Tier 1: Top usage on multiple championship winning teams
- Lebron James (2012 Heat, 2013 Heat, 2016 Cavaliers, 2020 Lakers)
- Steph Curry (2015 Warriors, 2017 Warriors, 2022 Warriors)
- Kobe Bryant (2009 Lakers, 2010 Lakers)
- Tim Duncan (2005 Spurs, 2007 Spurs)
Tier 2: Top usage on a single championship winning team
- Rip Hamilton (2004 Pistons)
- Dwayne Wade (2006 Heat)
- Kevin Garnett (2008 Celtics)
- Dirk Nowitzki (2011 Mavericks)
- Tony Parker (2014 Spurs)
- Kevin Durant (2018 Warriors)
- Kawhi Leonard (2019 Raptors)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (2021 Bucks)
- Nikola Jokic (2023 Nuggets)
Tier 3: Top usage on multiple teams that made the finals
- Jimmy Butler (2020 Heat, 2023 Heat)
Tier 4: Top usage on a single team that made the finals
- Dwight Howard (2009 Magic)
- Paul Pierce (2010 Celtics)
- Russell Westbrook (2012 Thunder)
- Devin Booker (2021 Suns)
- Jayson Tatum (2022 Celtics)
Tier 5: Top usage on multiple teams that made the conference finals
- James Harden (2015 Rockets, 2018 Rockets)
- Paul George (2021 Clippers, 2013 Pacers)
Tier 6: Top usage on single team that made the conference finals.
- Jermaine O’Neal (2004 Pacers)
- Steve Nash (2006 Suns)
- Carlos Boozer (2007 Jazz)
- Carmelo Anthony (2009 Nuggets)
- Amare Stoudemire (2010 Suns)
- Derrick Rose (2011 Bulls)
- Zach Randolph (2013 Grizzlies)
- Jeff Teague (2015 Hawks)
- Demar Derozan (2016 Raptors)
- Isaiah Thomas (2017 Celtics)
- Jaylen Brown (2018 Celtics)
- Dame Lillard (2019 Blazers)
- Trae Young (2021 Hawks)
Tier 7: Top usage on multiple teams that won first round playoff series
- Vince Carter (2006 Nets, 2007 Nets)
- Josh Smith (2009 Hawks, 2011 Hawks)
- Joe Johnson (2010 Hawks, 2014 Nets)
- Blake Griffin (2012 Clippers, 2013 Clippers, 2014 Clippers)
- John Wall (2014 Wizards, 2017 Wizards)
- Joel Embiid (2018 Sixers, 2019 Sixers, 2021 Sixers, 2022 Sixers, 2023 Sixers)
- Donovan Mitchell (2018 Jazz, 2021 Jazz)
Tier 8: Top usage on a team that has won a first round playoff series
- Richard Jefferson (2004 Nets)
- Chris Webber (2004 Kings)
- Ray Allen (2005 Sonics)
- Gilbert Arenas (2005 Wizards)
- Elton Brand (2006 Clippers)
- Luol Deng (2007 Bulls)
- Baron Davis (2007 Warriors)
- Chris Paul (2008 Hornets)
- Hedo Turkoglu (2008 Magic)
- Ron Artest (2009 Rockets)
- Lou Williams (2012 Sixers)
- Danny Granger (2012 Pacers)
- Nate Robinson (2013 Bulls)
- LMA (2014 Blazers)
- Bradley Beal (2015 Wizards)
- Marc Gasol (2015 Grizzlies)
- Gordon Hayward (2017 Jazz)
- Anthony Davis (2018 Pelicans)
- Kyrie Irving (2019 Celtics)
- Pascal Siakam (2020 Raptors)
- Ja Morant (2022 Grizzlies)
- Jalen Brunson (2023 Knicks)
Just peaks. Its interesting to me that you can make the finals with Westbrook as your top usage player but you cant make the conference finals with Embiid as your top usage player.
“Can’t” meaning you think it’s impossible?
I don’t understand how Philly isn’t burning Embiid at the stake at this point. They don’t just tolerate him either, they’re completely entranced by him. He’s their hero for sucking in the playoffs year after year after year. It’s so weird lol
They have changed everything about that team except Embiid, yet the problem persists…
Because of ben simmons and doc . While embiid is bad theres always a worst beast
He’s on his 3rd coach, and 3rd co-star in 5 years.
If everywhere you go smells like shit…
The same way we still love Demar, despite him not being a winning player. Don’t think it’s all that hard to understand.
KD might be a factor. Just maybe.
When you look at those Thunder teams, the performance is better in years when Westbrook is the top option. They made the conference finals twice with Westbrook at 1A and the Finals once with Westbrook as 1A. With Durant as top usage, the Thunder only made round 2 and that was their ceiling.
Wasn’t 2013 the year Westbrook got injured? I’d say that West plus KD is better than KD and no Russ, regardless of usage distribution
Yes this is an example of someone only looking at stats and entirely ignoring everything else which is sloppy analysis.