Postseason MVPs: Stars of Week 1 There's no denying that this postseason is missing some stars. Guys like Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Chris Bosh and Russell Westbrook have become regular playoff fixtures. But their absences give other players an opportunity to raise their performance level. Based on the first week of playoff action, new stars are ready to pick up the torch. Here's a look at the most valuable players from the postseason so far -- the 10 biggest difference-makers, strictly from the perspective of who is most helping his team win. (Check back every week as we update this list throughout the playoffs.) 1. John Wall, PG Washington Wizards 2015 playoff stats: 18.0 PPG | 12.5 APG Considering the incredible intensity Wall brought to Toronto, where the Wizards took two games from the Raptors, it's fair to wonder whether he takes it personally when he doesn't hear his name mentioned in all the talk about the top point guards, especially because he's been the best player from his class for a long time. The Raptors surely recognize his talents after seeing what Wall has done to them so far. He is playing with an obvious edge that has clearly carried over to his teammates. He has beaten Toronto with his defense, passing and scoring. In Game 2, he tallied 26 points and 17 assists -- while constantly wearing a "you can't beat us" look on his face -- to put Washington in prime position to pull off a series win. There's no question Wall is an elite point guard. He also might be the league's top defender at his position, which is no small thing in this era of fantastic scoring point guards, and plays with the will of a big man, seeking to dominate and destroy the heart of his opponents. 2. Derrick Rose, PG Chicago Bulls 2015 playoff stats: 24.0 PPG | 8.0 RPG Rose's numbers weren't staggering in the first two games, but his style points were huge for his teammates and fans. When Rose made a few acrobatic and powerful finishes in Game 1, everyone in the building was surely thinking, "He's back!" Nothing is more valuable to a team than having the genuine belief that it can accomplish a feat. When the Bulls saw Rose playing the way he did in the first two games, that belief surely soared. Then Game 3 happened -- a D-Rose masterpiece that had him looking dominant. A Rose who hits 3s and repeatedly swoops to the rim in traffic to score dramatically changes the offensive flow of the Bulls and makes them far harder to slow down, as the Bucks' strong defense has witnessed firsthand. 3. Stephen Curry, PG Golden State Warriors 2015 playoff stats: 32.0 PPG | 6.7 APG Curry is far from just an elite shooter and passer; he is also a brilliant shot-maker who can change the way a defense is playing in so many ways. In fact, he has constantly made shots against Anthony Davis, the soon-to-be best player on Earth, attacking him and then using either a quick scoop or a fake to create the space he needs to get a shot up. His and-1 reverse layup high off the glass against Davis late in the first half of Game 1 was simply magical. Of course, that's not the shot everyone is talking about Friday after Curry's game-tying 3 from the corner sent Game 3 into overtime and propelled his team to a 3-0 series lead after a furious comeback. His casual appearance as a player -- chomping on his mouthpiece as he takes free throws under pressure, or slowly walking to the bench after a timeout -- belies an impressive competitive fire. That fire, along with his confidence that he is the best player on the court every night out, set him apart. 4. Dwight Howard, C Houston Rockets 2015 playoff stats: 19.5 PPG | 3.5 BPG Anyone watching the Rockets-Mavericks series can see that Dallas has had no answer for Howard. In Game 1, even though he played only 17 minutes because of foul trouble, he dominated when he was on the court and helped the Rockets earn a crucial win. And in Game 2, when he played more than 30 minutes for the first time since Jan. 19, his presence in the paint on both ends was far too much for the Mavericks to handle. The Mavs began the series focused on making it difficult for James Harden to score, but now they must focus on how to keep Howard from his lob dunks at the end of ball-screen actions. His athleticism is overwhelming the entire Mavs team. They must also account for his shot-blocking and overall presence on defense, where he's covering ground all over the court, not just in the paint. It's fair to say this is the Dwight Howard that GM Daryl Morey envisioned would pair well with his super scorer and gifted passer, Harden. 