The 10 best players in the New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks series

Best players in the New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks series: #6 Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose is the first guy on this list that can change how the series plays out. Rose is on the shortlist of three players who can win the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award. When the Knicks traded for him in February, it received some groans and mostly shrugs. Since then, there’s been nothing short of praise for how Rose has excelled in his bench role and made the Knicks a better team.

The former MVP is averaging just a touch under 15 points per game and dishing out 4.2 assists with New York. Rose has also brought it on the defensive end, averaging a career-high in steals per game and his highest blocks per game since his days in a Chicago Bulls uniform.

Rose can change this series because of his veteran presence at the guard position. The Knicks and Hawks are young and looking to build for the future, but as far as these playoffs go, Rose gives New York a bit of an edge with his veteran leadership.

Atlanta can’t just view him as a vet in the locker room either. Rose is playing quality basketball and is on this list because of talent, not for what he does behind the scenes. A few 20 point games off the bench and Derrick Rose could help send New York to the Eastern Conference semifinals.