept by champions.
I know that a lot of folks like to break awards down to Heisman-type moments, like Paolo Uggetti at The Ringer. Parker just had one. He went end to end, blowing by the Cavs defense and got the ball off the glass JUST before LeBron missed the chase down. If only Andre Iguodala had studied the Tony Parker game film. And now a driving Ginobili lay-up, that tandem was underrated, gives the Spurs a 17-16 lead. So once again, the Cavs play high-energy ball on both ends but are trailing. Maybe my Parker hatred is just jealousy that he was married to Eva Longoria?
The Cavs finally get LeBron into a set with some movement. Eric Snow screens for Varejao, who sets a screen for LeBron (screening the screener!), coming off of an initial screen from Marshall. It leads to a foul for Bowen, but this is the kind of stuff that the Cavs didn’t bring out enough in Games 1, 2 or 3. It was all too simple, but simple adjustments could have made things more interesting for the Cavs offense. See, Mike Brown is good, he just didn’t know what was good until it was too late.
A Ginobili 3-pointer makes it 30-25 and also, LeBron is being attended to on the bench. He has a cut on his knee and it’s getting taped up. LeBron gets back in shortly and the offensive rebounds for the Cavs keep coming. They were first in the league in offensive rebounds, no wonder they brought in JJ Hickson so soon after! Eric Snow dimes up Big Z and it’s a 32-31 game. But Tony Parker hits another uncharacteristic 3-pointer, this time from the corner. He has 13 in the first half, those are the kind of Heisman moments that get you the Finals MVP, even if Duncan was the best player on the floor every game.
After a Drew Gooden basket, the ABC broadcast lets us know that LeBron James just had a child, his second, Bryce Maximus. Now Stuart Scott tells us that LeBron originally wanted to name him Maximus, because of the movie Gladiator with Russell Crowe that won the 2001 Oscar for Best Picture, but he allowed it to be a middle name because his future wife Savannah liked the name Bryce. He also got the first choice on naming their first child, LeBron James Jr, who you know today as Bronny James.
The Cavs have clawed back into this game and made it a 44-40 score. ABC is now showing a bunch of the players Bruce Bowen has guarded in the playoffs. Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, Steve Nash, Deron Williams and now LeBron James. Honestly, a pretty cool montage if you loved basketball in the mid-2000s.
Duncan and Oberto just worked the two-man game to get Duncan free-throws and honestly, now I know why Duncan did a Motorcycle Diaries tour through South America with Oberto. This guy rules. He probably knows all the best churrasco spots in the Argentine countryside.
Also, the Spurs continue to be perfect on defense. No matter who does anything on the Cavs, they are covered completely. The Spurs defense is just suffocating and inspiring in the way that they never give up on perfecting their scheme. Also, another one of my favorite subplots of the series is Robert Horry physically harming LeBron James before checking on him. Horry hits LeBron across the face, a foul is called and Horry is very worried for LeBron’s well-being. This is how you know he’s an elite role guy.
A Boobie Gibson 3-pointer cracks the 50-point mark for the Cavs just before the 4th quarter, making it 60-52 Spurs to go into the 4th quarter. The Cavs have 12 minutes. Now Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy, both EMPLOYEES OF ABC, are saying Tony Parker should be the MVP as the best player in the series. I mean, maybe?
In the fourth quarter, I notice there is a woman yelling near the microphone on every Spurs offensive possession. She keeps yelping and making weird noises. Did this lady show up during the other Cavs Finals? I feel like I heard her during those Golden State series. Anyway, feel free to mute gameplay during this time.
Varejao ties it with a layup at 66-66 and LeBron gets his 9th assist. The Cavs were a scrappy bunch, even if they weren’t a fun offensive team. They were grinders. But Ginobili helps slow down the bootstraps story by making a 3-pointer to make it 69-66 and LeBron can’t answer.
A possession that starts with a Parker-Duncan pick and roll goes into a Duncan-Ginobili DHO and Ginobili scores on the drive. It’s 76-69 and the game is over. Fans are leaving in Cleveland. The Cavs were a squad, but the Spurs were too stacked. No shame in the loss, but it will be a few years before LeBron gets to taste this stage of basketball again.
Damon Jones hits a garbage 3-pointer to help the Cavs cover a 2.5-point spread, but they lost and LeBron will have to wait four years before he’s here again. We will see you next week to see how LeBron learns from this first NBA Finals experience, four years later, as a member of the Miami Heat.
