Playoff Stock Soars: The Names Carving Out a Run at Glory

The dust is still settling from a wild first round, and the NBN’s playoff picture has already separated the contenders from the pretenders. Eight series ended with a punch, but four fresh matchups now await: Mavericks–Jazz, 76ers–Wizards, Thunder–Nuggets, and Nets–Raptors.

One caveat before the highlight reel: the supplied game results provide team scores rather than individual box scores. So the early playoff MVP board is being judged through the ultimate team metric—survival—backed by each player’s regular-season production. No fake numbers, no phantom 27-point performances. Just basketball truth with the confetti still on the floor.

1. Ron Mercer: The Dallas Lead Guitarist

Ron Mercer is the first name on the watch list. The Dallas Mavericks steamrolled past the Supersonics in five games, giving Mercer a cushioned runway into the conference semifinals against Utah.

His regular-season numbers are hardly subtle: 29.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game on 47.7% shooting, with a 59.1% true shooting rate. That is not a role-player package. That is a franchise player with a broom in one hand and a flamethrower in the other.

With Bill Russell averaging 15.0 rebounds, Dallas owns an interior safety net as well. Mercer has the star power; Russell has the glass. Utah should be warned.

2. Lester Conner and Nate Thurmond: Oklahoma City’s Answer to “Who?”

The Oklahoma City Thunder needed seven games to escape the Phoenix Suns, but escaping may be the most impressive part. Conner finished the regular season at 29.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists, while center Nate Thurmond commanded 15.2 rebounds per night.

That combination matters in the next round. Denver features Jermaine O’Neal and Zoran Radovic, but the Thunder can counter with Conner’s scoring and Thurmond’s work on the boards. Game 1 against the Nuggets will reveal whether Oklahoma City’s survival was merely hard-nosed—or the beginning of something special.

3. Shawn Marion and Jay Williams: Brooklyn’s Twin Engines

The Brooklyn Nets advanced in five over Indiana and now face the Raptors, who themselves survived a seven-game war with Atlanta. Brooklyn’s regular-season foundation is imposing.

Shawn Marion posted 29.2 points and a league-leading 12.2 rebounds per game. Jay Williams added 22.0 points and 10.5 assists on 49.2% shooting. One controls the paint; the other controls the offense. That is an excellent problem for opposing coaches.

Williams’ 60.7% true shooting rate suggests Brooklyn’s ball movement is elite rather than decorative. Against a Raptors team that finally answered back after being down 1-0, the Nets’ star duo has become a genuine conference-final threat.

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4. Jermaine O’Neal and Zoran Radovic: Denver’s Two-Headed Monster

Denver’s series win over Memphis required seven games, but the Nuggets enter the semifinals with serious talent. Jermaine O’Neal averaged 21.6 points and 14.4 rebounds, while Zoran Radovic delivered 24.7 points and 9.9 assists.

Radovic is the breakout stock riser: a primary creator who also runs the point, with a 55.9% true shooting rate. If he turns Oklahoma City’s defensive attention into easy looks for Jermaine O’Neal, Denver could turn a grinding series opener into a statement.

5. Carmelo Anthony: The Villain With Nowhere to Hide

Every playoff run needs a villain, and Carmelo Anthony has volunteered for the role. The Atlanta Hawks were eliminated 4-1 by the Raptors, despite Melo leading his era with 29.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

That is the uncomfortable script flip: regular-season brilliance followed by postseason elimination. Atlanta also featured Chris Paul at 10.3 assists and Kermit Washington at 14.2 rebounds, yet the Hawks never found a winning formula. Melo’s individual résumé remains elite; his team’s playoff résumé does not.

Provisional Playoff MVP: Ron Mercer

With conference semifinals only beginning, naming a Playoff MVP would be premature. If forced to pick today’s frontrunner, though, Mercer has the strongest case: 29.9 points, efficient shooting, a five-game series victory and the easiest-looking path among the four contenders. Chris Paul, Radovic and Williams are the primary challenges.

The regular-season script is already clear: Mercer, Conner, Marion and O’Neal dominate the individual numbers. The postseason script is about who converts that production into series-clinching performances. Dallas has the current favorite’s look; Brooklyn has the cleanest star balance; Oklahoma City and Denver bring the most dangerous tension. Welcome to the conference semifinals—where the regular-season stars will either become legends or discover how quickly playoff basketball can turn spectacular into heartbreaking.

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