The Top 20 Most Valuable Players After the First Round of the Playoffs Disturbed NBA Fans
summary
- ESPN ranked LeBron James #3 and Jalen Brunson #15 on their list of most valuable players after the first round.
- Fans didn’t fully agree with the rankings and called out ESPN on social media.
ESPN recently released a list of the top most valuable players after the first round of the playoffs, and many NBA fans think they ranked LeBron James surprisingly high. As the majority of the basketball community should be aware, the conference semifinals are currently underway and only 8 teams remain after the first round of the postseason.
Since ESPN is well-known for creating unique lists and keeping fans informed, many were not surprised to learn that it named the 20 most valuable players for the first round of the playoffs. While it’s certainly an interesting idea, fans believe ESPN got it wrong and made critical errors. With that being said, one may want to take a closer look at this list and learn more.
Fans think LeBron James’ ranking is too high
LeBron James is quite the polarizing figure in the NBA. Although he has many fans, there are also plenty of critics. Since the 4x NBA Champion is in the 21st year of his career and clearly isn’t the player he used to be, ESPN’s list of the most valuable players in the first round has him at #3 so fans beware.
ESPN’s 20 Most Valuable Players of the NBA Playoffs First Round
1. Nikola Jokic
2. Anthony Edwards
3. LeBron James
4. Kyrie Irving
5. Derrick White
6. Joel Embiid
7. Anthony Davies
8. Jalen Williams
9. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
10. Michael Porter Jr
11. Jayson Tatum
12. Luka Doncic…— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 6, 2024
Although LeBron played well in the series against the Nuggets and was undoubtedly the second-best player on his team, fans did not believe his play was good enough to be considered a top 3 player in the first round. Especially since the Lakers lost to the Nuggets in 5 games, “How is LeBron above those who won in the first round?
How does LeBron top those who win in the first round?
— Invest4life (@mc_tonym) May 7, 2024
At LeBron 3 pic.twitter.com/QfYoe9UiRK
— ³⁰🌞 (@GameOnSteph_) May 6, 2024
Because the list refers only to the most valuable players as opposed to those who advanced to the next round, it has been the subject of intense discussion and debate within the basketball community. Moreover, the King James position is not the only error.
Why does Jalen Brunson deserve a better spot?
New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson has been playing at a top-level level this postseason and is the biggest reason the Knicks are still in contention for the NBA title. Despite being the best player on the court with multiple 40-point games, Brunson finished 15th behind Franz Wagner and James Harden.
…how’s Brunson 15? ESPN should be shut down.
— RGT 85 (@RGT_85) May 6, 2024
Jalen Brunson would be top 3. This list is embarra*sing
— ny Homer (@D26034482) May 6, 2024
This must be a mistake because Brunson is his team’s #1 option while Franz and Harden are not. Furthermore, the list also fails to include others like Donovan Mitchell, who undoubtedly deserves a spot after his contributions in the first round. Regardless, fans are wondering if the second round’s Most Valuable Players list will be more accurate.