LeBron James is more aggressive after a disappointing Game 1 but foul trouble and the Spurs shooters stopped a potentially great night.
During the NBA’s indefinite hiatus, I will be rewatching every game of LeBron’s NBA Finals career. Every Finals game from the last 20 years is available to NBA League Pass subscribers on the NBA app or through apps like YouTube TV. We will be going chronologically through LeBron’s Finals career.
Mike Breen relays to the audience that LeBron James said he will be more aggressive in this game after he went 4 for 16. Dick Bavetta, whom you may know from racing Charles Barkley, is the crew chief tonight.
Despite the bad foot, Mike Brown really wants to get Larry Hughes going and they start the first half of Game 2 the way the start every half in the first two games, trying to get Hughes a midrange pull-up. It’s a miss but LeBron rebounds it and puts in for the first points of the game. It took him until the third quarter to get a field goal in Game 1. An early encouraging sign for LeBron, but the game quickly goes sideways, due in part to LeBron’s aggression and as well as a lack of calculated risk-taking by Mike Brown.
LeBron is driving, looking for rebounding opportunities and making things happen, but then he picks up his 2nd foul less than three minutes in the game. Brown, much to the chagrin of Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson, decides to take LeBron out with the Spurs up 8-4. It’s Boobie Gibson time, the Cavs leading scorer from Game 1. But without LeBron, the game quickly gets out of hand on both ends.
I came off as a Parker hater after Game 1 and while I still think Duncan is the biggest reason they won, Parker hits layup after layup to make the lead double-digits in the blink of an eye. The Cavs consistently have no answer for a properly run pick and roll. I can only imagine how badly the 2007 Suns would have destroyed them.
Mark Jackson gets his wish! Eric Snow is in! Snow knocked the ball away from Parker and showed that maybe Jackson has a point. Drew Gooden just had his jumper sent by old Robert Horry, who is in at stretch 4 while Duncan plays center. Also, I’m apologizing to Mark Jackson. Eric Snow knows what he’s doing, he just can’t play the minutes he used to when he was the second guard on the 2001 Sixers. But he’s giving the Cavs a bit of competence while they wait for Mike Brown to finally put LeBron back in.
LeBron is in the game again to start the 2nd quarter and misses a 20-footer with the Cavs down 28-17. At least he’s shooting. LeBron keeps shooting, double-teams or not. He’s really in his Mamba Mentality tonight, but truthfully it’s about 85% full Mamba. But he’s at least a live wire for the Cavs offense that has been sleepwalking for the last quarter on their way to 16 points. He ended up taking 21 shots, but I came away wondering if he should have taken a few more.
Later in the quarter we finally get something fun. LeBron in transition! A steal from Gibson sets him up. Tony Parker just got called for another travel. This crew loved a travel call. While we are here, I’m going to rank the top 5 Cavs on this team. Mostly because this is now a 58-30 Spurs lead, which in this series is 60 points.
1. LeBron
2. Boobie
3. Sasha
4. Andy
5. Illgauskas/Donyell Marshall
The Spurs come out a little slow to start and the Cavs remembered that they are in the NBA Finals. Hughes did a good job setting up a midrange J on the pick and roll for Gooden, but Gooden is clearly not helping as much as Varejao. LeBron to Sasha for 3 and the Cavs have it down to 21! But he Spurs are going for the kill. Horry just blocked Gooden again and the Spurs drivers have plenty of room to roam. Also, Ratatouille is coming soon to theaters!
This is officially the Horry game. A 3 by Horry puts the Spurs up 87-60. Now Pop gets Horry a curtain call and he gets a standing ovation from the Spurs crowd. By the end of the night, Horry had five blocks and it felt like all of them were on Gooden. Meanwhile, Manu Ginobili had 25 off the bench.
Gibson gets a jumper to cut the lead to 14. The Spurs also have Brent Barry and Tony Parker in together, which is bad for several reasons which you can google about. Pop is doing a rope-a-dope, but we should give credit to the Cavs. They didn’t knock off the Pistons with a magic bullet. The Cavs have the lead down to 10 and now 9 after a LeBron take and they aren’t giving in.
The Cavs made this game somewhat interesting in the 4th quarter, in large part due to putting Andy Varejao at center with LeBron and three shooters in Boobie, Damon Jones, and Donyell Marshall, a formula that has proven to be optimal for maximizing LeBron nearly a decade and a half later. But it was a move that was made too late.
