2019 NBA Playoffs: Player power rankings

No. 16-15

16: Jimmy Butler – Full disclosure: Jimmy Butler almost landed significantly further down this list. Griffin, Westbrook, Aldridge, Middleton — even Danilo Gallinari had a better season than Butler.

He spent his time digging the Minnesota Timberwolves into a hole they couldn’t climb out of, then loafed his way through the rest of the season with Philadelphia.

Yet if this list is rewarding proven playoff players, Butler deserves the support. When games grind to a crawl in the playoffs he can take the ball and get a bucket.

While he was inconsistent defensively this season, his track record is of a wing stopper with the physicality to knock opponents out of their rhythm. He gives the 76ers a player to face off with Kawhi Leonard, and he could do a lot of work towards redeeming his reputation leaguewide

15: Chris Paul – As recently as last year Chris Paul was firmly in the top-10, but another year of aging and injuries has slowed him down just a step. When he’s on, no player in the league runs an offense as he does, the consummate floor general.

He can still shoot, both beyond the arc and from midrange. Defensively he is slower but even more savvy.

Last season it was Paul, and not Harden, who led the Rockets over the Utah Jazz in the second round. He was unstoppable draining big shot after big shot. James Harden is absolutely the best player on the Rockets, but Paul is the one who doesn’t take a step back in the playoffs.

The Rockets need him at his best with tough series queued up from the start.