The eight most interesting players in the NBA playoffs

The NBA playoffs are here. Who are the most interesting characters in play? Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard and Blake Griffin to name a few.

Andrew Sharp | Apr 15, 2016

The eight most interesting players in the NBA playoffs /

Are you ready for an odyssey? Have you stocked your house with emergency supplies? Have you safely detoxed after the high–powered hallucinogen that was Mamba Night? It's time to take the final step.

It's time to go to bed with "Inside the NBA" and wake up the next morning with the TV still on, and the soft sounds of "Castle" cooing into your living room. It's time to watch that awful "Meet The Hoopers" commercial no less 2,500 times. It's time to argue about Hack-a-Shaq, and marvel at Russ's postgame outfits, and spend entirely too much time on Twitter.

The playoffs are here. Let's look at of the most interesting characters in play this year.

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Damian Lillard, Blazers

Most of the Western Conference's first round is operating somewhere on the spectrum between three–days–expired milk and Chinese food that's been in the fridge for the past two weeks. This sounds like a joke, but it's not. Watching Lance Stephenson and Matt Barnes try to keep up with the Spurs may actually make you sick. Proceed at your own risk.

Damian Lillard is a different story, though. Let's go. I'm putting on war paint to get ready for what's about to happen in Los Angeles.

Consider: Lillard just finished leading the Blazers to the most surprising season in the NBA, and even as he's made the entire world look stupid for doubting this team, he still doesn't get talked about among the best guards in the league. Kyle Lowry is considered a lock for one the All–NBA teams, for example. Same with Russell Westbrook. Ask experts to rank the best point guards in basketball, and John Wall is probably above Lillard on almost every list. Ask fans, and Kyrie Irving is probably higher, too. He missed the All-Star Game in each of the past two years, and he's taken it very personally. Now he has a chance to go nuts on national TV to prove everyone wrong, and that's great, because that's the opening scene in all the best Dame Lillard movies. But there's more at stake, too.

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What I love most about the NBA playoffs is that it allows the best players in the league to either announce their arrival as stars, or elevate themselves to an entirely different level. The regular season is how players build buzz for this transition, but the playoffs is where it happens. Anyway, for the next two weeks, Lillard will be matched up against one of the best point guards of all time. If he wants to prove he belongs among the best players in the NBA, turning this series six or seven games of full-scale combat is a great place to start.

Kyrie Irving, Cavaliers

He's in the middle of a five–year, $90 million contract. He doesn't appear to be very popular with teammates. He's a liability on defense. He overdribbles on offense, and he's not a very good distributor. He's a decent outside shooter, but not great. He's excellent at finishing around the rim. In iso situations, he is one of the five or six best players in the league. When his shot's falling, he can give us nights like that Spurs game last year, when Kyrie turns into a religious experience and all the skepticism looks like blasphemy. I just wonder how much those nights obscure the reality with the other 90% of his games.

There are two ways to view this season in Cleveland:

1. On the one hand, they've looked underwhelming for the better part of the year, and this may be proof that this roster was a bad idea all along. This is the simplest way to look at it, and it's probably the most accurate assessment.

2. But there's also at least a chance that this team's been sleep–walking through the regular season for completely understandable reasons. No success or failure will matter until the Finals, right? Nobody is beating them in the East. I can't promise I would be fired up to play the Raptors in February, either. Maybe there's another gear waiting for us in the playoffs. They could win a series or two, build some momentum, and start hitting on all cylinders for the first time since last March.

In either case, Kyrie Irving is the biggest wild card. If the Cavs are going to hit that mythical extra gear, it will involve Kyrie playing better than he has all year. He has to be great enough offensively to mitigate what he's giving up on defense, and he has to be willing to give up the ball enough for the rest of the offense to get rolling.

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If the Cavs lose in the Finals and LeBron starts looking for changes ... it's a real question as to how much value Kyrie has. Go back to that first paragraph, and then remember that he hasn't played a full 82 games in his entire career, and he's had multiple serious leg injuries. What if he goes through these playoffs and continues to struggle as a point guard or gets exposed defensively? Kevin Love's value is rock bottom already. If Kyrie struggles enough to force a trade—and he's harder to trade than expected—LeBron's options would get awfully limited in Cleveland. Then, anything is possible.