Parker just had a spinning pirouette of a finish and maybe that’s why they gave him the MVP. Or maybe was it because he was engaged to Eva Longoria and it was rigged as a marketing move to promote ABC’s Desperate Housewives? I’m just saying anything is on the table. And now an And-1 for LeBron over Duncan! This game is way better than the last one.
But the Spurs get it together before a full collapse happens. Bron tries to drive on Robert Horry but he can’t finish and takes a tumble. Horry then is late getting back on offense because he’s helping LeBron up. Here we see 22-year old LeBron still not knowing exactly when and where to attack. But Horry knows how great the guy he stopped is. Then LeBron commits another turnover as the Spurs blitzing his pick and rolls leads to his 6th turnover of the game. Then Ginobili hit a four-point play, with one of the rare missteps for Boobie Gibson in the first two games. Gibson ended with 15 off the bench.
All in all, LeBron played better and the game was much more interesting late than the previous one. LeBron finished with 25 points on 9 of 21 shooting to go with seven rebounds and six assists. He also played 35 of the 36 remaining minutes in the game after his first-quarter foul-trouble. Much, much better overall. But were their moves the Cavs could have made earlier? I think there are. Tomorrow, the series and LeBron’s Finals career shifts back to his home of Northeast Ohio. See you then.
It took the NBA 36 seasons to have an international player receiving MVP votes. It happened in 1982 when Bahamian big man Mychal Thompson, aka Klay’s dad, finished at No. 21 in the ranking. Of course, a lot has changed since then. You only have to …
It took the NBA 36 seasons to have an international player receiving MVP votes. It happened in 1982 when Bahamian big man Mychal Thompson, aka Klay‘s dad, finished at No. 21 in the ranking. Of course, a lot has changed since then. You only have to look at last year’s results…
With the recent decade now suddenly in the rearview mirror, we looked at the top player who defined the 2010s for each team in the NBA.
With the recent decade now suddenly in the rearview mirror, we looked at the top player who defined the 2010s for each team in the NBA.
Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford
(Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Paul Milsap, Jeff Teague
The Atlanta Hawks were defined by their depth under former head coach Mike Budenholzer. It is what helped their entire starting lineup earn Eastern Conference Co-Players of the Month back in January 2015. But the best player during this era was Al Horford. The big man averaged 15.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game from the 2010-11 season until he left the team during the 2016 offseason.
Boston Celtics: Paul Pierce
(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Al Horford, Isaiah Thomas
Even though he won the 2008 NBA championship and the Finals MVP in 2008, Paul Pierce went on to make the Eastern Conference All-Star team three more times this decade. Before he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in the summer of 2013, he was averaging 18.9 points and 5.6 rebounds with 4.1 assists this decade. Pierce even had a chance to officially retire with the organization on a one-day contract in July 2017.
Brooklyn Nets: Brook Lopez
(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Deron Williams, Joe Johnson
Before they were the franchise that managed to sign both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in the same offseason, the Nets were long led by Brook Lopez. He was a member of the team both in New Jersey and in their move to the new home in Brooklyn back in 2012, which was his first and only career All-Star appearance. During his tenure with the team this decade, the big man put up 19.7 points and 6.6 rebounds as well as 1.7 blocks per game.
Charlotte Hornets: Kemba Walker
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Marvin Williams, Nicolas Batum
During a tough decade for the Hornets, the one thing that kept them alive and interesting was star point guard Kemba Walker. He was a part of the team as a member of the Bobcats and then when they rebranded as the Hornets. Walker was a two-time All-Star as well as a two-time recipient of the NBA Sportsmanship Award. The guard averaged 19.9 points, 5.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game for the team during the decade before he joined the Celtics.
Chicago Bulls: Jimmy Butler
(Photo by Randy Belice/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah
When former No. 1 overall pick Derrick Rose won MVP in 2011 at 22 years old, fans in Chicago fairly assumed they would have a new defining talent for their city. Unfortunately, serious injuries made the point guard become a less impactful player than projected. However, the blow was softened a bit with the sudden emergence of a late first-round pick in Jimmy Butler. The wing won the league’s Most Improved Player in 2015. He was a difference-maker on both sides of the ball, averaging 15.6 points and 1.5 steals per game with the Bulls.
Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James
(Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love
Considering that Cleveland’s hometown hero LeBron James notably left the Cavaliers as a free agent in 2010, few would have expected him to still be the Player of the Decade for this franchise. After such an ugly exit memorialized forever with a public shaming by team owner Dan Gilbert, though, James is a player who more than made up for the first early goodbye when he actually returned in 2014. All that he had to do was win the city’s first championship in any sport since 1948. In the process, he averaged an absurd 26.1 points per game with 7.7 rebounds and 8.0 assists for the Cavs in the 2010s.
Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki
(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Shawn Marion, Luka Doncic
Even though he was drafted in 1998, the undisputed most important in the career of Dirk Nowitzki happened in 2011 when he won a title and NBA Finals MVP. While his best playing days may have been before this decade, he still managed to be a perennial All-Star. The face of the franchise, he also won the league’s award for Teammate of the Year in 2017. His presence was felt, too, during his final season in the league as he helped ease the transition into the new era led by fellow European star Luka Doncic.
Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic
(Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Kenneth Faried, Ty Lawson
The Denver Nuggets may have hit the lottery when they selected Serbian big man Nikola Jokic with the 41st overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft. Jokic is a talent like no other in the league and has become one of the more versatile players in recent memory. He has averaged 16.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists for the Nuggets and the most exciting part is that he may still plenty of room to improve. At just 24 years old, the center could also be the best player of the decade in the 2020s for the Nuggets as well.
Detroit Pistons: Andre Drummond
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Greg Monroe, Blake Griffin
Despite not coming into the league until 2013, Detroit Pistons big man Andre Drummond has the second-most rebounds in the NBA since 2010-11. He has led the NBA in rebounds three times, twice earning All-Star considerations. Drummond has been consistent in his role and despite the team not being much of a contender, he has made his presence felt day in and day out.
Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry
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Honorable Mentions: Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant
The things that Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry was able to accomplish during the 2010s were almost laughable. He was a back-to-back NBA MVP who won the championship three times. Curry led the Warriors to an unbelievable 73-9 regular season while topping the league in scoring and in steals in 2016 as well. He also connected on 3.8 three-pointers per game, which is 0.9 more than the next-best player during the decade. Curry has clearly redefined the way the game is played and is a generational talent unlike any we have ever seen step foot on a basketball court.
Houston Rockets: James Harden
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Honorable Mentions: Dwight Howard, Clint Capela
There has been no trade recently that changed the league quite like the one that sent the 2012 Sixth Man of the Year winner James Harden from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Houston Rockets. He has been an All-Star every year for Houston and led the league in assists 2017. The guard then led the league in scoring in 2018 as the NBA MVP and then again in 2019. Harden has put up an absurd 29.6 points with 6.0 rebounds and 7.7 assists for the Rockets. In an age of analytics, he has been the darling for general manager Daryl Morey.
Indiana Pacers: Paul George
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Honorable Mentions: David West, George Hill
Former Indiana Pacers wing Paul George was a four-time All-Star with the franchise, winning NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2013. The two-way star also received All-Defensive team honors three times while with the team. He averaged 18.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game for Indiana during his team with the Pacers. One of the other best factors about George is that his trade allowed Indiana’s front office to acquire two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo and potential first-time All-Star big man Domantis Sabonis.
LA Clippers: Chris Paul
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Honorable Mentions: Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan
Before there was Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the Clippers, there was Lob City. None of the success happening for the franchise now would be possible if it weren’t for Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. The tide was turning when Griffin was drafted in 2009 and won Rookie of the Year in 2011. But it was solidified when they traded for CP3 in December 2011. Paul averaged an impressive 18.8 points and 9.8 assists with 2.2 steals per game when he was a member of the Clippers. He made the All-Star team five times in Los Angeles and twice led the NBA in assists during that time.
Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant
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Honorable Mentions: Pau Gasol, LeBron James
Unlike with Nowitzki, the peak accomplishments for Kobe Bryant occurred before 2010. But even during this decade, he added another NBA title to his arsenal and an All-Star appearance each year before retiring in 2016. Bryant averaged 24.2 points per game for the Lakers starting in 2010-11, which was above average for someone who was his age. Of course, there was little more memorable than Bryant scoring 60 points in his final professional game.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: MARC GASOL
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Honorable Mentions: Mike Conley, Zach Randolph
Former Memphis Grizzlies big man Marc Gasol averaged 15.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists during his time with the Grizzlies this decade. He made three All-Star appearances while a member of the franchise, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. The center was a fixture for Memphis, making the playoffs six times with the Grizzlies. Gasol, a World Cup winner with Spain, eventually won his first NBA title in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors after a midseason trade.
