1st Team:

PG- Derrick Rose (Vitals: 27.6ppg, 6.2apg, 2.6spg, 10.2FTM/game)
The MVP showed why he is the prototype for all future PGs to follow him. While he had minor setbacks guarding Darren Collison, Indiana had absolutely no answer for Rose. Even on a sore ankle Derrick set the tempo for game 5, scoring 25 points in 30 minutes.

SG- Ray Allen (Vitals: 22ppg, 57%FG, 65%3PTFG, 100%FT)
When Mr. Shuttlesworth is shooting like he did throughout the 1st Rd matchup against New York he is more valuable than any other shooting guard in the league. At age 35, Allen seems to have mastered his own game. Knowing his weaknesses, strengths, and improving his overall defense the last two years has made him more than imperative to the Celtics success this postseason.

SF- Kevin Durant (Vitals: 32.4ppg, 5.6rpg, 47%FG, 43%3PTFG, 84%FT, 9.6FTM/game)
At times in the Denver series, Durant gave me flashbacks of his UT days. By himself, he can make an entire opposing team's defensive gameplan irrelevant. The only difference in Durant's game from age 19 to now is the consistency of his range. When he's having a good night there is no one in the game who can stop him. The kid is only 22. Not even a finished product.

PF- Zach Randolph (Vitals: 21.5ppg, 9.2rpg, 1.3spg, 50%FG, 82%FT)
Randolph dominated the Spurs interior defense when it mattered in the historically successful 1st round series. Consistency will be the key moving forward as Randolph was held to 11pts twice in the 1st round. His play down the stretch of game 6 was something not to be missed. Z-Bo's 17pts in the 4th quarter were the 5th most in a series clinching game the last 15 seasons. His determination was more than admirable.

C- Dwight Howard (Vitals: 27ppg, 15.5rpg, 1.8bpg, 63%FG)
Orlando was horribly exposed as a one man show in 6 games by the Atlanta Hawks. Fortunately for that one man, he was nearly unstoppable. Howard had one hiccup in game 5 where he scored 8pts and grabbed only 8 boards, but consider his averages in this series. I'll keep banging the drum on this, but I cannot wait to see him on a legit contender.

2nd Team:

PG- Russell Westbrook (Vitals: 23.8ppg, 6.2apg, 6rpg)
I'm not piling on Westbrook like everyone else, even his Head Coach, is doing. The kid is less of a true PG than D-Rose. I appreciate how far he's developed from just an athlete to complete stud in a matter of 2 years. I love his willingness to talk shit to everyone. Even teammates.

SG- Dwyane Wade (Vitals: 22.2ppg, 8.4rpg, 5.2apg, 2bpg, 1.4spg, 83%FT)
D-Wade scored 14 and 17pts in the first two games against Philly. When the series became intense D-Wade adhered to the challenge. I don't know if he'll hold up throughout the entire heat run, but it is fun to watch him share dominating stretches of quarters throughout a game with his equally capable teammate.

SF- Lebron James (Vitals: 24.2ppg, 10.6rpg, 6.2apg, 47%FG)
The only thing that will sow down Lebron this postseason will be his coaches. If he continues to average 10+rpg for the extended playoff run, the Heat will be very tough to beat. The NBA doesn't need Lebron to learn the intricate angles of interior passing, or anything to do with a post game for that matter, just yet.

PF- Dirk Nowitzki (Vitals: 27.3ppg, 7.8rpg, 45%FG, 44%3PTFG, 9.3FTM/game)
Speaking of unstoppable. Portland tried everyone on Nowitzki, and it didn't matter. He owns the lane with all the goofy angled fade-away jumpers that no power forward in the NBA can defend. He stretches opposing defenses so thin it makes the offensive rebounding duties of the Mavericks 3 and 5 positions much easier.

C- Marc Gasol (Vitals: 14.2ppg, 12.3rpg, 1.5bpg, 53%FG)
His defensive intensity and non stop annoyance of Tim Duncan throughout the Spurs series helped to easily establish Gasol as a top 10 center in the NBA. That is something I never imagined saying when Gasol became a starter for Memphis in 2008. This man, along with his teammate Zach Randolph, may have literally made the greatest Power Forward of all time retire with the ass kicking they gave the aged Duncan. The emotional leader of the Grizzlies.

3rd Team:

PG- Rajon Rondo (Vitals: 19ppg, 12apg, 7.3rpg, 50%FG)
Heee's Baaaaack!!! Back in the top 5 PGs discussion that is. Doc Rivers putting him in the post the last two games of the Knicks sweep seemed to display parts of Rondo's game no one knew existed.

SG- Jamal Crawford (Vitals: 20.5ppg, 43%FG, 46%3PTFG)
I've watched way more Jamal Crawford games than I care to remember, but I do know one thing. When he is hitting long range shots from distance, it is very hard to guard him. Atlanta has learned how to thrive around these shooting streaks of Crawford.

SF- Paul Pierce (Vitals: 22.3ppg, 46%FG, 50%3PTFG, 93%FT, 2spg)
Another crucial cog in the Celtics engine. The Knicks seemed to dictate the tempo more when Pierce wasn't on the floor in the 1st round series. When Pierce was on the court, NY had no answer for him. Pierce basically did whatever he wanted on offense, and was equally important on defense.

PF- Carmelo Anthony (Vitals: 26ppg, 10.3rpg, 4.8apg, 1.3spg, 85%FT)
The only chance the Knicks had. However, in the 2011 NBA playoffs, a one man team cannot win a playoff series. His game 2 performance with 42pts, 17rebs, 6ast, 2blks, 46%FG, 50%3PTFG, 10-11FT was the best game I've ever seen him play.

C- Andrew Bynum (Vitals: 15.2ppg, 10.3rpg, 1.8bpg, 55%FG, 77%FT)
The only consistent player the Lakers had in their 1st round wakeup series against the Hornets. Amazingly efficient averaging only 30min/game. Now that Kobe's health is betraying his production, Bynum's play is more important than ever to the Lakers NBA Finals chances.

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No.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

And yet somehow you still remain an idiot.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Hard to argue. Derrick and him share the honors IMO.

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