5. Tim Duncan, PF San Antonio Spurs 2015 playoff stats: 19.5 PPG | 11.0 RPG Thanks to Duncan, the Spurs pulled off the biggest road win of the postseason so far, beating a Clippers team that had won 15 of its past 16 games. Although Tony Parker struggled and Manu Ginobili picked up an early sixth foul, Duncan was able to keep the Spurs afloat for three and a half quarters with his impressive ability to make shots over and around DeAndre Jordan. He struggled in the fourth quarter but did enough to help the Spurs hold on in OT for the Game 2 win to even the series. Duncan's ability on defense to help on ball screens and recover to bother shooters into misses before grabbing a rebound still ranks among the best in the league. And his feel for open spots on offense, along with his ability to make easy passes to teammates in better spots, helps the Spurs generate offensive punch even when Parker is off. 6. Chris Paul, PG Los Angles Clippers 2015 playoff stats: 26.5 PPG | 6.5 RPG Blake Griffin had a costly turnover in Game 2 with 11 seconds left in regulation and the Clippers holding a 2-point lead, and Paul's reaction was clear. It was like he recognized in that moment that Griffin's mistake had a real chance to be a disaster for his team. The Clippers ended up losing in overtime. Yes, the series is still up for grabs, but if the Clippers lose, we can be sure that Paul will never forget -- and maybe never forgive -- that error. Because, up to that point, it looked like he had put his team in the perfect position to go up 2-0 on the defending champs. Paul has been masterful in the playoffs, as he has been all season -- in attack mode when necessary, while also running his team and finding holes in the Spurs' defense. In addition, he has been the team's lockdown defender on the perimeter and helped hold Tony Parker to 11 points on 4-for-17 shooting combined in the first two games. Paul knows his place as perhaps the best player never to play in an NBA Finals, and his engine is revving as hot as we've ever seen to change that. 7. Jimmy Butler, SG Chicago Bulls 2015 playoff stats: 26.7 PPG | 4.7 RPG Much has been made of the return of Derrick Rose, and it is indeed a great story. But while Rose was dealing with his injuries, Butler ascended to the top spot on the Bulls' roster. And nothing has changed in the postseason, except that Butler might be playing even better. After the Bulls cruised to a win in Game 1, Butler got them off to a good start in Game 2 with an and-1 on their first possession. He finished off the Bucks with a sizzling array of buckets and 3s in a very competitive fourth quarter. Butler had 56 points on 33 shots in the Bulls' two home wins, scoring off slashes, dribble drives, perimeter shots, free throws and one-on-one isolation moves while being guarded by the Bucks' best defender, Khris Middleton. His jab-and-go move for an and-1 dunk (below) lit up the crowd and was part of a Butler scoring spree that brought the Bulls back from behind to win Game 2. Then, in their backbreaking win to take a three-game lead, it was Butler's wing denial, steal and dunk to start the second overtime that seemed to squash the spirit of a tired Bucks team. Butler isn't shooting well from 3 in the series, but his overall great play on both ends is one of two big difference-makers for Chicago. 8. Marcin Gortat, C Washington Wizards 2015 playoff stats: 12.0 PPG | 8.0 RPG Other players have more impressive postseason numbers so far, but Gortat's 10 first-quarter points in Game 2 were so key for Washington. His early baskets allowed the Wizards to keep up with the Raptors, who came out strong after losing Game 1. And when Toronto, after falling behind in the third quarter, came back to make it a 10-point game with three minutes to play and the crowd rocking with belief, Gortat ended the game with an and-1 off a perfect pass out of a high ball screen. Here's the key to Gortat's impact: He is matching John Wall's intensity step for step and supplying leadership as well. In fact, watch that big three-point play closely and you'll see Gortat tell Otto Porter Jr. exactly where to line up and where to run before he went to set the screen. Maybe Porter would have moved correctly on his own. Maybe he just couldn't hear the play call over the din of the crowd. But Gortat simply took "maybe" out of the equation by telling him what to do. It wasn't as spectacular as a dunk in traffic, but it was exactly what was needed to deliver the win. 9. LeBron James, SF Cleveland Cavaliers 2015 playoff stats: 27.0 PPG | 8.7 RPG Yes, Kyrie Irving had an incredible Game 1 and Kevin Love was a monster in Game 3. But LeBron has been the team's constant playmaker and defender in each game while letting his teammates shine when they can, and he stepped up when needed most in all three games. LeBron looks like he has a lot more to bring to the table when the Cavs eventually face a more challenging opponent. We have every reason to believe he'll have more memorable games in the coming weeks. 10. Klay Thompson, SG Golden State Warriors 2015 playoff stats: 25.0 PPG | 3.3 RPG Like Stephen Curry, Thompson knows he has to be aggressive if the Warriors are to be successful offensively. So even when he has trouble finding his shot, it is imperative that he doesn't shy away from trying to create for himself. That is harder to do in the playoffs than the regular season, yet Thompson has done exactly that to help his team to a 3-0 lead against a very good 8-seed in the Pelicans. He's not just doing it from downtown, either, as he has used his size to create 16-foot shots that he can easily make over smaller defenders. Also noteworthy is that Thompson has remained competitive on defense, not resting to save energy for his offense. Next up: Mike Conley, James Harden, Blake Griffin, Kyle Korver
next week harden and howard will be there. howard with 30 points 20 rebounds harden 40 points 10 assists