Miami Heat: Dwyane Wade
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Honorable Mentions: LeBron James, Chris Bosh
While it was obvious that James was the best player on the team, none of The Big 3 era Miami Heat would have been possible if it were not for Dwyane Wade. He was the instrumental player recruiting both James and Chris Bosh to Miami and even gave up more money in the process to allow it to happen. Wade also sacrificed his role as the key star to make room for more touches to both James and Bosh. This led to two more NBA Finals wins for Wade and All-Star appearances between 2010 and 2016. He was also able to come back to the Heat and retire with the franchise.
Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo
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Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has been one of the most dominant basketball players in recent memory. He has averaged 19.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game since entering the league. After winning the NBA MVP in 2019, he has followed up with an equally impressive season so far this year. His play has been so sharp that one of the league’s most pressing questions, even now a year and a half away from his eligibility, is what will he decide to do as an upcoming free agent.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns
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Honorable Mentions: Kevin Love, Andrew Wiggins
After trading away Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2014 offseason, the Minnesota Timberwolves were able to bounce back in some ways by grabbing No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns. He has played the part of one of the elite big men in the NBA, averaging 22.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game since entering the pros. Towns has also made 39.6 percent of his three-point attempts, showing his versatility as an offensive force.
New Orleans Pelicans: Anthony Davis
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Honorable Mentions: Jrue Holiday, Ryan Anderson
His exit may have left a sour taste in the mouth of the New Orleans Pelicans, but Anthony Davis was absolutely stellar during his time with the team. He averaged 23.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game and also led the league in blocks three times. Davis was a six-time All-Star for the Pelicans and while he now plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, his return will leave New Orleans in a fine place for the upcoming decade. Not only did the front office get an unreal surplus of draft picks in the deal but Brandon Ingram is playing like a potential superstar.
New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony
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It was a relatively underwhelming decade for the New York Knicks under team owner James Dolan. The front office mortgaged quite a bit of their future to secure Carmelo Anthony via trade in 2011 despite knowing that the star would become a free agent that offseason. As such, the team was a bit of a one-man show under his leadership. He averaged 24.7 points as well as 7.0 rebounds per game on the Knicks, eventually leaving in 2017.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Durant
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Honorable Mentions: Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka
The Oklahoma City Thunder somehow drafted three MVP winners who all hit their primes during the 2010s. While none of them is still with the team, the one who made the biggest splash was Kevin Durant. The former No. 2 overall pick put up 28.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while also shooting 38.6 percent from three-point range. Even though point guard Russell Westbrook was the player who had the longest tenure with the team, it was obvious that Oklahoma City was the most successful version of itself with Durant on the roster.
Orlando Magic: Nikola Vucevic
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Honorable Mentions: Dwight Howard, Evan Fournier
Orlando Magic big man Nikola Vucevic might be the most underrated NBA player of the decade. He made just one All-Star appearance, finally earning the love last season. While he originally started his career in Philadelphia, he has found a niche in Orlando. The former No. 16 overall pick has averaged 16.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game for the Magic.
Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid
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Honorable Mentions: Ben Simmons, Thaddeus Young
His career may have started off defined by injury but since he has become a healthier player, there have been few with a higher ceiling than Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. The big man has scored 24.2 points and pulled down 11.6 rebounds per game. He made the NBA All-Rookie First Team his first year in the league back in 2017. He has made the All-Star team, All-NBA Second Team and All-Defensive Second Team in both years since.
Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker
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Honorable Mentions: Goran Dragic, PJ Tucker
The Phoenix Suns have not had a decade many fans will want to look back on with fond memories. But the one takeaway is that there is at least some hope for the future due to the scoring punch of Devin Booker. He has been able to put up 21.7 points and 4.5 assists per game since he entered the NBA just two days before his 19th birthday. Booker put up 70 points back in March 2017 and at just 20 years old, he was the youngest player to put up 60 points in an NBA game. Back in March 2019, Booker had three games in a row where he scored at least 48 points.
Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard
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Honorable Mentions: LaMarcus Aldridge, CJ McCollum
There are few players in NBA history who have embraced their team’s city quite like Trail Blazers star has welcomed Portland into his life. After he was drafted No. 6 overall in 2012, he has turned his the Blazers into one of the most consistent contenders in the league. Lillard, who won Rookie of the Year his first season in the pros, is a four-time All-Star. He was honored with All-NBA 1st Team consideration in 2018 and led Portland to the Western Conference Finals in 2019. He has averaged 23.7 points and 6.4 assists per game for the Trail Blazers during his professional career thus far.
