Esports

With Sunday’s Game 7 in the books, and the Oklahoma City Thunder having dominated the Denver Nuggets to join the New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA’s final four, we now have a much clearer look at the true difference-makers along the path to the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Here, in our playoff MVP post-conference semifinals update, we’re ranking the eight players whose performances have stood out most through two wild and unpredictable rounds.

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1:39

Brunson proud of Knicks’ composure to close out Celtics in 6

Jalen Brunson reflects on the Knicks’ big win over the Celtics to reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000.

2025 playoffs (12 games): 28.8 PTS | 7.7 AST | 3.9 REB

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After closing out the Detroit Pistons in the first round with a nasty step-back 3-pointer, Brunson’s encore was leading New York to the conference finals by knocking off the defending champion Boston Celtics. He had a slow start to the series, but, as is often the case, was clutch in the late stages.

That was particularly true in Games 1, 2 and 4, when the Knicks came back to win from deficits of 20, 20 and 14 points, respectively.

Next, the All-NBA guard will face the Pacers, against whom he averaged nearly 30 points and six assists during the regular season. Brunson and his teammates will seek to avenge last year’s loss to Indiana in the conference semis.

If things go down to the wire, the league’s Clutch Player of the Year will feel ready. Brunson has already made 14 clutch baskets in these playoffs. That’s nearly twice as Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander, who ranks No. 2.

Previous ranking: 4

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Jokic thankful for personal and team success this season

Nuggets star Nikola Jokic reflects on his individual performance and his team’s showing this season after getting eliminated from the playoffs.

2025 playoffs (14 games): 26.2 PTS | 12.7 REB | 8.0 AST | 2.0 STL

With teammate Aaron Gordon severely limited, and Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. combining for only 19 points on 24 shots, Jokic had very little scoring support from his fellow veteran starters in Sunday’s elimination loss.

Still, that reality — and his team’s series loss as a whole — doesn’t necessarily hurt Jokic’s argument for a high placement on this list. Sure, he was a painful 0-for-10 from deep in Denver’s Game 3 overtime loss and wasn’t much more efficient in Game 4, when he shot 2-for-8 from 3. But he also had one of the most impressive games of the playoffs when he dropped 44 points with 22 rebounds and 5 assists on only 25 shots from the field in the Nuggets’ Game 5 defeat.

Jokic gave a historically good Thunder group all it could handle while having 24-year-old Christian Braun as his most effective sidekick in Game 7.

Previous ranking: 1

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0:29

Anthony Edwards ‘scrapes the sky’ for filthy poster slam

Anthony Edwards drives and punishes the rim as he puts Kevon Looney on a poster.

2025 playoffs (10 games): 26.5 PTS | 8.0 REB | 5.9 AST | 38.5 3P%

The Wolves’ star bounced back from a less efficient opening round against the Los Angeles Lakers to shoot 44% from deep on almost nine attempts per game in the conference semifinals against the mostly Stephen Curry-less Golden State Warriors.

Noteworthy in each of Edwards’ closeout Game 5s thus far: He used the surplus of defensive attention on him to make plays for others, logging eight assists in the clincher against the Lakers, and a whopping 12 in the series clincher against the Warriors.

Edwards will have to be prepared for OKC’s swarming defense, which was the NBA’s best at shutting down 1-on-1 opportunities during the regular season, allowing just 0.81 points per possession.

Previous ranking: 5

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1:31

SGA cooks Nuggets for 35 in Game 7

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander carries the Thunder to a victory in Game 7 over the Nuggets with 35 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists.

2025 playoffs (10 games): 28.4 PTS | 6.6 AST | 6.2 REB | 1.3 STL

The Thunder guard, likely to be named the league’s regular-season MVP in the coming days, had a fantastic beginning and ending to his series against Denver. He struggled with his shot during Games 3 and 4, but then followed that up with showings of 31, 32 and 35 points, respectively, in the series’ final three games. He shot no worse than 52% in Games 5, 6 and 7 to lift his club when OKC needed it most.

If there’s a reason for SGA to be this far down on the list, it’s that he struggled mightily with his efficiency in the opening round. But he can continue to make up for that against the Wolves and in the Finals, should the top-seeded Thunder break through.

Previous ranking: NR

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1:31

Tyrese Haliburton breaks Cavs’ hearts with dagger game-winning 3

Tyrese Haliburton gets the ball after a missed free throw, then nails a step-back 3 to allow the Pacers to rally for a win in Game 2.

2025 playoffs (10 games): 17.5 PTS | 9.3 AST | 5.5 REB

After shooting just 42% overall, and under 27% from 3 in the first round, Haliburton leveled up to 54% and almost 46% from deep against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers to pull off an upset in only five games.

One of the biggest keys for the Indiana star this postseason: Much like Brunson, he has come up with big-time shots to put away games. He has gone 4-for-5 from the field with the Pacers in the final minute of clutch scenarios. No one has made more in these playoffs.

Previous ranking: 10

6. Julius Randle, Minnesota Timberwolves

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Randle stars as Wolves complete series win

Julius Randle drops a game-high 29 points to fuel the Timberwolves in knocking out the Warriors in five games.

2025 playoffs (10 games): 23.9 PTS | 5.9 REB | 5.9 AST | 50.9 FG%

Yes, this is the same player who struggled mightily during his first two postseason appearances. Randle shot 29.8% from the field in 2021 and 37.4% in 2022, both with the Knicks.

But Randle has been fantastic for Minnesota thus far, shooting almost 51%, averaging 23.9 points in the postseason (right behind Edwards) and a team-high 5.9 assists (the same as Edwards). Long one of the NBA’s best setup men for corner-3 opportunities, Randle simply looks at ease right now, something that could pay massive dividends if OKC blitzes Edwards.

Previous ranking: NR

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1:28

Mitchell despondent after Cavs’ loss to Pacers: ‘Don’t believe it’

Donovan Mitchell tries to explain what went wrong for the Cavaliers in their semifinal series defeat to the Pacers.

2025 playoffs (9 games): 29.6 PTS | 4.7 REB | 3.9 AST

Much like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Mitchell gave it all he had and at times single-handedly carried his team’s offense. The Cavs’ star led all second-round scorers with more than 34 points per game.

But with an ankle injury that he played through in hopes of resurrecting a Cleveland club that found itself at risk of being bounced early after a 64-win season, Mitchell’s efficiency from deep fell sharply from the opening round, sliding from 46% to 24% on massive — but necessary — volume in the conference semifinals.

Previous ranking: 8

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JWill: There’s a world in which Giannis says he wants to be a Warrior

Jay Williams and Brian Windhorst discuss the possibility of Giannis Antetokounmpo teaming up with Steph Curry in Golden State.

2025 playoffs (5 games): 33.0 PTS | 15.4 REB | 6.6 AST | 60.6 FG%

The Bucks’ forward is the one player who was so outstanding in the opening round that he deserved to make this list again, albeit nowhere near the top given the added weight of the conference semifinals.

In case you forgot just how dominant Antetokounmpo was without an injured Damian Lillard (and with an immensely quiet Kyle Kuzma): Antetokounmpo averaged 33 points, 15.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists in his five games against Indianapolis. And he did it on almost 60.6% shooting from the field.

Previous ranking: 2

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