Harrison Barnes, Warriors

There are so many Warriors worth celebrating after this season, and each of them—Steph, Klay, Draymond, Iguodala, Kerr—will be worth watching in the playoffs. But Harrison Barnes is the wild card. He has always been the wild card.

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Both in college and in the middle of the greatest regular season ever, Barnes is the player who will disappear for entire games, only to reappear a week later looking like a star. This year? He's been a frustrating disappointment for most of the year, but he's also come back to life over the past few weeks. It's vintage Barnes.

When he's playing well and everyone else is healthy, the Warriors are completely unstoppable. There is just no good option for a defense trying to handle this team if Harrison Barnes is hitting jumpers and being aggressive to the rim. When he's not... he provides at least a glimmer of hope for teams looking to hide defenders, and they can also punish him on the glass with big men. This is what happened in that Spurs loss a month ago.

GALLERY: SI's 100 best NBA Finals photos

100 Best NBA Finals Photos

2016

LeBron James holds up the shiny gold trophy in what might be his sweetest championship yet, the one he is so proudly bringing home to his native northeast Ohio just as he promised to do when he returned to the Cavaliers two summers earlier.

2015

LeBron James loses the ball as he tries to fend off Andre Iguodala in Game 1 between the Warriors and Cavaliers. Golden State won the game and the series 4-2. Iguodala became the first player to win the Finals MVP award without having started every game in the series. He was tasked with guarding LeBron, who made only 38.1 percent of his shots when Iguodala was in the game.

2015

Steph Curry goes to the left hand against J.R. Smith to score two of his 25 points in Game 6. The Warriors defeated the Cavs 105-97 to clinch the franchise's first NBA title since 1975.

2014

A year after an excruciating loss to the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, Tim Duncan and the Spurs got their revenge, winning the title in five games.

2013

Ray Allen lets loose a series-changing three over Tony Parker in Game 6. With Miami down 3-2 in the series, it was the veteran Allen who sent the game to overtime and an eventual Heat victory. With a huge momentum boost, Miami went on to win the series.

2013

LeBron James led Miami to the finals for a third straight year and to a second consecutive title, duking it out with the Spurs for seven games. James won his second Finals MVP award with another series of stellar showings.

2012

LeBron James soars over Kevin Durant in Game 3. James got the championship monkey off his back in a big way, averaging 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists in the series.

2012

LeBron James battled cramps in Game 4 and was unable to finish out a 104-98 Heat victory. He still had 26 points, nine rebounds and 12 assists.

2011

Dirk Nowitzki avoids traffic to drop in the game-winner for Dallas in Game 2. Nowitzki's clutch shot capped a furious 15-point fourth-quarter Mavs comeback. Dallas would knock off favored Miami and the "Big Three" of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in six games in a rematch of the 2006 Finals.

2010

Kobe Bryant looks to shoot over Rajon Rondo in Game 6 between the Lakers and Celtics. Kobe averaged 29 points per game in the series, en route to his second consecutive Finals MVP award.

2010

Kevin Garnett bodies a driving Kobe Bryant in a tight Game 7. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry was renewed in a back-and-forth series that saw Los Angeles come out on top for a second straight title.

2010

Pau Gasol owned the paint in Game 7 with 19 points and 18 rebounds to push the Lakers to an 83-79 win.

2009

Pau Gasol hugs Kobe Bryant near the end of a series-clinching Game 5. The duo was crucial to L.A.'s five-game victory over Orlando, with Bryant named Finals MVP and winning his first title out of Shaquille O'Neal's shadow.

2008

Averaging nearly 22 points per game, Finals MVP Paul Pierce paired with offseason acquisitions Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to return the Celtics to their championship ways against the rival Lakers. The win marked the first title for each of the three stars.

2007

San Antonio's Tony Parker was named Most Valuable Player of the series, averaging 24.5 points per game in the sweep.