Sacramento Kings: DeMarcus Cousins
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Honorable Mentions: Isaiah Thomas, Rudy Gay
While the Sacramento Kings had a disappointing decade in many ways, their most feared player during the 2010s was undeniably DeMarcus Cousins. He was a force to be reckoned with on the Kings, averaging 21.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. He earned All-Rookie First Team honors in 2011 and he then took home All-NBA 2nd Team in 2015 and 2016. The big man was also disciplined and suspended a bit too often for comfort during his time on the Kings, eventually leading to an inevitable divorce of the two parties.
San Antonio Spurs: Kawhi Leonard
SAN ANTONIO, TX – (Photo byJoe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker
When he won NBA Finals MVP in 2014, it was clear that former No. 15 overall pick Kawhi Leonard was a special player in this league. But he was able to take his game to the next level during his time with the San Antonio Spurs, also winning back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards for his efforts in 2015 and 2016. Leonard, who led the league in steals in 2015, also came into his own on the offensive side of the floor while before his time in San Antonio came to a surprisingly ugly close that kept him sidelined for the majority of 2017-18.
Toronto Raptors: Kyle Lowry
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Honorable Mentions: DeMar DeRozan, Kawhi Leonard
While it was Leonard who was the undisputed best player of the team that won the Toronto Raptors their first NBA championship, veteran point guard Kyle Lowry was the heart and soul of the squad. After the team traded away his longtime teammate DeMar DeRozan during the 2018 offseason, the year was inevitably going to be an emotional rollercoaster for Lowry. But for him to respond by helping Toronto finally carry the Larry O’Brien trophy was an effort that solidified his place as the Player of the Decade for the Raptors.
Utah Jazz: Rudy Gobert
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Honorable Mentions: Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors
If general fans valued defense the same way they value offense, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert would be considered one of the Top 10 players in the NBA. After he led the league in blocks back in 2017, the French big went on to win Defensive Player of the Year in 2018 and in 2019. Gobert has actually averaged 2.2 blocks per game since entering the league in 2013. He has also pulled down 10.8 rebounds per game and has connected on 63.4 percent of his total field goal attempts.
Washington Wizards: John Wall
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Honorable Mentions: Bradley Beal, Marcin Gortat
Before his recent injury trouble, Washington Wizards point guard John Wall was an electrifying player. He has averaged 19.0 points and 9.2 assists for the Wizards since going No. 1 overall in the 2010 NBA draft. He made the All-Star team from 2014 until 2018, also grabbing All-Defensive 2nd Team honors in 2015 and All-NBA 3rd Team in 2017. Wall has averaged 1.7 steals per game, too, showing he can be a defensive stopper. Now he is on a tough contract, though he initially earned it with his previously fantastic play.
Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are three of the best Warriors ever.
As arguably the best backcourt ever, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson will go down as two of the best guards in NBA history.
Curry’s and Thompson’s greatness was recognized Monday by Zach Harper of The Athletic. Harper placed Curry and Thompson on The Athletic’s All-Decade team for the 2010s. Curry was picked as the lead guard for the first team, and Thompson was selected as a wing on the second team. Along with Curry and Thompson, Draymond Green earned honorable mention.
As three-time champions, Curry, Thompson and Green are arguably one of the best trios of all-time.
They’re up there with the 1980s Boston Celtics frontcourt of Kevin McHale, Larry Bird and Robert Parish; the Heatles that consisted of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh; the Celtics Big 3 of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen; the regularly competitive group of San Antonio Spurs legends Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.
Curry and Thompson are two of the best shooters ever, and both are ranked in the top five among active players for 3-point field goal percentage. Curry has shot 43.5% from the 3-point line for his career, and Thompson has shot 41.9%.
Green is one of the best defenders of this era, and he’s arguably the most valuable role player of this generation as well. It’s hard to say the Warriors would have been as feared had Green not been on the team.
With his facilitating and hustle, Green was one of the Warriors’ most important players during their run from 2014-2019.
As the decade comes to a close, the Warriors are no longer one of the league’s best teams. Next season, though, with Curry and Thompson presumably healthy, the Warriors should be competitive again.
