During the NBA playoffs, the media so often focuses on only the stars and never the supporting cast. With big-name players Like LeBron James, Damian Lillard, and Luka Dončić being knocked out in the first round, it is time to explore some of the more unheralded heroes of the remaining eight squads.
These players were selected for a myriad of reasons, be it an overall lack of acclaim, an increased role in the playoffs, or even an anticipated second-round matchup. The thing that unites them all, though, is that they will need to have excellent second-round performances if their teams wish to move on to the Conference Finals.
Utah Jazz – Royce O’Neale
The Jazz flew by the Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs, but will have a much tougher test against the Clippers – regardless of how many games it took Los Angeles to defeat the Dallas Mavericks. Even as the one seed, the Jazz have still been under the radar this entire season. This team relies on its stars to produce big, as evident by a game one loss without Donovan Mitchell to an inferior Grizzlies team. Stars aside, one of the more underappreciated parts of this roster is Royce O’Neale. He may not score in bunches, but he is the Swiss Army knife that does a little bit of everything for the Jazz.
In round one, O’Neale led the team in minutes and steals while ranking second in three-pointers and rebounds. His high percentage shooting from downtown and big defensive plays are what make him a perfect fit for this three-and-D team. Against the Clippers, O’Neale will have the tall task of guarding either Kawhi Leonard or Paul George. Keeping the two stars in check will be essential for the Jazz to make it to their first Western Conference Finals since 2007.
Phoenix Suns – Cameron Payne
Against the Lakers in round one, with Chris Paul’s production decreased due to his shoulder injuries, Cameron Payne was able to step up and fill some of the void left behind. Averaging the third-highest points per game (12.5) behind just Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton in round one, Payne upped his season average by more than four points per game, still while coming off the bench. Though his awkward shooting form may leave some questioning what the heck he is doing, it absolutely works for him. Shooting over 41% from the field and 42% on his three-point attempts against the Lakers, he was in the top three in each category for the Suns – not to mention he was a perfect 10/10 from the line.
Payne’s contributions are not just on the offensive side of the court, though. He averaged 1.2 steals and a block a game against the Lakers and will need to carry over those numbers to help slow down the Nuggets’ high-powered offense. Denver is lacking when it comes to quality defenders, so Payne may be able to feast when Head Coach Michael Malone focuses his defense on slowing down Booker and Ayton and leaving Payne matched up against weaker defenders, especially against the second unit.
Denver Nuggets – Facundo Campazzo
Fans who watched the Denver Nuggets’ first-round series against the Portland Trailblazers may think Monte Morris is the diamond in the rough for this teams’ postseason run. It will be hard to deny that he is if he continues scoring at the rate he did – 28 and 22 points in game five and six, respectively. Yet, the 30-year-old rookie Facundo Campazzo has been the piece that has kept this team going after Jamal Murray went down with an ACL tear earlier this season.
Nikola Jokic stepping up his game during the latter end of his MVP campaign and Michael Porter Jr.’s ascension to a lethal scorer have been the catalysts for this Nuggets offense.
However, on the defensive side of the ball, Campazzo has been an absolute pest for opposing guards. The Argentinian makes up for his small stature by annoying larger players and getting physical. It often leads to fouls, and yes, guards are still scoring on him left and right, but it is a mental game for Campazzo. Getting players angry, forcing them to make stupid mistakes and picking pockets while flying around the court to get meaningful steals in key moments is Facu’s game.
The 5’10” point guard has drastically stepped up his offense since Murray’s injury as well. Jokic will get all the credit for being this team’s true point guard, or rather a point-center, though, Campazzo was second on the team in points generated off assists this year. He is an integral part of the roster who will likely go face to face with another pesky point guard, Chris Paul, in round two against the Suns.
Los Angeles Clippers – Reggie Jackson
No, as much as everyone wants to make Playoff Rondo a thing, it isn’t – at least this year. In round one, Rajon Rondo scored fewer points, dished out fewer assists and grabbed fewer rebounds than he did in the regular season. While everyone focuses on how he is a playoff hero, divert your gaze to Reggie Jackson who is quietly becoming the third option on this Clippers team.
In and out of the starting lineup throughout the year, the 31-year-old Jackson is finally making his mark this postseason, even though he is not starting every game. Since a poor showing in game one, he has been a scoring machine, knocking down at least 15 points a game. Unlike Rondo, Jackson has actually increased his statistical output since entering the playoffs, scoring more points per game as well as increasing his rebounds per game. With a matchup against the third-highest rated defense in the NBA in round two, Jackson will need to take advantage of more opportunities with the Jazz defense focusing on Leonard and George.