2007

Tim Duncan and the Spurs spoiled LeBron James' first Finals, limiting him to 35.6% shooting and efficiently sweeping the series.

2006

Dwyane Wade, at just 24 years old, catalyzed the Heat past Dallas in six, memorably scoring 42 points and leading a comeback from a 13-point deficit with six minutes left in Game 3. The series marked Wade's arrival as a superstar, as he averaged nearly 35 points and eight rebounds per game to lead Miami to its first title.

2005

Ben Wallace and Manu Ginobili battle for a loose ball in Game 5 between the Pistons and Spurs. The past two NBA champs traded blows in a tough series that went seven games, with San Antonio coming out on top.

2005

Robert Horry, better known as "Big Shot Rob," buries the three to win Game 5 for San Antonio.

2005-0623-Tim-Duncan-Rasheed-Wallace-Ben-Wallace-017002501_0.jpg — John W. McDonough

Tim Duncan drives to basket against Rasheed Wallace in Game 7 between the Spurs and Pistons. Duncan scored a game-high 25 points and 11 rebounds as he led San Antonio to their third title and won his third Finals MVP award.

2004

Shaquille O'Neal of the Lakers and Rasheed Wallace of the Pistons grapple for a rebound. Detroit impressively dispatched L.A.'s O'Neal-Kobe Bryant tandem in five games.

2004

Chauncey Billups hoists the trophy as the Pistons celebrate their championship. With a penchant for making shots in critical moments, Billups was named Finals MVP.

2003

David Robinson of the Spurs dunks on Jason Collins of the Nets in Game 5. San Antonio took the series in six games, with Robinson teaming up with the core of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili winning their first title together.

2003

Finals MVP Tim Duncan came up huge for San Antonio in the Game 6 series-clincher with 21 points, 20 boards, 10 assists and eight blocks.

2002

Shaquille O'Neal and the Lakers blew away the Jason Kidd-led Nets in a four-game sweep. O'Neal averaged more than 36 points per game as L.A. took home a third straight title.

2001

Shaquille O'Neal was simply too much for Philadelphia to handle in the series, winning his second straight Finals MVP honors and contributing a near quadruple-double in Game 2 with 28 points, 20 rebounds, nine assists and eight blocks.

2001

Kobe Bryant of the Lakers avoids 76ers center Dikembe Mutombo in Game 4. Though still overshadowed by Shaquille O'Neal, the 22-year-old Bryant continued to shine in his own right, averaging nearly 25 points for the series.

2001

Sixers guard Allen Iverson dribbles the ball against Tyronn Lue of the Lakers during Game 1. Bolstered by the dynamic Iverson's 48 points, Philadelphia pulled off an upset, 107-101.

2000

Ron Harper of the Lakers shoots over Pacers center Rik Smits in Game 4.

2000

Reggie Miller averaged more than 24 points per game, but couldn't shoot Indiana past Shaq and the Lakers in what would be the only Finals appearance of his career.

2000

Kobe Bryant drives to the basket against Dale Davis and Reggie Miller in Game 6 between the Lakers and Pacers.

2000

Shaq and Kobe celebrate after winning Game 6 against the Pacers for the championship.

1999

Spurs center David Robinson blocks Marcus Camby of the Knicks in Game 4. San Antonio, led by Robinson and a young Tim Duncan, took up the mantle post-Jordan and defeated the Knicks in five games for its first title.

1999

Marcus Camby of the Knicks blocks Spurs guard Avery Johnson in Game 3. Johnson would have the last laugh, hitting a last-minute shot to close out New York in Game 5.

1998

Michael Jordan drains the game-winning jumper over Bryon Russell of the Utah Jazz in Game 6. It would be MJ's last shot as a Bull, but not his last in the NBA — he unretired, of course, in 2001.

1997

Karl Malone of the Jazz dunks over Dennis Rodman and Ron Harper of the Bulls in Game 1. Malone and point guard John Stockton posed a challenge to the Bulls with their efficiency, but Michael Jordan and company found ways to win yet again.

