ESPN top 10 ranking has KD ranked 6th??

[Tr1boy]

https://www.espn.com/basketball/story/_/id/30489070/ranking-top-10-nba-players-2020-21

10. Jokic
9. Harden
8. Curry
7. Lillard
6. Durant
5. Leonard
4. Doncic
3. Giannis
2. Davis
1. James

Does this look right to people?

Durant should not be ranked lower than Giannis.  Giannis has not performed up to expectations in the playoffs.   

I'm also surprised Jimmy Butler is not on the list.  He should ranked higher than half the players on this list.

[RJ87]

This isn't a post season ranking though... It's a projection for 2020-21. I don't think you can rank Durant, coming off an 18 month layoff with an injury that has not been kind to basketball players, higher than the back to back MVP and DPOY. Durant post-injury has to prove that he's a top 5 player again.

And I'd consider Jimmy Butler over Harden due to commitment and work ethic, but I have a tough time taking any of the other guys off that list to get him on.

[Tr1boy]

This isn't a post season ranking though... It's a projection for 2020-21. I don't think you can rank Durant, coming off an 18 month layoff with an injury that has not been kind to basketball players, higher than the back to back MVP and DPOY. Durant post-injury has to prove that he's a top 5 player again.

And I'd consider Jimmy Butler over Harden due to commitment and work ethic, but I have a tough time taking any of the other guys off that list to get him on.

Why is so much weight given to the regular season? 

The playoffs is the real deal. If anything more weight should be placed on it

Giannis might be good when you see him the 1st time/non consecutive days (regular season in a nutshell). But in the playoffs, when you take away/protect the rim ...  he can't even turn into a jump shooter.   He is not that skilled from the post either. 

[RJ87]

This isn't a post season ranking though... It's a projection for 2020-21. I don't think you can rank Durant, coming off an 18 month layoff with an injury that has not been kind to basketball players, higher than the back to back MVP and DPOY. Durant post-injury has to prove that he's a top 5 player again.

And I'd consider Jimmy Butler over Harden due to commitment and work ethic, but I have a tough time taking any of the other guys off that list to get him on.

Why is so much weight given to the regular season? 

The playoffs is the real deal. If anything more weight should be placed on it

Giannis might be good when you see him the 1st time/non consecutive days (regular season in a nutshell). But in the playoffs, when you take away/protect the rim ...  he can't even turn into a jump shooter.   He is not that skilled from the post either.

Lol, the last time we played him in the playoffs he did alright and by that logic, Durant shouldn't be on the list at all. But let's not act like Giannis turned into a scrub in the playoffs last year. He still put up 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists per game on 61% true shooting.

[jambr380]

When I saw the title of this thread, I assumed the creator thought he was ranked too high. Like, how could he possibly be ranked ahead of so many great players when he hasn't played basketball for 18 months?

As for Giannis - that's pretty much nonsense. Other than maybe Luka, there is not a more desired player in this league. We talk about whether or not we would give up Brown for Harden; well, there is an argument to be made that you could give up Brown and Tatum and still come out on top in a Giannis deal.

[Tr1boy]

This isn't a post season ranking though... It's a projection for 2020-21. I don't think you can rank Durant, coming off an 18 month layoff with an injury that has not been kind to basketball players, higher than the back to back MVP and DPOY. Durant post-injury has to prove that he's a top 5 player again.

And I'd consider Jimmy Butler over Harden due to commitment and work ethic, but I have a tough time taking any of the other guys off that list to get him on.

Why is so much weight given to the regular season? 

The playoffs is the real deal. If anything more weight should be placed on it

Giannis might be good when you see him the 1st time/non consecutive days (regular season in a nutshell). But in the playoffs, when you take away/protect the rim ...  he can't even turn into a jump shooter.   He is not that skilled from the post either.

Lol, the last time we played him in the playoffs he did alright and by that logic, Durant shouldn't be on the list at all. But let's not act like Giannis turned into a scrub in the playoffs last year. He still put up 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists per game on 61% true shooting.