Philadelphia 76ers – Dwight Howard
This all hinges on Joel Embiid’s health and if he will be available to play every game with a partially torn meniscus. If he misses time, Dwight Howard will need to step up in a big way for the 76ers on both sides of the court. Howard saw his role slightly reduced from a year ago when he won a ring in Los Angeles, however, he is still one of the better backup centers in the league with the ability to grab valuable rebounds in limited minutes. So far throughout the 2021 playoffs, Howard has not played great, but he may be forced into a larger role in the rotation as he is the only other true center on the roster. If Howard does not rise to the occasion, Doc Rivers will have his hands full game planning a small-ball lineup against the Hawks loaded with plenty of talented bigs.
If Embiid can power through his injury, Matisse Thybulle is another underrated player on this team that will be forced to make an impact if the 76ers want to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. In his sophomore season, Thybulle continues to be a defensive specialist and even made the start in place of Embiid in game five against the Wizards. Playing against the Hawks’ high-powered offense led by Trae Young in round two, Thybulle could be deployed in many ways to help slow them down.
Brooklyn Nets – Joe Harris
With all the talk surrounding the Brooklyn Nets’ big three of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden, Joe Harris routinely fails to be mentioned. The 2019 3-Point Contest winner is what makes this team lethal, because no matter how well you do succeed in locking down the big three, Harris will always be looming on the three-point line, ready to make teams pay for over committing to the other stars. With Harden going down in the first minute of the Nets’ second-round matchup against the Bucks, Harris will be forced to fill some of the void left by the former MVP – at least scoring-wise – while Irving transitions back to a more traditional point guard.
Harris, who started more games than anyone else on the Nets this season, has been the model of consistency offensively for a team that has not been able to lock down a consistent lineup. The Nets’ philosophy to play double the offense and half the defense has worked out well enough for them to this point, and while Harris does not stand out on defense, he did have the lowest turnover percentage on the Nets. The marksman ranked just behind the big three in scoring and assists per game in round one, while shooting the highest percentage from three on the roster. His out-of-this-world shooting has not slowed down in round two either, as Harris shot 5/9 on his three-pointers and 64% from the field overall in game one against the Bucks. Everyone’s question for this team has been who will take the last shot in a close game out of the big three. However, when it comes down to the last shot when you need it most, why not go with the guy who makes the shots at the highest rate?
Milwaukee Bucks – Jrue Holiday
The biggest name on this list, Jrue Holiday is flying under the radar once again on a small market team. In any other season, the Holiday to the Bucks narrative would have been the headline story, but with the Brooklyn Nets forming a super team, the point guard is once again being underrated on a team with Khris Middleton, who is widely regarded as the most underrated player in the league. If your name does not have 50 letters, chances are people are not paying close attention to you (not you Thanasis).
The key for the Bucks in their second-round matchup is stopping the practically unstoppable Nets’ offense. Out of the teams remaining in the playoffs, the Bucks are one of only two or three teams with the defense firepower to do it. With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez shoring up the short-range, allowing the third-fewest points in the paint in the league, and the Bucks being tied for ninth in defensive rating this past year, the Nets will likely need to rely on outside shooting to get it done. Unluckily for the Bucks, that is what the Nets do best.
That is why Jrue Holiday is the player who this whole series relies on for Milwaukee. His offense in round one was lackluster, especially from beyond the arc where he shot just 3/15 across the entire series. However, he still made his presence felt with a team-high in both assists and steals. With Harden now possibly sidelined and Antetokounmpo likely defending Kevin Durant in big moment possessions, the Bucks’ only hope is for Holiday to slow down the third member of Brooklyn’s big three, Kyrie Irving. The Nets still have a plethora of offensive talent and scoring to go around, but if Holiday steps it up on both ends of the court the Bucks may have a chance.
Atlanta Hawks – Bogdan Bogdanovic
After the preseason debacle that saw Bogdan Bogdanovic traded to the Bucks and that trade being nixed by the league, Bogdanovich found a new home in Atlanta where he has thrived as of late. After a slow start and an avulsion fracture in his knee that caused him to miss more than a third of the season, the Serbian forward finally caught on at the beginning of April when his minutes increased, scoring 20 or more points in all but six games over the final seven weeks of the season.
Bogdanovich is an outstanding player who ranked just behind Trae Young in just about every offensive category, led the team in steals and end up second in rebounds in the first round of the playoffs. He is a jack of all trades and the only reason why he is on a list of unheralded heroes is because he has never gotten to this stage throughout his career. Bogdanovich has always put up numbers, but was never under the big lights on a woeful Sacramento Kings team year after year. It is yet to be seen if he can continue his stellar play throughout the playoffs, but if game one against the 76ers is any indication, he should be just fine. Bogdanovich hit five three-pointers including one in the final minute which, along with his two free throws with seconds to go, staved off the 76ers comeback attempt. The Hawks will have a chance to beat the 76ers if, and only if, Bogdanovich continues to excel.
For the full NBA Playoff bracket, click here.
