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NBA Playoffs: Which superstar has the most to win and lose?

By Luke Dahlgren

May 10, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Cavaliers Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates with teammates after scoring the game winning basket in the second half of game four of the second round of the NBA Playoffs against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. The Cavaliers won 86-84. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
May 10, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Cavaliers Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates with teammates after scoring the game winning basket in the second half of game four of the second round of the NBA Playoffs against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. The Cavaliers won 86-84. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 3, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) winces in pain against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter in game one of the second round of the NBA Playoffs. at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
May 3, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) winces in pain against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter in game one of the second round of the NBA Playoffs. at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

With the NBA conference semifinals quickly closing in on their climaxes, we take a look at how much each player has to win or to lose.

Back in 2006, the Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks entered the NBA Finals as the favorites to beat the fledgling Miami Heat. After winning the first two games, the Mavs were swept the rest of the way. The Heat celebrated, and Nowitzki was destined to become a small footnote in NBA history as a very good European player who at best once reached the NBA Finals.

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Flash forward to five years later in 2011, and a seemingly washed up Nowitzki guides the Mavericks to the Finals again. They go up a second time against the Heat and the newly assembled Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. This time as underdogs, Dirk and the Mavs fell into a 2-1 hole. Behind Dirk’s double-double performances, the Mavs were able to top the Heat in six, and Dirk immediately was regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.

The NBA playoffs are what create legends, but they are also what doom players to mediocrity. For many, the window is closing fast, and they only have a limited time to pull of what Dirk was able to achieve.

With apologies to Kyrie Irving, Marc Gasol, Klay Thompson and the starting five of the Atlanta Hawks, we examine how much each star still in the playoffs has to gain, and how much each star has to lose.

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