Who Would Be The Best Player In A 7 Game Series?

[makaveli]

I think that this is really the best way to determine the best player in the league. Yes you can say, look Kobe makes it look so easy and he can score, but PP last season beat SAS with maybe the worst team in history of franchise(I loved that team  ).
All I'm saying is that PP doesn't cave in like Kobe and Lebron did in the playoffs against a good/great defense.
I really don't see anyone outplaying PP in this conditions not anymore

[kw10]

I'd love to say Kevin Garnett....maybe 2 years back....the man can play from the 1 to the 5.....and he would study tape of his opponent and know him like the back of his hand. But now, a step slower, PP would probably beat him out in a tight one.

[wdleehi]

1) Tim Duncan.  Still the best big man in the league.  Has a ton of experience.  Is a good team leader.  And he creates so much space for the other players. 

2) Lebron.  Look what he does by himself.

3) KG.  Leader on defense.  Can create the same type of space as Duncan when he stays closer to the basket. 

[incoherent]

Lebron is the single most scariest player to face in a 7 game series.

[SportsCapNative]

Lebron is the single most scariest player to face in a 7 game series.

Seriously, that Cavaliers series was nerve wrenching.

[D Dub]

Lebron is the single most scariest player to face in a 7 game series.

Seriously, that Cavaliers series was nerve wrenching.

But Paul did outplay him, and it was a seven game series... 

No one plays better perimeter defense than Paul Pierce in the entire league.  No other player will ever be able to hold Lebron below 40% for 5 our of 7 games again.  Paul is the only one, hopefully he can do it again next season.

Seven game series, all around talent, clutch --- its gotta be Paul Pierce.

[drza44]

I try to tread lightly around this, because I know Pierce is a fan favorite, but he really did not outplay LeBron.  LeBron was guarding Pierce basically 1-on-1, the entire Celts D was geared on LeBron with heavy amounts of direct help from KG and Perk to prevent LeBron from just driving past Pierce.  And even with that, LeBron still put up better numbers than Pierce and affected the games in a larger way than Pierce.  It just so happens that KG and the rest of the Celts were much better than the other Cavs, which is why the Celts won, but Pierce wasn't the best player in that series.  In fact, he really wasn't in the top-2 overall across the entire 7 games as those honors belonged to LeBron and KG.

I'd say LeBron is probably the scariest player in a 7-game series, but I put Duncan and KG right there with him.  LeBron's combo of offensive skill and size makes him a playoffs nightmare, and as he showed against Pierce his defense is coming around as well.  Duncan and KG are the best defensive anchors in the league, which is critical in the playoffs, and each also tend to lead their teams in scoring and impact every other aspect of the game as well.

[Birdbrain]

No he really did actually.  Paul in a seven game series.  He can beat you in  more ways.  Not that I don't think Lebron will be better when he tightens up his D and becomes more consistent from the outside.

Paul has the strength over Kobe
Paul has the defense and shooting over Lebron.

And unless I'm confused they just took out the LeCavs in 7 game series and Lebron shot 40%.  And Posey wasn't guarding him Paul was.

Paul.

[cordobes]

Duncan, LeBron and Garnett.

As others have said, defense, experience and big men are critical in the playoffs. LeBron is up there because he's LeBron.

[BigAlTheFuture]

Lebron and Kobe.

[JR Giddens]

Lebron is better than Kobe this playoffs because it takes 3x more energy to defend Lebron than Fallaway jumpshot Bryant. Even paul Pierce would agree.

Lebron shot poorly(2-18) but Paul Pierce was scared as hell in the 1st game of cavs series. He looked lifeless.

Against Kobe, Paul pierce wanted to break his neck.

Kobe had Pau and odom. Lebron had an injured Daniel Gibson in game 7.

Kobe could never score 45 points vs that 07 Pistons team. 

Kobe has an overateed fallaway 3 point jumpshot. He never had the explosiveness to attack the rim like Lebron and MJ.

[celticmaestro]

1) Tim Duncan.  Still the best big man in the league.  Has a ton of experience.  Is a good team leader.  And he creates so much space for the other players. 

2) Lebron.  Look what he does by himself.

3) KG.  Leader on defense.  Can create the same type of space as Duncan when he stays closer to the basket. 

TP for saving me the time, wdleehi.

[JBcat]

I try to tread lightly around this, because I know Pierce is a fan favorite, but he really did not outplay LeBron.  LeBron was guarding Pierce basically 1-on-1, the entire Celts D was geared on LeBron with heavy amounts of direct help from KG and Perk to prevent LeBron from just driving past Pierce.  And even with that, LeBron still put up better numbers than Pierce and affected the games in a larger way than Pierce.  It just so happens that KG and the rest of the Celts were much better than the other Cavs, which is why the Celts won, but Pierce wasn't the best player in that series.  In fact, he really wasn't in the top-2 overall across the entire 7 games as those honors belonged to LeBron and KG.

I'd say LeBron is probably the scariest player in a 7-game series, but I put Duncan and KG right there with him.  LeBron's combo of offensive skill and size makes him a playoffs nightmare, and as he showed against Pierce his defense is coming around as well.  Duncan and KG are the best defensive anchors in the league, which is critical in the playoffs, and each also tend to lead their teams in scoring and impact every other aspect of the game as well.

I love Paul but I have to agree here.  If it wasn't for a PJ Brown jumper in game 7  Lebron would be cast as the hero in that series.  He averaged 7 more PPG in that series than Paul, rebounded better, and more than doubled Paul's assists totals, while Paul only had a slightly better shooting percentage from the field.  Yes Paul did an admirable job defending Lebron but Lebron had to do more of everything on his own and still nearly won that series.  Lebron willed the Cavs to the finals the previous year.  He scares me to death in a 7 game series. 

[JR Giddens]

[/quote]

I love Paul but I have to agree here.  If it wasn't for a PJ Brown jumper in game 7  Lebron would be cast as the hero in that series.  He averaged 7 more PPG in that series than Paul, rebounded better, and more than doubled Paul's assists totals, while Paul only had a slightly better shooting percentage from the field.  Yes Paul did an admirable job defending Lebron but Lebron had to do more of everything on his own and still nearly won that series.  Lebron willed the Cavs to the finals the previous year.  He scares me to death in a 7 game series. 
[/quote]

Agreed but don't forget lebron shot 35.5% in that series which is awful. Ben Wallace kept Garnett out of the paint. Ray Allen was nowhere to be found in that series also. Paul Pierce was avg in that series

[celticsfan8591]

LeBron by far.  He single-handedly pushed the Celtics to 7 games.  He is absolutely monstrous going to the basket, he's a great passer, and he can get hot from the outside as well.  He gets criticized a lot for his D, and while his 1 on 1 D is bad, he makes a lot of big plays on that end by protecting the rim and playing the passing lanes.  Let's be real, I love Pierce as much as anyone, but switch Pierce and LeBron and that series is over in 4 games.