Best 10 Players Left in the 2022 Playoffs

[DefenseWinsChamps]

What's your ranking? Mine is something like the following:

1. Luka
2. Tatum
3. Butler
4. Curry
5. Green
6. Bam
7. Brown
8. Brunson
9. Smart
10. Thompson

Poole, Horford, Dinwiddie, and Herro are probably the next tier in no particular order. Herro, Poole, and Dinwiddie are all shot-creators/heat-check guys that are up and down. Horford is up this high due to his play.

Tucker, Wiggins, G Williams, Oladipo, Lowry, Finney-Smith, and Timelord are probably after that in no particular order. This tier includes 3-D guys or two former all-stars who have big-time experience if they can get into rhythm.

Struss, Pritchard, Kleiber, Bullock, Looney, Kuminga, and Powell are after that.

[hpantazo]

Butler above Curry?

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Butler above Curry?

Currently, that's what I would have. Curry hasn't looked the same since the new year.

[Moranis]

Luka
Curry
Tatum
Butler
Bam
Brown
Herro
Smart
Thompson
Green

[Kiorrik]

Luka
Curry
Tatum
Butler
Bam
Brown
Herro
Smart
Thompson
Green

I can find myself in this list

Well, not literally of course.

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

Curry
Tatum
Luka
Butler
Jaylen
Smart
Bam
Green
Horford
Thompson

The Celtics have the best trio left in Jayson, Jaylen and Marcus.

Dallas is a one trick pony with solid play from Brunson.

GS has depth, but Thompson and even Draymond are not the same players.

Miami will be tough. I'd still rather have our role players.

[Roy H.]

Luka
Curry
Tatum
Butler
Bam
Brown
Herro
Smart
Thompson
Green

That doesn't look crazy to me.  I'd move Herro down, but everyone else is in about the right order to me.  My list would probably be:

Luka
Curry
Tatum
Butler
Bam
Brown
Thompson
Smart
Herro
Green

[slamtheking]

Luka
Curry
Tatum
Butler
Bam
Brown
Herro
Smart
Thompson
Green

That doesn't look crazy to me.  I'd move Herro down, but everyone else is in about the right order to me.  My list would probably be:

Luka
Curry
Tatum
Butler
Bam
Brown
Thompson
Smart
Herro
Green

Curry and Luka get a lot of love but they aren't nearly the defender that Tatum is.   I think the gap between the 3 of them is practically negligible at this point

[Roy H.]

Luka
Curry
Tatum
Butler
Bam
Brown
Herro
Smart
Thompson
Green

That doesn't look crazy to me.  I'd move Herro down, but everyone else is in about the right order to me.  My list would probably be:

Luka
Curry
Tatum
Butler
Bam
Brown
Thompson
Smart
Herro
Green

Curry and Luka get a lot of love but they aren't nearly the defender that Tatum is.   I think the gap between the 3 of them is practically negligible at this point

I would add Butler to that first tier, as well.  Perhaps not in general, but the way he's played in the playoffs he belongs.

[footey]

1. Tatum
2. Brown
3. Smart
4. Horford
5. Rob Williams
6. Grant Williams
7. Derrick White
8. Payton Pritchard
9. Luka
10. Curry

[Csfan1984]

Tatum
Luka
Curry
Bam
Butler
Brown
Green
Smart
Klay
Horford

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Butler above Curry?

Currently, that's what I would have. Curry hasn't looked the same since the new year.

Curry has historically been great, but his play for half a season now is not better than current Doncic and Tatum. I feel like the ranking that he's getting on this board right now is more legacy than anything.

[Moranis]

Butler above Curry?

Currently, that's what I would have. Curry hasn't looked the same since the new year.

Curry has historically been great, but his play for half a season now is not better than current Doncic and Tatum. I feel like the ranking that he's getting on this board right now is more legacy than anything.

Curry in the 11 playoff games has averaged 33.1 mpg (quite a few blowouts decreasing minutes) and is scoring 26.9 ppg with 5.6 apg and 3.4 rpg with a 60.1 TS%.  His GmSc is 19.6.

Tatum has played a lot more mpg at 41.2 but isn't exactly scoring better at 28.3 ppg, 6.1 apg, 5.6 rpg with a TS% of 57.5.  His GmSc is 19.5.

Obviously Tatum has played better defense, but defense is far less important than offense overall and Curry has been better on an actual per minute basis. 

I think they are close, but Curry to me requires more defensive focus because you can't leave him open from anywhere on the court.  He moves around a lot as well.

[nickagneta]

1. Luka
2. Tatum
3. Curry
4. Butler
5. Brown
6. Bam
7. Thompson
8. Smart
9. Green
10. Horford

Defense matters, hence my last three players in my rankings.

[liam]

1. Tatum
2. Brown
3. Smart
4. Horford
5. Rob Williams
6. Grant Williams
7. Derrick White
8. Payton Pritchard
9. Luka
10. Curry

Nice!

I do think Tatum and Brown should be at the top of the list because they are two-way players. Curry and Luka can't guard my Mom.