The 2021 NBA playoffs have seen some stellar performances so far, with more likely to come as the NBA Finals tip-off tonight.
Despite being marred by multiple injuries, the ongoing playoffs have been lit by the brilliance of A-listers. This article will reveal our choices for a hypothetical All-NBA playoffs team.
2021 NBA Playoffs: Listing the 5 best players for each position so far
The 2021 All-NBA teams were announced some time back, revealing the five best players at each position for the regular season. The playoffs also warrant such a list, and here is the All-NBA playoffs team for the postseason:
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#5 - Center - Deandre Ayton (Phoenix Suns)
Deandre Ayton's performances in the 2021 NBA playoffs have caught everyone's eye, as the Bahamian big has excelled on both ends of the court.
Ayton has averaged a solid 16 points and 11.8 rebounds per game, but what's more impressive is that he has done so on 70.6% shooting from the field.
Ayton's rebounding has been a major factor in the Phoenix Suns' offensive success in the 2021 NBA playoffs. Ayton is averaging 3.4 offensive boards per game, essentially providing his teammates with multiple second chances.
He has also held his own on the defensive front, as was evident in the series against the Denver Nuggets.
Ayton managed to play some stellar defense on MVP elect Nikola Jokic in that series, who was quick to acknowledge the Suns' center's brilliance.
#4 - Power Forward - Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
Despite missing two games in the 2021 NBA playoffs due to injury, Giannis Antetokounmpo has made the cut.
The 'Greek Freak' has been the standout power forward in the postseason, registering 28 points, 12 rebounds and five assists on 55% shooting from the field.
Antetokounmpo had a brilliant outing against the Brooklyn Nets, as he was the prime force behind the Bucks' wins in Games 6 & 7 after going behind in the series.
Similar performances against the Miami Heat in the first round and the first three games versus the Atlanta Hawks (he was injured in Game 4) make Antetokounmpo arguably the best player in the playoffs so far.
Also Read: Giannis Antetokounmpo injury update: Can he play in the 2021 NBA Finals? Here's what we know so far
#3 - Small Forward - Paul George (LA Clippers)
LA Clippers swingman Paul George edges out Brooklyn Nets ace Kevin Durant for the small forward spot. Durant had a brilliant playoff run, but George's record of scoring 20+ plus points in all the postseason games he featured in makes him undroppable.
George averaged 27 points, nine rebounds and five assists during the course of the 2021 NBA playoffs. He averaged a team-high 40.8 minutes and didn't neglect his defensive duties despite staying on the floor for such long durations.
The most impressive part of George's playoff run was that he helped the Clippers win the last two games of the series against the Utah Jazz in Kawhi Leonard's absence and also managed to take two games off the Phoenix Suns.
#2 - Shooting Guard - Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)
Touted to be the 'next big thing' in the NBA, Devin Booker had a torrid time with the Phoenix Suns in the first five years of his young career. However, the Kobe Bryant disciple remained loyal to the franchise, and now the young shooting guard is in the NBA finals.
Booker has had a major hand in the Phoenix Suns reaching the NBA finals for the first time since 1993. He has put up 27 points, six rebounds, and four assists in his first postseason campaign, mesmerizing audiences with his offensive skillset.
#1 - Point Guard - Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)
Perhaps the most entertaining player of the 2021 NBA playoffs, Trae Young bags the point guard spot in the All-NBA playoffs team.
Young had a phenomenal playoff campaign as he terrorized hostile NBA crowds with a blend of swagger and skill. He averaged an impressive 28.8 points and nine assists on 41% shooting from the field in the postseason.
Led by Young, the Hawks had a brilliant run in the 2021 NBA playoffs, as they beat the New York Knicks and the No. 1 seed Philadelphia 76ers, before eventually losing to the Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals.
The Atlanta Hawks are still a young team that will improve with time, and if this year's playoffs are anything to go by, Young is going straight to the top.
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