NBA Conference Finals Players to Watch: Top Remaining Stars in NBA Playoffs
The NBA Conference Finals are underway and some of the league's biggest stars are playing great basketball with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. Mark Harris ranks the top 10 players in the Eastern and Western Conference Finals.
Mark Harris
| 6 Minute Read
NBA Conference Finals Players to Watch: Top Remaining Stars in NBA Playoffs
The NBA Conference Finals are in full force, and the big stage has showcased some of the league's best players balling out in the bright lights.
Clutch shots, ferocious defense, high-flying dunks, dead-eye 3-point shooting, and strong drives to the rim have highlighted the 2025 NBA playoffs. Some players have stood out amongst the competition as most games come down to the wire in the final minutes.
So while LeBron James, Steph Curry, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo have already been sent home, there is no shortage of star power to keep viewers entertained. A handful of these players will hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy in mid-June, and all of these guys will have a say in how the NBA plays out for the rest of the decade.
Here's my ranking of the top 10 players in the NBA Conference Finals:
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Top 10 players in the NBA Conference Finals
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The 2025 MVP headlines this list. He is fresh off leading the NBA in scoring at 32.7 points per game, and he's continued that scoring production with 10 25-point games in the playoffs, which leads all players.
Some of that scoring production stems from his ability to draw fouls, and while it's not the most aesthetically pleasing form of basketball, and the foul-baiting complaints are warranted, those points and free throws count all the same.
SGA is the head of the snake of a juggernaut Thunder team that is -205 to win the championship, and if OKC does win it all, he'll likely be NBA Finals MVP as well (-175). Like him or not, SGA is the best player remaining in the NBA playoffs.
2. Anthony Edwards
One could make the argument for each of these next three players in the two spot, but I'm leaning with Anthony Edwards here.
I just think Edwards is the best player on this list other than SGA. His elite athleticism allows him to get to the rim easily and makes him a better defender than Jalen Brunson or Tyrese Haliburton. Edwards finished the regular season fourth in scoring (27.6 PPG), and he can space the floor now, because he's shooting almost 40% from deep in the playoffs and regular season.
While he's had a few clunkers this postseason, those bad games have been overblown since he's finished with 20 points in all but two games this postseason, and one of those was Game 1 of the WCF when he left the game with an ankle injury. Ant Man flies high as the second-best player.
3. Jalen Brunson
I'll lean with Brunson over Haliburton just for his pure scoring ability. Brunson's 43-point outburst was forgotten in the Knicks' Game 1 collapse in the Eastern Conference Finals, and that's a shame because it was a perfect example of how dialed in he's been in the playoffs.
He's scoring 29.9 points per game and has hit a seemingly endless number of clutch shots to help New York advance to the ECF. The Knicks don't even make it this far without his efforts, so he's certainly earned his spot as a legend in New York. I expect to more great plays from him as the Conference Finals continue.
4. Tyrese Haliburton
Haliburton is probably he biggest breakout star of the NBA playoffs. That'll happen when you hit a game-tying shot in Madison Square Garden, drain a game-winning 3-pointer, and score the final five points in overtime to clinch a first-round series win.
And to top it all off, he's also leading the playoffs with 9.5 assists per game. Haliburton plays like a traditional point guard and his pass-first mentality spurs ball movement and helps Indiana avoid taking too many bad shots. He hasn't scored quite as much as the top three guys on this list (18.7 PPG in the playoffs), but he's still proven he can get buckets when needed.
5. Julius Randle
If you had never watched basketball before and only watched this NBA playoffs, you might think Randle is the best basketball player in the world. He's been that good.
Like his Minnesota teammate Edwards, there have only been two games this playoffs where he hasn't scored 20 points. Randle has also carried the scoring load in games where Edwards wasn't feeling it, and in all, he's scoring 24.3 PPG on 52.2% shooting and 39.3% from long range.
His previous playoff shortcomings seem like a million years ago with how he is playing right now.
6. Karl-Anthony Towns
KAT will frustrate you at times with mediocre defense and some dumb fouls, but he's still been a crucial piece of the Knicks' run.
As New York's second-best player, Towns has recorded 20.9 PPG (49.5%) and his 11.4 rebounds per game lead all remaining players. Not bad for a second option.
7. Pascal Siakam
Haliburton deservedly gets the most praise of the Pacers, but Siakam was Indiana's leading scorer in the regular season and the first two rounds of the postseason.
He resides in the 17-25 point range on a nightly basis while making 53.5% of his field goals and providing solid defense. "Championship experience" is a phrase thrown around a lot this time of year, and Siakam's time with the Toronto Raptors can guide Indiana in some high-leverage moments.
8. Jalen Williams
Williams or Chet Holmgren could occupy the eighth spot, but I'm going to lean Williams here due to his mix of scoring and defense.
He's helping out SGA on offense with 19.6 PPG and his 21 steals this postseason trail only Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby. Most importantly, J-dub brings menacing on-ball defense each game after ending the season with the top defensive rating in the NBA.
9. Chet Holmgren
Even though Holmgren isn't quite as much of a scoring threat as Williams, since he's averaging 15.7 PPG in the playoffs, he has still been a key piece in OKC's postseason ascension.
He's blocking 2.2 shots per game in the playoffs, and his long, lanky arms are a major hurdle for opposing players. Holmgren may not block every shot, but his length still makes players think twice before shooting, alters shot attempts, and blocks passing lanes.
10. Alex Caruso
Other players have scored more than Caruso in these playoffs, but his overall impact cannot be overstated. Caruso is shooting 45.1% from deep in the postseason, and that has opened up an already explosive OKC offense even more. Many of those 3-pointers helped the Thunder erase opposing leads when they were trailing.
His defense has been outstanding as well. Caruso's defensive versatility allows him to help in crunch time and he can chip in against bigs, as we saw in Game 7 vs. Denver when he defended Nikola Jokic. Add in 20 steals (fifth in NBA playoffs), and it's hard to keep Caruso off the floor.
Honorable Mention: Myles Turner, Mikal Bridges, Jaden McDaniels, Andrew Nembhard, Cason Wallace.
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