1997

Game 5, which came to be known as "The Flu Game," saw Michael Jordan compete through severe illness to come up big for Chicago. Jordan brought the Bulls back from a 16-point deficit, improbably scoring 38 points in a 90-88 win after spending much of the past 24 hours confined to his hotel bed. At the end of the game, Jordan collapsed into Scottie Pippen's arms in what became an iconic moment.

1997

In Game 6, it wasn't Jordan or Pippen (though they combined for 62 points) but rather Bulls guard Steve Kerr who sealed Chicago's fifth title, with a 17-footer.

1996

Dennis Rodman grabs a rebound against the Sonics in Game 1. Rodman averaged nearly 14 boards per game in the playoffs for the Bulls, who acquired the power forward from San Antonio before the season.

1996

Scottie Pippen of the Bulls and Sam Perkins of the Sonics battle for a rebound. Pippen led Chicago in assists on the series, and the Bulls took their fourth championship, emboldened by Jordan's return from a two-year retirement.

1995

Hakeem Olajuwon averaged nearly 33 points on the series to bolster the Rockets to a second straight title in a four-game sweep.

1995

Clyde Drexler scored 25 points in a Game 3 win that all but sealed the series.

1994

Hakeem Olajuwon was named Finals MVP, averaging nearly 33 points for the series to bolster the Rockets to their first title, in a four-game sweep.

1994

Star centers Hakeem Olajuwon of the Rockets and Patrick Ewing of the Knicks duked it out in 1994 in a series that went seven games.

1994

In Game 6, Olajuwon blocked a potential game-winning three by Knicks guard John Starks to secure the win and send the series to a final game.

1993

Michael Jordan battles Suns guard Kevin Johnson beneath the hoop.

1993

Suns star Charles Barkley celebrates Phoenix's Game 5 win. Though "Sir Charles" averaged 27.3 points and 13 rebounds, it wasn't enough to lift the Suns past Chicago. Years later, he would admit the series made him realize Jordan was the superior player.

1993

Scottie Pippen of the Bulls drives to the basket against the Suns. Pippen averaged 21.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 7.7 assists in the series.

1992

Michael Jordan and the Bulls appeared in their second Finals to face Clyde Drexler and the Portland Trail Blazers. The debate about who was better between MJ and Clyde was effectively silenced as Jordan hit six first-half threes in Game 1, famously shrugging at the broadcast table after hitting the sixth one. Jordan's dominance set the tone for the series.

1991

Michael Jordan skies for a dunk over Lakers center Vlade Divac in Game 2, a 107-86 Chicago win. Jordan scored 33 points on 15-of-18 shooting, including his famous hand-switching layup to lead the Bulls.

1991

With his parents at his side, Michael Jordan holds the Chicago Bulls' first-ever championship trophy after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.

1990

Joe Dumars of the Pistons defends Terry Porter of the Trail Blazers in Game 1. The backcourt of Isiah Thomas (27.6 points per game) and Dumars (20.6) propelled Detroit to the championship in five games. Vinnie Johnson hit the series-clinching jumper at the end of Game 5.

1989

Pistons forward Dennis Rodman snatches a board against the Lakers. Detroit ended L.A.'s bid for a third straight title with a four-game sweep after Magic Johnson injured his hamstring early in Game 2.

1988

A new challenger emerged from the Eastern Conference as Detroit's "Bad Boys," starring point guard Isiah Thomas took on the Lakers. With Detroit up 3-2 going into Game 6, Thomas scored 25 gritty third-quarter points playing on a sprained ankle. It wouldn't be enough — L.A. won Game 6 103-102, with 28 points from James Worthy.

1988

In Game 7 James Worthy (42) again shouldered the load for Los Angeles, recording a triple-double with 26 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists to secure another Lakers title and Finals MVP accolades.

1987

Boston, L.A., Bird and Johnson would meet in the Finals for the last time in 1987. Los Angeles won in six games with the core of Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar and Worthy again proving to be the cream of the crop.

