The first round of the NBA playoffs has officially come to a close. Despite no upsets and no Game 7’s, this year’s opening round provided plenty of excitement for NBA fans.
First-round performances can get lost in time – history usually only remembers the teams and stars who make deep playoff runs. However, I think it’s important to recognize the stars of the first round while it’s still fresh. So, I’ll be adapting the NBA‘s regular-season awards (DPOY, MIP, MVP, etc.) to the playoffs’ opening round.
With one round down this postseason, let’s take a look at some of the top playoff performers thus far.
NBA Playoffs First Round Awards: MVP, MIP, Sixth Man and more
Coach of the Round: Ime Udoka (BOS)
The most surprising result of round one was the Boston Celtics’ quick, four-game dismantling of the Brooklyn Nets. In a series many expected to go to seven games, Udoka’s Celtics made Kevin Durant look extremely uncomfortable en route to four consecutive wins.
A fair share of the credit belongs to coach Ime Udoka for gameplanning a way to stop one of the league’s best players. Durant shot his lowest postseason eFG% since his first NBA playoffs all the way back in 2010. Udoka’s Celtics were bumping Durant off the ball on nearly every possession, making sure the superstar could never settle in and feel comfortable in the series.
It took a lot of special performances from players, but Udoka deserves a round of applause for the Celtics’ round one success.
Rookie of the Round: Herbert Jones (NOP)
The New Orleans Pelicans were practically the NBA postseason All-Rookie team by themselves. Three of the NBA’s top four rookies in minutes played this postseason suited up for New Orleans (Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, and Jose Alvarado).
First in minutes by far and playing like a playoff veteran was rookie Herb Jones. Jones scored 10.7 points per game, grabbed 3.3 rebounds, and accrued 1.8 steals and 0.8 blocks per game in the Pelicans’ six-game loss to the Suns.
Numbers aside, Jones was arguably the best defender in the series – a series that featured DPOY candidate Mikal Bridges. Tasked with guarding Chris Paul and Devin Booker, Jones took on the challenge like a veteran.
Sixth Man of the Round: Steph Curry (GSW)
It feels a little bit cheating, but I’ll give the sixth man award to Stephen Curry, who came off the bench in four of the Warriors’ five first-round games.
Obviously, Curry is a starter for the Warriors under normal circumstances. Curry entered the NBA playoffs recovering from injury, and as part of his minutes restriction began the first four games on the bench. Curry was able to do so in part because of the emergence of Warriors’ guard Jordan Poole, who scored with ease against Denver.
Even if Curry counts as a bench player on a technicality, he still deserves this award. Curry scored 28.0 points per game in the first round, adding 5.4 assists. The one blemish was Curry’s uncharacteristic 74.4 percent free-throw shooting – but that obviously wasn’t enough to take this award from him.
I doubt Curry continues to come off the bench, so look for Jordan Poole to potentially take this award over next round.
Most Improved Player: Jalen Brunson (DAL)
For a first-round award, I view “Most Improved” as meaning who stepped up the most from their regular season performance – and nobody deserves that nod more than Jalen Brunson.
Brunson played like an absolute star in the absence of teammate Luka Doncic to start the series. In six games, Brunson averaged 27.8 points for Dallas. Well above his regular-season career-high of 16.3 points he achieved this season.
In addition to his scoring, Brunson led Dallas to two wins in three games without Luka, which many doubted would be possible.
When Doncic returned, Brunson kept up the scoring, dropping 23, 24, and 24 in the series’ final three games. Expect Brunson’s improved play to continue to next round.
Defensive Player of the Round: Jayson Tatum (BOS)
This award of course needed to belong to a Celtic – and it could’ve gone to a number of them. Grant Williams played terrific defense, Al Horford’s versatility was vital, and of course, Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart shined as well. But I give the nod to Jayson Tatum.
Tatum stepped up in round one, taking on the Kevin Durant matchup, and winning it. Tatum nabbed 1.8 steals and 0.8 blocks per game this series, both second on the team.
So much of defense can’t be captured in numbers, though, and that truth extends to this series. Tatum’s length, strength, and physicality were essential in keeping Kevin Durant quiet to an extent that has never been seen in the postseason.
Even in the absence of Robert Williams, Tatum kept the Celtics’ defense operating smoothly, so he deserves the nod here.
Most Valuable Player: Giannis Antetokounmpo (MKE)
Giannis picked up right where he left off last postseason: as the league’s most valuable player.
In round one, Giannis scored 28.6 ppg (4th in the NBA), grabbed 13.4 rebounds (1st), and dished 6.3 assists (11th). Antetokounmpo did all this in 33.6 minutes per game, which was just the 35th most in the league.
Giannis is essential to everything the Bucks do, and he was dominant in the Bucks’ five-game win over Chicago. Thanks to Giannis, the Bucks continued humming despite losing Khris Middleton to injury in their Game 2 loss.
Next round, Giannis and the Bucks will face off against Tatum’s Celtics, and that round’s MVP will no doubt come from that series. Even though Giannis got the edge this time, Tatum was a close second, and expect him to dominate next round as well.