The best players in the 2025 NBA playoffs

We are nearing the end of May and, as usual, the NBA playoffs are also coming to an end. Fans from all across the globe are anxiously awaiting the start of the Finals which promise, as always, to provide great excitement. Whoever wants to stay up to date on the odds and have useful tips for betting on these games can do so by consulting the predictions for the playoffs in this list, offered by Oddschecker, one of the most trusted aggregators on the net. This platform is the go-to destination for whoever would like to get to know more about basketball news and statistics.

There are only four teams remaining in the fray. Two will play for the East crown (the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers) while the others will clash for the West title (the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves). We have chosen four absolute top players for these teams and crowned them as the best players in these playoffs, given their impact and what they meant for their team, as well as what their performance may provide during the chase for the title.

Tyrese Haliburton

There is a reason why the Pacers are in the finals and this reason goes by the name of Tyrese. The fifth-year guard entered the season dealing with an injury and wasn’t himself for much of the first half of the schedule. But then, everything changed. A lot. He got healthier around the new All-Star break (which didn’t convince many, once again) and regained his All-NBA form. Since February he averaged 20 points and 11 assists on 53% shooting after the break. He is a polarizing player, as everyone who knows ball is well aware, but he showed this year he can thrive in a playoff setting.

Haliburton drives the Pacers’ speed attack, often by himself, and is the lifeblood of the offense. He has got a clear weakness because defensively can be targeted in late-game situations, becoming an issue for his colours. Indiana is the clear underdog in the East, but a top-notch performance from Haliburton could give them the edge in the series.

Karl-Anthony Towns

The New York Knicks dominated this year and they showed their might also during the playoffs, destroying the Boston Celtics, who happened to win the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy last season, but never showed it against NY. The Knicks aren’t a one-man team like the Pacers, but can count on several stars: Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Jalen Brunson and, obviously, KAT. This is quite the roster.

The Knicks acquired Towns in the midst of training camp, mainly because of his incredible floor-spacing ability. The All-Star big man didn’t disappoint. He finished his first season in New York hitting a career-best 42% of his tries from deep. He opened a lot of space, each and every game, driving the ball to the basket more than he ever had in the previous stages of his remarkable career . His rebounding and passing were massive bright spots. Of course, his struggles to protect the rim, particularly against elite offenses, remains something to watch in the East finals but hey, that’s what teammates are for!

Anthony Edwards

Edwards didn’t win the MVP title in the end. However, that doesn’t mean he didn’t have a season to remember. Early this year, a lot of people criticized Edwards, because he was shooting too many 3s and didn’t play the ball enough. He didn’t care a lot, as it would seem, since he responded with a league-high 320 made three-points baskets, which isn’t bad at all, even if we are talking about a 39.5% shooting. Edwards averaged a career-high 27.6 points on the best true shooting percentage of his career and is clearly a lock for a second consecutive All-NBA honor. He is probably glad but would certainly prefer to lift some silverware. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has just been named the MVP of the season. SGA has been amazing this season and he is the main reason why the Thunder will be a force to be reckoned with in the next coming years.

Gilgeous-Alexander led the league in scoring (32.7 points) in 2024-2025, while averaging a career-high 6.4 assists. He was also a playmaking contributor (with 1.7 steals, 1.0 blocks) to the NBA’s top-ranked defense. The Thunder got eliminated in the second round, as a top seed, last season, but there shouldn’t be any doubts about Gilgeous-Alexander’s ability to perform under playoff pressure this time. OKC is the Western favourite to get in the Finals. SGA is cementing his legacy, contributing more and more to the cause of one of the most ambitious NBA franchises.