NBA Player Power Rankings: Top 10 Players In NBA Finals

NBA Player Power Rankings: Top 10 Players In The NBA Finals

Jun 16, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) shakes hands with Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the fourth quarter of game six of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Warriors won 105-97. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

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June 1, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Harrison Barnes (40) addresses the media in a press conference during NBA Finals media day at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

8. Harrison Barnes, Golden State Warriors

Position: Small Forward
Age: 24 (5/30/1992)
Slash Line: .401/.362/.833
Season Averages: 30.6 MPG, 8.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.7 SPG, 1.0 3PM

Few players will face more pressure in the 2016 NBA Finals than Golden State Warriors forward Harrison Barnes. With restricted free agency looming, a poor showing in this series could deplete his market value.

A strong showing could earn Barnes millions of dollars more than he’s currently slated to receive.

Whether fair or foul—or rational—teams have a long history of watching the NBA Playoffs and making broad determinations. Barnes is already projected to make a fair amount on the open market, but thriving in the Finals would push his market value to an entirely new level.

In that regard, no player is facing pressure quite like Barnes.

On the court, Barnes will be matched up with some combination of LeBron James, Kevin Love, and J.R. Smith. The former two are more daunting matchups than the latter, but even Smith is a capable scorer who can heavily influence a series.

If Barnes fails to provide the production and defensive consistency Golden State will ask of him, the Warriors’ path to a championship will be far less manageable.

Next: The X-Factor, Part II