Less than 20 games remain in a crazy NBA regular season where preseason favorites have wilted (Lakers, Clippers, Nets) and underdogs have soared (Grizzlies, Bulls, Cavs). Here are the five players whose reputations can be altered most drastically this postseason.
No. 5: DeMar DeRozan -- Before the season, this would've seemed silly. How dramatically could DeRozan change his reputation as a good, not great, certainly not all-time player? He's a five-time All-Star, but never All-NBA first team, and certainly never considered one of the 10 best players in the league. He's been the best player on serviceable playoff teams, however the Raptors won a championship precisely because they traded him for Kawhi Leonard.
But he's been scintillating in his first season with the Bulls, ripping off 10 straight games with 30-plus points, the first time a Bulls player has done that since Michael Jordan. He was the Eastern Conference Player of the Month in February, and Chicago is tied with the 76ers for the second-best record in the East. If DeRozan can push the Bulls to a conference finals or an NBA Finals, he'll have completely changed how we suddenly view him at 32 years old.
No. 4: Russell Westbrook -- It's been an unmitigated nightmare in Los Angeles, the basketball equivalent of a jackknifed tractor trailer on the 405. There's too much traffic in not enough space, and everyone's rubber-necking to see the wreckage. The Lakers are unsightly, losing to supposedly inferior teams on a nightly basis. LeBron James is still doing LeBron James things, but the addition of Russ has clearly been a worst-case scenario.
He's had trouble scoring, shooting, coming off the bench, in crunchtime, and fitting into the roster. Other than that, he's been great. If the Lakers flame out early or miss the playoffs altogether, it's an undeniable stain on Westbrook's already questionable playoff resume. But if somehow he becomes an integral part of a signature LeBron run to the Finals, the narrative could flip. Seems so unlikely, though, he's only fourth on this list.
No. 3: James Harden -- A player known for regular season mastery and playoff droughts has perhaps his best chance at changing that reputation. It's only been a handful of games since the trade, but Harden looks completely at home playing alongside his Sixers teammates. His unparalleled playmaking has been displayed, and the ease at which he fills up stat sheets is incredible.
With Philly, he's averaged 27 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds, along with shooting 59-percent from the field. The Sixers were a title contender before the trade. Now, with a fully rejuvenated Harden, they might be the favorite in the East. A championship would push him into the next tier of all-time greats, and cement his status as a wildly talented player -- and finally a winner.
No. 2: The Suns backcourt -- Let's lump Chris Paul and Devin Booker together -- they both have so much to gain with a title. Paul's already one of the greatest point guards ever, and a member of the NBA's 75th anniversary team. His resume lacks an elusive championship. Few blame Paul for many of the ill-fated trips to the playoffs, but it certainly is a gaping void for his career. An NBA Finals trophy would complete an all-time player. Paul is 36 years old, and there may not be another chance as good as this one to do it.
Like Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021, Booker would be able to push himself into a different stratosphere with a ring. The shooting guard has now matured into one of the best scorers in the league, and a clutch shot as well. You earn a different level of respect, though, when you complete the mission. Booker would become an all-time great with a championship at just 25 years old.
No. 1: Joel Embiid -- At 27 years old, he's squarely in his prime. Embiid has never been to a conference finals, and lost in the second round three times, twice in a crushing Game 7. He's the last man standing from the 'Process,' but has validated Philly's tanking with five All-Star Game appearances and three All-NBA second teams across the past four seasons. Antetokounmpo broke through into history last year with a sensational run to a title. Embiid has the same potential.
Now he's got his best running mate ever, in Harden. Embiid has been an MVP candidate all season, the Sixers have perhaps the East's best team, and a dominant Tour De Force to a title would mean a legacy-altering ascension as one of the great big men of all-time. Another second-round flameout after a brilliant campaign -- while playing alongside a future Hall of Famer -- would be hard to forget.