1987

Magic Johnson drains his famous junior sky hook over Robert Parish and Kevin McHale to win Game 4 for the Lakers at the buzzer. Johnson was named Finals MVP.

1986

Larry Bird battles Hakeem Olajuwon under the hoop. The Celtics would win their second title in three straight finals appearances, paced by the dominant Bird (24 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game), who posted a triple-double in the series-clinching Game 6.

1985

Rival stars Magic Johnson of the Lakers and Larry Bird of the Celtics battle beneath the rim in Game 1 of the 1985 Finals. L.A. pulled the series out in six games thanks to vintage play from 37-year-old Kareem Abdul Jabbar.

1984

Kevin McHale of the Celtics delivers an extremely hard foul on Lakers forward Kurt Rambis in Game 4. The Boston-Los Angeles rivalry was reignited with an epic seven-game clash between the teams.

1984

Los Angeles forward James Worthy rises to score over Boston's Larry Bird during a 119-108 Game 6 Lakers victory.

1983

Julius Irving of the Sixers soars to the rim in their third finals matchup with the Lakers in four seasons. This time Philadelphia would prevail in a four-game sweep.

1983

Finals MVP Moses Malone was dominant in Philadelphia's sweep of Los Angeles, averaging 25.8 points and 18 rebounds per game while outplaying L.A. center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

1982

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Lakers squared off against Julius Erving and the Sixers in a rematch of the 1980 finals. The Lakers once again prevailed in six games.

1982

Magic Johnson attacks the hoop against the Sixers. Johnson fell just short of averaging a triple-double in the six-game series, with 16.2 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8 assists per game and winning MVP honors.

1981

In 1981 it was Larry Bird's Celtics establishing themselves against the Rockets and dominant center Moses Malone.

1981

Moses Malone averaged 22.2 points and 16.3 rebounds for the series, which the Celtics won.

1981

Boston Celtics owner Red Auerbach celebrates with the trophy and his team after beating the Houston Rockets in six games behind Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell and star Larry Bird.

1980

Julius Erving soars and stretches for what would become an iconic reverse layup in Game 4. The Sixers tied the series with a 105-102 win at home.

1980

Philadelphia's Darryl Dawkins battles Los Angeles Lakers defenders on his way to the rim. "Chocolate Thunder" led the Sixers in scoring in their only two wins of the series.

1980

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar dunks against Julius Erving in Game 5 between the Lakers and Sixers.

1980

Magic Johnson's 42 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists in Game 6 sealed the series for the Lakers, sparking a 123-107 win. The versatile Johnson memorably started the game at center for the injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in one of the greatest games in playoff history.

1979

Lonnie Shelton of the Sonics battles Wes Unseld of the Bullets during the 1979 Finals. Unseld led Washington to a title over Seattle the previous year, but the Sonics stuck this one out behind their high-scoring backcourt of Gus Williams and Dennis Johnson.

1979

Jack Sikma of the Supersonics celebrates after the series-winning Game 5 against the Washington Bullets. It would be Seattle's lone championship in franchise history.

1978

Elvin Hayes of the Washington Bullets watches the ball on the rim. Averaging 20.7 points and 11.9 rebounds, Hayes led Washington to its only title in franchise history.

1977

Julius Erving soars to the basket for a dunk in Game 2 between the 76ers and Trail Blazers.

1977

Bill Walton of the Trail Blazers contests a shot by Doug Collins of the 76ers. Walton galvanized the Blazers, who won the series in six games behind his Finals MVP-winning 18.5 points and 19.0 rebounds per game.

1976

Gar Heard of the Suns releases the game-tying shot at the double-overtime buzzer against the Boston Celtics in Game 5. Boston prevailed 128-126 in the third OT, and took the series in six.

1975

The underdog Warriors were bolstered by a red-hot Rick Barry, who led the team in a 4-0 sweep of the Bullets. Barry averaged 29.5 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 3.5 steals in the series.

1974

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar paced the Bucks, averaging 32.6 points per game and deploying his signature sky hook to seal Game 6, but the Celtics would pull it out in a seventh game.

