There is still an overwhelming amount of talent gearing up to compete in the NBA finals. usatodaysports ranks the players:
CLOSE SportsPulse: Even though the NBA Finals gets underway Thursday, there's no doubt Kevin Durant and Kawhi Lenoard's looming free agency decisions have more intrigue and lasting impact on the league landscape. USA TODAY
Editor's note: Players must be averaging more than 15 minutes per game this postseason to qualify, which excluded guys like DeMarcus Cousins, Shaun Livingston, Andrew Bogut, Jodie Meeks and Quinn Cook. 3. Stephen Curry — Don't look too much into a No. 3 spot for Curry. The top three is really 1A, 1B and 1C, and the order can certainly be switched depending on your definition of "best." This should be the year he finally captures that elusive Finals MVP.
6. Kyle Lowry — Regular season Lowry vs. playoff Lowry has long been a topic of discussion, but the veteran point guard has come up big this postseason, and he'll need to continue to do just that, on both ends of the floor, for the Raptors to make this a series. 9. Andre Iguodala — Three players on this list have won a Finals MVP. One of them is Iguodala. Don't expect him to have the series he did in 2015, but there's no question how valuable he is to the Warriors, particularly on this stage. The Warriors' long layoff before the start of the Finals should prove to be huge for the 35 year old.
12. Fred VanVleet — The third-year guard was almost unplayable earlier in the playoffs, but he's hot at the perfect time, heading into the Finals having made 14 of his last 17 3-point attempts while scoring 13, 21 and 14 points in Games 4, 5 and 6 against Milwaukee. The importance of his play off the bench can't be overstated.
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