With the Western Conference semifinals featuring a matchup between the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder, two leading candidates for the 2024-25 NBA MVP award, Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, are set to compete head-to-head. (The official MVP announcement is likely to happen early in this series).
However, focusing on a smaller timeframe, who has demonstrated MVP-level play over just the past few weeks? We`ve evaluated performances from the play-in tournament through the first round of the playoffs to rank the top ten players who have looked like genuine MVP contenders during this period.
We plan to update this ranking as the postseason advances, adding and removing players based on their performance in each subsequent round. In this initial list, we also acknowledge a few players who narrowly missed the cut, some of whom might be surprising additions.
1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
2025 playoffs (7 games): 24.0 PTS | 11.6 REB | 10.1 AST | 45.2 3P%
The Los Angeles Clippers defended the three-time league MVP effectively, particularly in Game 7 where Jokic struggled early and finished with only 16 points. Yet, by the end of the series, the conclusion was clear: even when contained, Jokic`s influence is pervasive. His playoff averages, featuring a triple-double alongside remarkable efficiency, underscore this point. Even plays like his air-balled three-pointer at the close of Game 4, which resulted in a buzzer-beating dunk by Aaron Gordon, highlight how much attention Jokic demands, often benefiting the Nuggets regardless of the outcome of his specific action.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
2025 playoffs (5 games): 33.0 PTS | 15.4 REB | 6.6 AST | 60.6 FG%
Perhaps no player in the first round faced a more difficult challenge than Antetokounmpo, who had to navigate the Pacers` defensive strategy while largely carrying the load without Damian Lillard. Although Indiana won the series, Antetokounmpo consistently won individual battles throughout the matchup, posting an incredible stat line of 33.0 points, 15.4 rebounds, and 6.6 assists, with a field goal percentage of 60%. His stellar play wasn`t enough to secure advancement, but he certainly wasn`t the reason for the team`s early exit.
3. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
2025 playoffs (4 games): 31.3 PTS | 11.3 REB | 5.3 AST | 1.5 STL
Tatum delivered a star performance in the first round, excelling against the conference`s toughest and most physical defense. He managed to average 31.3 points and 5.3 assists per game despite sustaining a significant right wrist injury in the series opener against Orlando that caused him to miss Game 2. This injury didn`t prevent Tatum from shooting 50% from mid-range throughout the series or hitting four of five three-pointers in the decisive Game 5.
4. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
2025 playoffs (6 games): 31.5 PTS | 8.2 AST | 4.0 REB
Brunson, battling ankle issues that led him to briefly leave several games against the Pistons, wasn`t as efficient as usual in the challenging six-game series. Nevertheless, the Knicks` captain reached the 30-point mark five times. This included a 40-point performance in the final game, which Brunson capped with a remarkably cool three-pointer over Ausar Thompson. His series-ending shot and his playoff-best 11 points per game in fourth quarters during the first round further validated his credentials as a clutch performer.
5. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
2025 playoffs (5 games): 26.8 PTS | 8.4 REB | 6.2 AST | 1.2 STL
Edwards` shooting wasn`t stellar in the decisive Game 6 (5-for-19 overall, 0-for-11 from deep), but his game has evolved beyond just scoring. He recorded eight or more assists in three of the five games against the Lakers in the first round. In his dominant 43-point Game 4, Edwards didn`t score in the final seven and a half minutes; instead, he utilized the defensive attention he drew to facilitate for teammates, dishing out key assists to secure the victory.
6. Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
2025 playoffs (5 games): 29.4 PTS | 8.4 REB | 4.2 AST | 44.4 3P%
It seemed fitting that Orlando`s chances in their season-ending loss to Boston dwindled significantly after Banchero, their cornerstone player, picked up his fifth foul early in the third quarter and had to sit out. Following that foul call, the defending champions went on a 30-9 run that effectively ended the series. This highlighted Banchero`s crucial importance to the Magic, particularly on the offensive end. He shot an impressive 44% from three-point range in the series, while the rest of his teammates combined to shoot only 22% (29-for-129).
7. Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
2025 playoffs (7 games): 25.0 PTS | 7.6 REB | 4.7 AST | 40.5 3P%
Despite playing only 37 regular-season games, Leonard put together a highly impressive playoff performance, remarkable given his limited prior action. He delivered a spectacular Game 2 against Denver, scoring 39 points on 15-of-19 shooting. He led all players in the series with an efficient 25 points per game, even surpassing the three-time MVP, Jokic. Leonard also showcased his renowned defensive abilities, leading the first round with 29 deflections. Seeing him healthy and impactful in the postseason after his recent injury history was a welcome sight.
8. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
2025 playoffs (5 games): 25.6 PTS | 4.0 AST | 1.4 STL
Mitchell, like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, led a team that dominated their opponent (a No. 8 seed) so thoroughly that his presence wasn`t always necessary in the fourth quarter against Miami. Nevertheless, Mitchell was fantastic, especially stepping up to handle the backcourt duties effectively in the final two games of the series when fellow All-Star Darius Garland was sidelined. His 30-point outing in Game 1 against the Pacers extended a remarkable streak, marking his eighth consecutive playoff series opener with at least 30 points, breaking a record previously held by Michael Jordan.
9. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
2025 playoffs (7 games): 24.0 PTS | 5.7 AST | 5.9 REB | 39.2 3P%
Coach Ime Udoka and the disciplined Rockets openly focused on disrupting Curry in the first round, employing aggressive zone defenses and making things uncomfortable as he dealt with a left thumb injury. To some extent, this strategy worked, causing his efficiency to decline late in the series. However, in the decisive Game 7, Houston`s intense early focus on stopping Curry created openings for teammate Buddy Hield, who exploded for six three-pointers and 22 points in the first half. Curry then caught fire to finish the game, as he often does, propelling the Warriors into the second round.
10. Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
2025 playoffs (6 games): 18.3 PTS | 11.8 AST | 5.8 REB | 1.2 BLK
Haliburton`s scoring efficiency hasn`t been exceptional this postseason, but he remains the indisputable leader and engine of the Pacers` dynamic offense, averaging nearly 12 assists per game. He also contributed with key defensive plays in their upset victory over top-seeded Cleveland in Game 1.
Honorable Mentions
Here are some players who also deserve recognition for their strong performances in the first round:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: Scored prolifically but with inconsistent efficiency (40% field goals, 25% three-pointers) during OKC`s sweep of Memphis. His co-star, Jalen Williams, was outstanding (23 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists on 54% shooting), and both are likely to climb future rankings as competition increases.
Reigning Finals MVP Jaylen Brown: Was efficient in Boston`s victory despite playing through a knee bruise, notably scoring 36 points on just 19 shots in Game 2. He never attempted more than 20 shots in the series.
Julius Randle: Had arguably his best playoff series as a Knick, averaging 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists with significantly improved shooting percentages (48% field goals, 39% three-pointers).
LeBron James and Luka Doncic: Both finished their playoff runs hampered by injuries (James with a sprained MCL, Doncic with a back injury) and visibly struggled with fatigue late in games against Minnesota. While their overall series stats were impressive and efficient, they shot poorly in fourth quarters (33% and 30% respectively). Doncic also faced defensive challenges and had a poor assist-to-turnover ratio in the final periods.
Cade Cunningham: Posted historically impressive numbers (25 points, 8 assists, 8 rebounds) for a player in his first NBA postseason. However, he will need to improve his three-point shooting (18%) and significantly reduce turnovers (five per game).
Franz Wagner: As Orlando`s second scoring option, he put up stats similar to Cunningham`s, but also struggled significantly from three-point range (19%).
Karl-Anthony Towns: His statistics (19.7 points, 10 rebounds on nearly 50/40/90 splits) appear strong, but his performance was inconsistent during the challenging series against the Pistons. Foul trouble also created difficulties for the Knicks, including in Game 6 when he fouled out before Brunson`s game-winning shot.
Alperen Sengun: Provided his versatile offensive output for Houston throughout their seven-game defeat. He received strong support from Jalen Green in Game 2 and Fred VanVleet late in the series, but Sengun`s efficient contributions were consistently crucial in keeping Houston competitive against the Warriors.
Jamal Murray: While not consistently stellar, his Game 5 performance against the Clippers (43 points on 26 shots with seven assists) was easily one of the best individual games of the playoffs. He finished the series averaging nearly 23 points and six assists with strong efficiency (48/40/90 splits).