1973

The Lakers and Knicks clashed in a rematch of the previous year, but this time it was New York in five, and Knicks center Willis Reed (19), not L.A.'s Wilt Chamberlain (center), named MVP (16.4 points, 9.6 rebounds).

1973

Knicks Dave DeBusschere (with ball) and Phil Jackson (18) in action against Lakers Jim McMillian and Mel Counts (31) during Game 3. The Knicks would win 87-83.

1973

New York Knicks coach Red Holzman celebrates on the sidelines during Game 5. Earl Monroe scored 23 points for the Knicks in the series-clincher.

1972

Lakers center Wilt Chamberlain took home Finals MVP honors as the Lakers defeated the Knicks in five games and won their first title since moving to Los Angeles. Chamberlain averaged 19.4 points and 23.2 rebounds on the series.

1971

Oscar Robertson led Milwaukee on a 4-0 sweep of Baltimore in his first season joining up with Lew Alcindor and the Bucks. Robertson had 30 points in the series-clincher.

1971

Lew Alcindor lofts one of his signature hook shots. Alcindor won the Finals MVP award, averaging 27 points and 18.5 rebounds in the four-game Milwaukee sweep.

1970

Jerry West of the Lakers launches a shot against the Knicks. West drained a dramatic, desperation 63-footer as time expired in Game 3 to send things to overtime. The Lakers went on to lose that game and dropped the series to New York, 4-3.

1970

In Game 7 of the 1970 finals, injured Knicks center Willis Reed made a dramatic surprise entrance, scoring the first two baskets of the game in front of a packed Madison Square Garden crowd.

1970

Reed got the crowd excited, but it was Walt "Clyde" Frazier, whose 36 points and 19 assists propelled the Knicks past the Lakers 113-99 to win the championship.

1969

Bill Russell attempts to block Jerry West in Game 3 between the Celtics and Lakers. The Lakers were heavily favored (West averaged 38 points in the series on a squad that also had Wilt Chamberlain) and jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but the Celtics came back to hand player-coach Bill Russell his final championship.

1969

Sam Jones of the Celtics dribbles around Jerry West of the Lakers. Jones would hit the game-winner in Game 4 of the 1969 finals to even the series at two games. Boston would go on to take the title in seven.

1968

Lakers guard Jerry West drives past Celtics center Bill Russell in Game 6. Boston went on to a 124-109 win at the Forum to clinch the series 4-2.

1966

Bill Russell leaps to block Elgin Baylor. Russell and the Celtics were a constant thorn in the Lakers side, defeating them for five of their eight straight titles (1959-66).

1966

Bill Russell holds a corsage sent to the dressing room as he celebrates with Celtics coach Red Auerbach after defeating the Lakers, 95-93, in Game 7 to win their eighth-straight NBA championship.

1962

Jerry West of the Lakers elevates for a jumper in Game 7 against the Celtics. West scored 35 points, but Boston would win the game and the series.

1962

Celtics point guard Bob Cousy (14) throws a no-look pass in Game 7. Later that game, he would famously elude several Lakers and dribble out the clock to deliver Boston the title.

1962

In one of the greatest winner-take-all games in NBA history, the Celtics beat the Lakers for the title, 110-107 in overtime, behind Bill Russell's 30 points and 40 rebounds.

1962

Elgin Baylor of the Lakers erupted for a Finals-record 61 points and grabbed 22 boards against the Celtics in a 126-121 Game 5 win at Boston Garden. The Lakers took a 3-2 series lead in what became a classic first finals meeting between L.A. and Boston.

1957

Bill Russell of the Celtics grabs a rebound over Cliff Hagan of the Hawks in Game 5 of the 1957 finals. The Celtics won the game 124-109 and took the series in seven in Russell's rookie year after acquiring his rights in a trade with ... St. Louis.

1949

Lakers center George Mikan (99) gets his hair mussed by teammates after leading Minneapolis to its first-ever championship. Mikan set a Madison Square Garden scoring record with 48 points in a 101-74 victory over the Knickerbockers. The Lakers' 101 points also set an all-time team high scoring mark at the Garden.

