Role players making their mark on NBA playoffs

For everyone watching the NBA playoffs, you undoubtedly saw the “Brook Lopez game” in the opener of the Eastern Conference finals. So, what role player will step up next in the conference finals?

It seems like three of the four remaining teams – Bucks, Blazers and Warriors – have all had a role player step up and help the team win a game this postseason. Rodney Hood was amazing for Portland against Denver averaging 14.7 points in 24 minutes per appearance. Kevon Looney just went 6-6 against Portland in the conference finals to help Golden State take a 2-0 series lead over the Blazers.

The one exception: the Toronto Raptors. In game one, the team had a total of 12 bench points and just 24 points combined from the five players who played aside from Kyle Lowry, Kawhi Leonard and Pascal Siakam. Kawhi has been one of the best players — if not the best — in the playoffs this year and Lowry had by far his best game of the postseason in game one. Lowry had 30 points on 10 of 15 shooting and an incredible offensive rating of 139 (110.5 average in 13 playoff games). But the rest of the team averaged an offensive rating of just 85.2.

Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard (2) is fouled by Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the second half in Game 1 of the NBA basketball playoffs Eastern Conference final in Milwaukee on Wednesday, May 15, 2019. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Who will be the next man up in this round?

A majority of these playoff games have been won by stars, which is usually what happens. But a Brook Lopez game can save a team when someone like Khris Middleton shoots 4-12 and 1-6 from 3-point range. The Bucks would have surely lost game one of the Eastern Conference Finals had Lopez not stepped up big in the fourth quarter.

The playoffs are really about who has the best, and most, stars. But a bench can make or break a game for a team.

Portland has made it this far because they have great stars, but their bench has been phenomenal. Rodney Hood, whom we know a lot about in Utah, has been lights out for them this postseason. Seth Curry has a major part in the Blazers coming so close to stealing game two on the road with four steals — all on Steph — in the game. Enes Kanter, who now starts but was a key bench player until Jusuf Nurkic got injured, has been a great rebounding presence for the team.

Golden State didn’t utilize much of their bench against Houston in the second round, but it played 12 guys in game two against Portland. The Warriors need all the help they can without Kevin Durant on the court.

Milwaukee has been one of the deeper teams all season. Malcolm Brogdon just came back from injury. George Hill, Ersan Ilyasova and Brook Lopez have been key pieces for the team all year, and it’s showing now.

Toronto basically won game seven against Philadelphia because, other than Kawhi Leonard being the best player on the court, Serge Ibaka showed up. The Raptors bench is diminished compared to the past few years, but the team still has impactful role players. Ibaka, Pascal Siakam and Danny Green have all been solid contributors in the playoffs and are a huge reason the team has made it this far. Contributions from players not named Lowry and Leonard will be needed for the Raptors to steal a win on the road in game two.

Through the remainder of the NBA playoffs, keep an eye out for the next role player to step up big and possibly win a game for their team.

Twitter: @ajlars13