Who Have Been The Standout Players In The NBA Playoffs?

Basketball, at every stage, is just different in the postseason. The games get more physical, the defense becomes more intense, and buzzer-beating shots steal our breath and live on in our minds—either with great pleasure or disdain—for years to come.

As the 2025 postseason winds down, with the Pacers getting ready to go up against the Thunder, we’ve already been fortunate enough to enjoy tons of basketball played at the highest possible level. And by the way, if you are planning on making a wager on the Finals series, you will find write-ups below about Tyrese Haliburton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander below. Consult YouBet to know more.

Who are the postseason standouts of the 2025 playoffs?

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Where else would we start but with the MVP? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander clearly had a standout season this year.

 The 26-year-old averaged an incredible 32 points per game, shooting more than 50% from the field. The MVP scored more than 30 points in 11 of his 16 playoff appearances this year.

Gilgeous-Alexander not only delivered show-stopping performances consistently throughout the postseason, but he did it in front of some of the game’s other leading stars—Anthony Edwards and Nikola Jokić, both of whom fell to the MVP’s prowess. Most valuable player of the year, indeed.

Tyrese Haliburton

Leading the Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton has had an almost equally impressive postseason, helping steer his team to the Finals. Haliburton is what you might call a pass-first point guard—yet he still manages to average 18 points per game without hoarding stats the way many All-Stars tend to do.

His unselfish play has paid off in spades. The Pacers just look different this year—moving the ball better than almost any other team in the league and playing a defensive game that feels more at home in the NCAA Finals than the modern NBA.

In an era that often favors quick pull-up threes over carefully constructed, multiple-touch possessions, Indiana’s play style is a refreshing throwback.

Haliburton may not have entered the year with high expectations from the media, but he’s certainly proven the doubters wrong.

Jalen Brunson

Jalen Brunson, playing for the Knicks, was named the NBA Clutch Player of the Year this season—and that reputation absolutely carried into the postseason.

He scored more than 140 points in the fourth quarter alone during the playoffs. This achievement, impressive as it was, ultimately wasn’t enough to carry the Knicks to the championship—but only because they were stopped by the Haliburton-led Pacers.

Brunson has a knack for getting to his spots, and those spots seem to stretch far and wide. The deeper, the better for this sharp-shooting three-point master.

Anthony Edwards

Anthony Edwards, playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaged 25.3 points during the postseason, grabbed nearly 8 rebounds per game, and logged almost 40 minutes on the floor each night.

 Unfortunately, the Timberwolves fell early to the Thunder—but only because it was a tough, unfavorable matchup. The young star was likely disappointed, but not discouraged. At just 23 years old, Edwards is already one of the league’s most promising talents. Expect to see a lot more from him in the postseason for years to come.

Nikola Jokic

The Nuggets didn’t go as far as they could have this year—but it wasn’t for lack of effort on The Joker’s part. Nikola Jokić averaged a double-double during the playoffs with 26 points and 12 rebounds, plus 8 assists in over 40 minutes per game.

While it’s hard to overstate his impact, his team’s mediocre postseason finish does dim the spotlight just a bit. Still, Jokić contributed more to his team than almost anyone else this postseason. In a different scenario—one where the Nuggets made the Finals—he would have been a top contender for playoff MVP.

Is the NBA still personality-dependent?

It’s fun to talk about top performers and every great NBA squad certainly has its leaders and standouts.

Still, the league has struggled with an icon problem for much of the 21st century.

Gone is the teamwork and strategy that defined the NBA’s golden era. Aren’t we all a little tired of watching star players bring the ball down, pull up for a deep three, and then jog back to play half-hearted defense?

The concept of the “star player” isn’t going anywhere. These athletes make crucial on-court contributions and also serve as the face of the league—brands unto themselves. But maybe, just maybe, the NBA could take a page from the Pacers’ playbook. Indiana moved the ball like a college team and played aggressive, physical defense.

A full transition away from star-centered basketball might be unrealistic, but it’s clear there’s a growing appetite for more cohesion and a more deliberate pace of play.

 Both the Thunder and the Pacers have shown how far team-oriented basketball can go. With a little luck, that could be a trend more franchises follow in the years ahead.

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