Top five players of the 2013 NBA Playoffs

Marc Gasol #33 of the Memphis Grizzlies (Getty Images)

The Miami Heat may have clinched their second consecutive NBA championship, but it wasn’t without two epic seven-game series.  Along the way, the Playoffs witnessed some classic performances. Here are my top five players of the 2013 NBA Playoffs:

Honorable mention: Marc Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies

Gasol and the Memphis Grizzlies kept transforming themselves as games went by. They were sensational in the paint till the San Antonio Spurs outplayed them in the Western Conference Finals. Gasol’s stats were laudable; he averaged 17.2 PPG in over 40 minutes of game time and picked up 8.5 RPG.

This did not only prove instrumental in vitalising the progress of the Grizzlies in the playoffs but showed the improving upscale of Gasol from a prominent defensive powerhouse to an all-round contributor. Over the years, the Spaniard’s adjustment from a focal magnate in grabbing rebounds to a versatile presence in both offense and defence has been poignant in Memphis’ subtle ascent to becoming a playoff contender.

Gasol’s constant thrive in Grizzlies’ defence helped shut out the likes of Sergei Ibaka, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, while he also made the best of his size in grabbing offensive rebounds and his omnipresent postplay in the frontcourt.