Barnes is also in a contract year. So as the Warriors proceed through the playoffs and everyone wonders how far this can go both this year and beyond, Barnes is a big part of the "beyond" question.

He can play the three, but he's also the perfect stretch four next to Draymond Green. He's the final piece of a Golden State nucleus dominated by guys in their mid-20s. He's the youngest, too, with plenty of room to grow. Someone is going to offer $100 million this summer for exactly that reason. Assuming KD is off the table by the time this decision is made, do the Warriors let Barnes go and hope they can survive with a cheaper replacement? Will it make more sense for them to overpay to keep the core together? And how much of this will be decided by what happens over the next eight weeks?

Russell Westbrook, Thunder

Westbrook's numbers have been unbelievable this year, just like they were last year. He's the focal point of Billy Donovan's offense, and if it hasn't quite solved eight years of OKC issues, it's at least translated to an avalanche of triple doubles. With that said, the Thunder were a disaster in fourth quarters this year, and it will doom them in the playoffs if they don't solve it. The difference in the numbers is staggering.

Westbrook is tough to discuss rationally on the internet. People get apoplectic if you question his point guard credentials, and I get it, because most of the people who do that are low–key questioning his entire game and discounting his value. But then ... how else do you explain an offense that's built around Westbrook, but stops functioning normally in the fourth quarter? He's not the only problem, but he's certainly involved.

His defense has gotten worse over the years—not quite Harden levels, but there are Harden moments—and at the end of games, he still has a tendency to get so wound up that he flames out. He dominates the ball next to a Hall of Fame scorer, he forces bad shots... this is how most OKC playoff runs have ended. He's one of the 10 best players in the league regardless, but it's something to watch.

It's the biggest question for the Thunder against the Spurs. Kawhi will be all over Durant, and they'll need Westbrook to a) light Tony Parker, Patty Mills, and Danny Green on fire, while b) remaining stable enough to keep the offense running smoothly. If he can do it, then most of what's just been discussed will look crazy. In that case, the Thunder can beat the Spurs and, I swear, they can push the Warriors. If not, they are probably going home in the second round, and then the entire future is up in the air.

Justise Winslow, Heat

Winslow probably has no business being on this list. He plays less than most everyone on here. He's a rookie. He can't shoot, which means he can't really score much at all.

Call this a gut feeling, though. Winslow will matter. The Heat have been surging for the past two months, and notwithstanding Wednesday's collapse against the Celtics, they enter the playoffs as the hottest team in the East. Meanwhile, Winslow has spent the entire year winning respect for his defense, hustle and general approach to everything.

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He is smart, he's never scared, and he's entered a league that's now dominated by rangy wings who can do everything on offense. Having a player who can harass those guys all over the court—Nicolas Batum, or Kent Bazemore, or Demar Derozan, or LeBron James—is pretty valuable come playoff time. Did I just predict that Justise Winslow could come out of nowhere to slow down LeBron James as the Heat take down the Cavs? MAYBE I DID.

Even if that doesn't happen, there are three critical facts to know: 1) Amar'e Stoudemire is doing his best to educate Miami's younger players about art, and Winslow is his prized pupil. 2) With a combination of strange young players and grumpy old men who are still producing every night, the Heat will be one of the three most entertaining teams in the playoffs. 3) It will be awesome to see Justise Winslow unleashed in the fourth quarter of playoff games.

Isaiah Thomas, Celtics

Before we get to Isaiah, some honorable mentions...

• LeBron James. Inspired basketball's answer to Kremlinology this winter. By the summer, he could either go down as one of the five greatest players ever with a win over Warriors, or he could leave Cleveland and drive America insane. Interesting.

• Xavier Munford. PLAYOFF MUNFORD.

• Kawhi Leonard. Kawhi is like Ryan Gosling in Drive. "So that guy's doing a lot of cool things, but I think it's been 45 minutes since we heard him speak." Interesting. And the new logo is great.

