As the world gears up for one of the most highly anticipated NBA Finals of all time, the focus for most fans will likely be on the superstars.
When you have a handful of the best players of the last decade squaring off against each other, it certainly makes it harder for the lesser known individual players to grab the spotlight. However, throughout NBA history there have been many players who rose from the level of role-player to hero during some of the biggest moments in the Finals
JaVale McGee, C
Before this season McGee was probably best known for his appearances on Shaqtin’ a Fool and pulling off athletic feats. But after bouncing around the league, he’s finally found a home in Golden State.
So far during the playoffs, McGee has been ridiculously efficient with .748 true shooting percentage and a 27.0 player efficiency rating (for comparison Draymond Green’s PER in this postseason is 21.3). When McGee is on the floor he gives the Warriors a strong presence on the boards and his athleticism may be the best of any big man on either team.
Tristan Thompson, PF/C
The former fourth-overall pick back in 2011 hasn’t quite lived up to that lofty draft status yet in his career, but he has still managed to turn himself into a vital member for the Cavaliers. So far in these playoffs, Thompson is averaging a near double-double in the playoffs at 9.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. He also brings down 17 percent of his teams rebounds when he is on the floor and provides 1.7 win shares (essentially wins added) — the same amount as teammate Kevin Love.
Thompson’s ability to rebound the ball was on full display earlier this year against the Warriors on Christmas Day when he pulled down six offensive rebounds. If Thompson can consistently get rebounds on the offensive end like he did in that game, it could give the Cavs the extra possessions they need to pull out a victory.
David West, PF/C
The former two-time-All-Star hadn’t been to an NBA finals before this year, but he will finally get a chance to compete for a championship. West isn’t the same player he was back in his days with New Orleans and Indiana, but he has carved out a significant role with the Warriors as a savvy, veteran playmaker.
When West is on the floor in the playoffs, so far he is accounting for an impressive 25.7 percent of the Warriors’ assists and he is making highlight plays on a regular basis. West also manages to pull down 17.9 percent of the Warriors’ defensive rebounds when he is on the court, which could prove vital against a Cavs team that is excellent at extending possessions with offensive rebounds.
The combination of West’s passing and rebounding have given him a solid 5.8 box plus/minus and a 13.5 percent usage rate, which is pretty high for a player who is given relatively limited minutes. With West transitioning his game to best suit his new team, he could very well make a couple of key plays that could drastically effect the outcome of the finals.
J.R. Smith, SG
When you take an irrational amount of confidence and mix it with the ability to become a human microwave on the court, what do you get? The answer is J.R. Smith.
The former sixth-man of the year is still just as dangerous a shooter as ever, nailing .449 percent of his threes in the playoffs with a true-shooting-percentage of .656. J.R. was in classic form against the Celtics in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, when he hit a ridiculous circus-shot at the buzzer, to give the Cavaliers the record for largest half-time lead in NBA playoff history.
Shots like that are what Smith so valuable to the Cavs. When he gets hot it is almost impossible to stop him and even when he misses a few shots, he always has the confidence to take another to get back on track. He has also improved his defensive effort in his three seasons with the Cavs, allowing Cavs’ head coach Tyronn Lue to keep Smith on the floor even when he isn’t scoring.
If Smith can have another one of his hot shooting streaks, even in just one game, it could give the Cavs a huge advantage in the Finals.
Patrick McCaw, SG
Rounding our list is by far the youngest player on it. McCaw was known as a good shooter coming out of UNLV and the second-round pick has proven himself as such in the playoffs. The rookie is hitting .389 percent of his threes and has a true shooting percentage of .610, giving the Warriors another capable scorer from the wing. He has also used his length to become a solid defender on the perimeter, averaging almost a steal per game in the playoffs.
While he receives limited playing time for a stacked Warriors’ squad, McCaw averages 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2 steals per 36 minutes, meaning he’s extremely effective when he does get time on the court. Because of his strong shooting, ability to score in bunches and the attention that the Warriors’ star players are going to receive, McCaw could have an opportunity to explode offensively in the Finals and be a difference-maker off the bench for a star-studded Warriors’ team.