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NBA Playoffs: 8 most important players in the conference semis

By Luke Dahlgren

May 3, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the NBA playoffs logo on the court before game seven of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
May 3, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the NBA playoffs logo on the court before game seven of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 2, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers bench players celebrate after guard Chris Paul (3) made a basket with one second remaining in the fourth quarter of game seven of the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs at Staples Center. Clippers won 111-109. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
May 2, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers bench players celebrate after guard Chris Paul (3) made a basket with one second remaining in the fourth quarter of game seven of the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs at Staples Center. Clippers won 111-109. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

With the exception of the incredible Los Angeles Clippers-San Antonio Spurs series, the NBA playoffs’ first round presented the world largely uninteresting basketball. Sure, watching Rajon Rondo set himself on fire was compelling television, but that can only make up for so many Deron Williams shots hitting the front of the rim with depressing precision.

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Conversely, the second round of the NBA playoffs is the first round entirely with contenders. No team is here that doesn’t deserve to be considered a legitimate player in the race for the NBA Finals.

  • The Atlanta Hawks offensive flow and efficiency will be challenged by the suddenly explosive Washington Wizards.
  • The shorthanded Cleveland Cavaliers take on a Chicago Bulls team that is somehow not shorthanded. The series will be a war of attrition.
  • The major clash of styles between the Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies becomes even more pronounced with the injury of Mike Conley
  • With the Los Angeles Clippers coming off of a major series victory, they run into a Houston Rockets team fresh off of an easy series win.

Avoiding the obvious picks, these are the players who will most impact the second round of the NBA playoffs.

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