With the first round of the NBA playoffs reaching its end and two matchups still ongoing, it’s time to talk about the top players, so far.
Damian Lillard
With a 50-point bomb and a cold-blooded, game-winning three, Damian Lillard takes the throne in the first round’s top performers.
I personally had the Thunder taking the Trail Blazers out in this matchup due to the injury of Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkić. I didn’t think Dame had enough in him to carry the load for the team. I was as wrong as I could possibly be as Lillard balled out throughout this intense series.
It was Dame Time all game long, every game as he knocked down 30-foot shots repeatedly, none more impressive than the buzzer-beater to end OKC’s season.
Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi did not have one game that stood above all others, but he did do most of the work to get the Raptors to the second round of the playoffs.
Throughout the series, he averaged almost 28 points per game and shot 57 percent from the field. That is about as efficient as you can be through a series. If it wasn’t for Kyle Lowry’s awful performance in Game 1, this would have been a clean sweep.
Kevin Durant
KD is killing it, so far, this series by averaging 32 points. You read that right, 32 points in the playoffs. In their most recent game, he dropped a 45-point game on the Clippers but still came out with a loss.
There’s only so much one player can do to help his team. The Warriors need to bring some more intensity into their game if they want to avoid going into a Game 7 against the Clippers.
Durant also had a 38-point game where he came away with the win. He is doing his part and more by putting up numbers like this. I predict he will have a killer game to end the series and move on to the next round.
