Technically, the playoffs aren’t set yet, with the last four teams still to be determined. But 12 teams are officially in, and their championship hopes will depend on how certain players perform.
Everyone knows the superstars will bring it, but the complementary stars are a different story. A superstar can play his best basketball, but if the supporting cast doesn’t pull its weight, it won’t matter. With that in mind, here are 10 players who need to make their presence felt if their teams want a shot at the title.
Mikal Bridges
This is exactly why the New York Knicks paid a premium for Bridges. They brought him in believing he was a two-way wing who could space the floor and play elite defense. He’s done it before for a team that made the NBA Finals — now he has to do it again.
The Knicks didn’t do great against the league’s top teams. And while Bridges was never asked to be the guy, he’s expected to cover a lot of ground on both ends. For New York to be taken seriously as a contender, he has to step up.
Kristaps Porziņģis
Porziņģis may have ended the 2024 season as an NBA champ, but anyone who watched knows he had a small role in Boston’s title run. The Celtics made it work without him, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need him now.
If Boston wants to go back-to-back, they need everyone — and Porziņģis gives them a dimension that makes them almost impossible to stop. The issue is he hasn’t shown he can stay healthy for a full playoff run. Boston has the roster to repeat, but if Porziņģis can’t stay on the floor, it could derail everything.
Julius Randle
Randle is the wild card for the Timberwolves. They’ve been up and down all season, but if Randle is locked in, he can swing a series. Anthony Edwards will draw most of the attention, which could open things up for Randle to shine.
If his offense isn’t working, he can turn into a black hole. He might be the difference between Minnesota making a surprise Finals run or flaming out in the first round. If the Wolves put him in the right spots, nobody will want to face them.
Kyle Kuzma
The Bucks brought Kuzma in at the trade deadline to add versatility, championship experience, and youth. He’s played on the big stage before but didn’t have much time to settle into his new role in Milwaukee.
The Bucks haven’t had much playoff success since winning it all in 2021. Kuzma is the piece that could help change that. He can score, but his efficiency hasn’t been great. To quiet the doubters, he’ll need to channel the version of himself that helped the Lakers win their 17th title in 2020.
Jarrett Allen
The Cavaliers were strong this season, but they’ll need everyone to be at their best to prove they’re not just regular-season good. Allen will be key — both playing alongside Evan Mobley and giving him breathers off the bench.
He’s a solid rim protector, no question. But teams will try to stretch the floor and pull him out of the paint. Whether Allen can adjust to that will be huge. If he can, Cleveland will be tough to score on. If he can’t, they might not even make the Finals.
Austin Reaves
Reaves has looked like a star ever since the Lakers shook things up. Playing the third option behind LeBron James and Luka Dončić suits him perfectly — and if he keeps that up in the playoffs, the Lakers could make noise.
Teams will do everything they can to shut down James and Dončić. That’s how Reaves ended up playing the best ball of his career. The postseason is a different beast, but he’s delivered in big moments before. The Lakers will feel good about their chances if he keeps it rolling.
Norman Powell
Powell was one of the biggest All-Star snubs this season. When Kawhi Leonard was out, Powell stepped in and delivered. He dealt with injuries later but seems to be back on track. As the Clippers’ third option, he could prove the doubters wrong.
This is the healthiest the Clippers have been in four years. With the help they added at the deadline and a healthy Leonard, they could be scary. If Powell keeps up his All-Star-level play, the Clippers could go even deeper than expected.
Chet Holmgren
The Thunder has been great — no one can argue that. Now comes the hard part: seeing if their talent outweighs their inexperience. Last year ended in disaster. The Mavericks might not be the biggest threat, but other contenders will challenge anyone not named Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to beat them.
That includes Holmgren, who’s a strong rim protector and stretch big. He’ll get open looks — now it’s about whether he can knock them down efficiently. The Thunder gets much tougher if he can, and Gilgeous-Alexander doesn’t have to do it all himself.
Andrew Nembhard
Nembhard came through big for the Pacers in last year’s playoffs when Tyrese Haliburton was out. With Haliburton healthy again, the pressure’s lower, but Nembhard might still be the key to unlocking this offense.
Yes, defense is a question mark for Indiana. But Nembhard has the tools to make up for it. He gave the Celtics fits when they barely escaped the Pacers in games Indiana could’ve won. With that experience, the Pacers might not let close games slip away again.
Alperen Şengün
OK, this one’s a little bit of a cheat — Şengün is essentially the centerpiece of the Rockets’ success. But this is his first postseason, and he’s leading a No. 2 seed in the West that no one seems to believe in.
People call him a Jokic-lite. It took Jokic a few years to turn Denver into a title contender. Houston isn’t a trendy pick, but if Şengün can lead them to a series win or two, he’ll show the Rockets’ future is in good hands.