2019 NBA Playoffs: Player power rankings

No. 18-17

18: Russell Westbrook – The man has averaged a triple-double for three straight seasons since Kevin Durant left, pushing the Thunder to the postseason all three years. He won an MVP just two seasons ago. This ranking is downright disrespectful to one of the league’s most terrifying players.

Yet Westbrook also is an active detriment to his team at times, throwing up terrible shots and playing matador defense. At moments he is incredible, tearing into the defense and setting up teammates in perfect spots to take open shots.

At others he dribbles out the clock and jacks up an off-balance jumper with no chance at going in. Westbrook does not have a marquee playoff series in years; he needs to step up in a major way this postseason or he may start slipping down the league rankings.

17: Blake Griffin – No Chris Paul, no J.J. Redick, no DeAndre Jordan. Banished to the Eastern Conference, Griffin was supposed to prove all his detractors right as he sunk the Pistons’ cap on a monster contract.

Instead Griffin played up to the contract, displaying a new step-back 3-pointer as he scored from every area of the court.

The problem with Griffin as a postseason player is not his ability, as he showed against the San Antonio Spurs in 2015 that he can absolutely dominate a series. The problem is that he gets hurt seemingly every year, and in 2019 he enters the playoffs hurt.

That doesn’t bode well for Griffin, who takes on the league’s best team with a questionable supporting cast.