• DeMarre Carroll and Kyle Lowry. We need Lowry to be 100%, because Lowry is great. If DeMarre Carroll is close to 100% in a few weeks, the Raptors could be pretty great, too.

• Michael Beasley. I can't tell whether I'm actually excited to watch Beasley, or I just hate the rest of this Rockets roster so much that Beasley is the only way I can convince myself to watch this team for another two weeks.

• Dion Waiters and Enes Kanter. Whether they succeed or fail, Waiters and Kanter in the playoff spotlight is a victory for everyone.

Now... the Celtics. They need a superstar to make this a title contender, but to get one, they need to go deep enough in the playoffs to get the league's attention. That means beating Atlanta, and if not beating Cleveland, at least scaring the crap out them. That's where Isaiah Thomas becomes crucial.

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He will need to get them buckets at the end of Hawks games. He'll need to be much better against the Cavs than he was last year. He is the catalyst on offense, and also the last resort when things get tight. And if all of this seems like pressure, it's also an opportunity to prove that this year's All-Star selection wasn't just a polite acknowledgement of an overachieving Celtics team. Let's see what happens.

Blake Griffin, Clippers

"If they don't win this year, it's time to break it up" is something we were saying about the Clippers at this time last year. It was probably said two years ago, too.

Maybe it's never time to break it up. They may be closer to a title with Blake than they would be with whatever pieces they could get back for him. They could be better off waiting, hoping to get lucky with the right matchups at the right time. That's probably the most reasonable opinion. It worked for the Mavs in 2011, and the Warriors core won't stay the same forever.

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The other side of the argument would say that if this isn't working, there's a psychological toll on the players, and the window for Paul is closing. The chemistry between Blake, CP3, and DeAndre has never been great. While CP3 and DeAndre work wonderfully together, Blake's game can clash with both. And ... Blake would bring back the most in a trade ... so ... connecting the dots...

The Clippers allegedly already offered Griffin to the Nuggets at the trade deadline. It's a real possibility that this is the last run with the Lob City Clips (how long has it been since people watched this team with the joy that Year 1 Lob City brought? 1,000 years?). If this could be the end, that makes Blake Griffin's role twice as interesting. He's still working his way back to 100% after the broken hand that cost him the second half of the season, and nobody knows how he'll look over the next month.

If he's healthy, the Clippers have more than enough talent to survive Dame Lillard in kamikaze mode. Then, there's probably enough talent to hang with the Warriors, too. They were the last team to beat Steph Curry in a playoff series, and recent Golden State dominance aside, that early–season game at Staples Center was dead–even with Blake Griffin hitting on all cylinders. A close series against the Warriors, even if it ends in a loss, may be enough to convince the Clippers to run it back one more time. The other scenario? Blake Griffin doesn't look right throughout the playoffs, the Clippers decide they need to trade him, only to find out that teams are freaked out by his health and his value has been cut in half. Here we go!

Stephen Curry, Warriors

Were you impressed by him eclipsing 400 threes the other night? Honestly, I wasn't. Everyone made a big deal of this, but never in my life have I walked away from an NBA season wondering how many threes someone made. It's just not a stat that's ever mattered, so throwing out "400" doesn't even sound that impressive.

Yes, I know the previous best from a non-Warriors player was 269 from Ray Allen. I understand why it's crazy to hit 400. But let's not pretend there was ever a '96 Bulls in this category. We'd never even thought about this.

This is the case for Curry as one of the greatest players of all time, and it's being made with each passing week. He is revolutionizing our idea of what's possible the same way Jordan did. He's a force of nature like Shaq, or Wilt. He's inventing new records, and then breaking them.

He's the most entertaining player in the NBA because all of this continues to be dumbfounding. Nobody knows what to say, who to compare him to, or how this happened. The only certainty is that he just finished the most impressive regular season of all time.

It felt like a thousand threes, not 400. Let's see what's next.

Published Apr 15, 2016

ANDREW SHARP

Andrew Sharp is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated. He covers basketball, and has worked for several outlets since 2009. He lives in Washington D.C.