Did the Celtics have a proper rim protector or even good game plan against the Bucks (last 2 playoffs)?  That is on Ainge and Brad

Heat neutralized Giannis last season.  Giannis didn't even bother to drive to the basket in the 2nd half because either Heat were going to take a charge or block his pathway.     

His only real offensive weapon is to drive and finish.    He is dominant at it, but when there is a proper game plan,  he he can't impact the offensive end like a top 5 player. 

[Tr1boy]

When I saw the title of this thread, I assumed the creator thought he was ranked too high. Like, how could he possibly be ranked ahead of so many great players when he hasn't played basketball for 18 months?

As for Giannis - that's pretty much nonsense. Other than maybe Luka, there is not a more desired player in this league. We talk about whether or not we would give up Brown for Harden; well, there is an argument to be made that you could give up Brown and Tatum and still come out on top in a Giannis deal.

Did you miss the playoffs  Bucks vs Heat last season?

Why is there so much weight placed on the regular season?

I advise you to re watch Heat vs Bucks.  Also Bucks vs Raptors

[Roy H.]

Durant was never seen as an alpha performer in the playoffs, either, until he joined a 73 win team.

Giannis averaged 27 / 14 / 6 / .599 eFG% in the playoffs last season.

[Tr1boy]

Durant was never seen as an alpha performer in the playoffs, either, until he joined a 73 win team.

Disagree

He was good when OKC made it to the finals.  But Westbrook became trigger happy and didn't understand the real go to guy was KD. 

Same story the playoffs prior to joining GSW

GSW understood this....until Draymond Green screwed things up

[ETNCeltics]

Horrible list, imo. Davis isn't 2, Jokic certainly isn't 10th. Lebron at 36 likely won't be the best player in the league, and if Davis weren't playing with Lebron, he wouldn't be top 5. If Lebron didn't have Davis, like Freak, he'd have exited the playoffs before the finals.

Jokic was certainly better than 10th last year, and he looks like he's lost a bunch of weight. He's going to be a monster this year.

I'd rank them something more like this, though I'm not sure where to put Curry.

1. Freak
2. Doncic
3. Lebron
4. Jokic
5. Leonard
6. Durant
7. Lillard
8. Davis
9. Curry
10. Harden

[RJ87]

Durant was never seen as an alpha performer in the playoffs, either, until he joined a 73 win team.

Disagree

He was good when OKC made it to the finals.  But Westbrook became trigger happy and didn't understand the real go to guy was KD. 

Same story the playoffs prior to joining GSW

GSW understood this....until Draymond Green screwed things up

He was part of a team that choked away a 3-1 lead and then joined the team that did it to him.

[ETNCeltics]

Durant was never seen as an alpha performer in the playoffs, either, until he joined a 73 win team.

Disagree

He was good when OKC made it to the finals.  But Westbrook became trigger happy and didn't understand the real go to guy was KD. 

Same story the playoffs prior to joining GSW

GSW understood this....until Draymond Green screwed things up

Draymond is a big mouth, but I'd put more of the blame on Durant having the fragile ego of a 10 year old girl.

[Moranis]

Giannis is the best player in the league and has been the last two seasons. 

[Tr1boy]

Durant was never seen as an alpha performer in the playoffs, either, until he joined a 73 win team.

Disagree

He was good when OKC made it to the finals.  But Westbrook became trigger happy and didn't understand the real go to guy was KD. 

Same story the playoffs prior to joining GSW

GSW understood this....until Draymond Green screwed things up

He was part of a team that choked away a 3-1 lead and then joined the team that did it to him.

What is KD going to do when Westbrook shoots 10 for 27??  And team loses by 6 pts?   digest on that for a sec

Westbrook thought he was the "man".  Clearly he was delusional

[Tr1boy]

Giannis is the best player in the league and has been the last two seasons.

yeah...no

not in the playoffs.   Lets be clear about this