All-NBA Playoff Awards: Which 10 stars made our first, second teams?
Key takeaways
- The NBA has added a number of new awards in recent years, from Clutch Player of the Year to conference finals MVP.
- We're here to remedy that error.
- These (fake) honors factor in both quality and quantity of play, so it's naturally more rewarding to players whose teams won more games, which allowed them to accrue more value over the course of the postseason.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
The NBA has added a number of new awards in recent years, from Clutch Player of the Year to conference finals MVP. But it's still missing something: an honor that encompasses the entire postseason, rather than just the conference finals and Finals separately.
We're here to remedy that error. Today, we're awarding the 2026 All-Playoffs first and second teams, in recognition of the 10 best players since the start of the playoffs, and we're highlighting the single most valuable postseason performer with the 2026 Playoffs MVP Award.
These (fake) honors factor in both quality and quantity of play, so it's naturally more rewarding to players whose teams won more games, which allowed them to accrue more value over the course of the postseason. That approach makes the most sense in a tournament format.