Late next month, the NBA playoffs will officially get underway, with the stage set for another epic series of battles in the Western and Eastern Conferences, with every team hoping to make it to the NBA Finals.
As of right now, the playoff picture in both conferences is starting to take shape, with the real contenders starting to separate themselves from the pack while other teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors are simply hoping to be playoff-bound.
Ahead of the NBA playoffs, ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins has created another five-player list to get fans excited for what could be another entertaining postseason in the league.
This time around, Perkins has named the five players in the NBA that nobody wants to face once the playoffs get underway via NBA on ESPN.
Did @KendrickPerkins hit or miss with his list of players you don't want to face in the NBA Playoffs? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/SqoSbrsYzH
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 6, 2024
The top player on the list is a no-brainer, as Nikola Jokic seems to be headed for his third NBA MVP award while his Denver Nuggets are firing on all cylinders and ready to defend their title in the playoffs.
LeBron James comes in at No. 2, which is a bit of a strange pick, as Perkins has been openly critical about the Lakers this year and their chances of being a force to be reckoned with in the postseason.
No. 3 is Stephen Curry of the Warriors, a superstar who will hope to simply make the playoffs rather than be a legitimate contender this year.
Kawhi Leonard slides in there at No. 4 and should be arguably higher on this list, with the Los Angeles Clippers looking like potentially the biggest threat to the Nuggets’ repeat hopes.
Finally, Jimmy Butler comes in at No. 5, as the Miami Heat superstar is always dangerous once the playoffs begin and should never be overlooked.
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