Fansided

NBA: 8 players to surprise in the playoffs

By Luke Dahlgren

Apr 18, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) shoots over Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Carter-Williams (5) during the third quarter in game one of the first round of the 2015 NBA Playoffs at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 18, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) shoots over Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Carter-Williams (5) during the third quarter in game one of the first round of the 2015 NBA Playoffs at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /
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April 18, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; General view of t-shirts placed on the seats before game one of the first round of the NBA Playoffs between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
April 18, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; General view of t-shirts placed on the seats before game one of the first round of the NBA Playoffs between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

With the NBA regular season having already drawn to a close and the first round matchups set, a collection of NBA players are ready to provide a postseason surprise.

It is over.

The dye is cast.

The wax has dried.

The scroll is sealed.

The NBA regular season has come to a close, and the first round matchups have been set. For fans of the Oklahoma City Thunder, visions of the Anthony Davis double-clutch buzzer-beater three-pointer hyphen-creator play from two months ago haunt their nightmares, both in sleep and awake.

For fans of the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat, just a year removed from facing off in the Eastern Conference Finals, they simply need to be glad to have been involved after injuries should have fully collapsed their seasons.

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For the sixteen teams involved in the NBA playoffs, the long tryouts are over. A number of highly intriguing matchups present juicy plots and subplots:

  • The Mark Cuban versus Daryl Morey bloodfeud continues perhaps its most entertaining chapter when the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets square off in an interstate rivalry.
  • Two major MVP candidates with very different teammate situations meet when Stephen Curry’s noble Golden State Warriors and Anthony Davis’ perplexing New Orleans Pelicans face in a 1-v-8 seed pairing.
  • Styles clash when the bulldozing Memphis Grizzlies meet up with the finesse Portland Trail Blazers.
  • The Chicago Bulls and the Milwaukee Bucks go head-to-head, and the Bulls get to enjoy home court advantage away from home.

On top of the matchups come the inevitable emergence of surprise contributors. Last year, one of the surprises was veteran shooting guard Vince Carter, who lifted the Mavericks in game three against the San Antonio Spurs with his clutch three pointer.

This year promises to have more of the same. We take a look at who will provide some surprise contributions in the first round and beyond.

Next: Paul Millsap

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