Five Warriors make one writer's list of top 50 players in NBA playoffs

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The Warriors' quest for a three-peat finally starts on Saturday with the first round of the NBA playoffs against the Clippers. 

NBC Sports Bay Area's Monte Poole already ranked all 16 teams before the postseason starts, with the reigning champs on top. Dan Favale of Bleacher Report released a different list on Thursday, as he ranked his top 50 players in the playoffs

Here's where five Warriors rank on the list. There might be some surprises. 

50: DeMarcus Cousins, C

Wait, what? Well, there's your first surprise. 

Favale believes Boogie's minutes will diminish in crunch time and that will definitely be an interesting storyline to watch, especially if the Warriors face the Rockets in the Western Conference Semifinals. 

But it's hard to believe there are 49 better players than Cousins still playing. In his first season with the Warriors, the big man is averaging 16.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. And, he'll be highly motivated in his first crack at a title. 

22: Klay Thompson, SG

Thompson very well could be one of the most underrated players in the league, which is tough to say about someone who has made five straight All-Star games. 

But he can go off on a scoring spree any night and plays lock-down defense at the same time. He's averaging 19 points while shooting 40.9 percent from 3-point range in the playoffs and is guaranteed to catch fire at least once this postseason. 

20: Draymond Green, PF/C

The more fuel to the fire, the better for Green. 

He's averaging just 7.4 points per game this season while shooting a lowly 28.5 percent from beyond the arc. Never mind that, this is Playoff Draymond and he earns his rings on defense.

Green will guard the opposing team's best player when it matters most, and he's averaging 12.3 points with 9.2 rebounds per game in the playoffs.

4: Kevin Durant, F 

Are there really three players better than the back-to-back NBA Finals MVP? On that alone, it's hard to say yes. 

Durant is playing highly efficient basketball right now. He averaged 26 points, 5.9 rebounds and a career-high 5.9 assists per game this season. 

Oh yeah, he's averaged 28.8 points, 7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in the playoffs since joining the Warriors. 

3: Steph Curry, PG 

The Warriors are still Steph's team, and Favale agrees. Is this finally the year Curry wins his first Finals MVP? 

His sights have always been set on the award, but now that he's no longer squinting, perhaps there's a clear path to the trophy.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden rank ahead of Curry on Bleacher Report's list. If the Warriors beat the Rockets in the second round and the Bucks in the Finals, the two-time MVP can prove what a mistake that was.

[RELATED: Warriors have found their shooting touch heading into NBA playoffs]

Curry is averaging 26.1 points, 6.4 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game while shooting 40.8 percent on 3-pointers in the playoffs.

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