The playoffs are a gauntlet. To win a championship, a team needs to win 16 games while facing elite competition in a grueling stretch of high-intensity battles. The stars have played their part in this postseason, as the teams with them have succeeded while leaving the teams without them in the dust (sorry, Paul George).
The Cavs are rolling through the East, while the West looks much more muddied. Which players need to step up to get their team to basketball glory? At the start of the playoffs we detailed one player from each team. Now, we’re looking at 5 do-or-die players that need to come through, or see their team’s hopes vanish.
Kyle Lowry, Guard, Toronto Raptors
Last season, the Raptors were embarrassed by the Washington Wizards in a four-game sweep. Kyle Lowry said that after that series he was humiliated by the way he played, and it inspired him to get in better shape heading into this year. Lowry has played exceptionally well this season, but his playoff demons have come back to haunt him. In the first round, he played inconsistent basketball and couldn’t seem to find his shot.
Now, against Miami, things have gotten even worse. Despite his incredible half-court buzzer beater that sent game one to overtime, Lowry is shooting just 37% in the paint and a woeful 9 for 57 from deep. For a 39% three-point shooter in the regular season, it seems his shot has disappeared under the bright lights of the postseason. Lowry is the engine behind this team, and while he won’t stop playing hard, the Raptors will be disposed of quickly if he doesn’t rediscover his shot.
Dion Waiters, Guard, Oklahoma City Thunder
As mentioned in the first post about players needing to step up, the Thunder need an x-factor that isn’t Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook. So far in the second round, Waiters is just 6 for 17 with 5 turnovers and what should have been an offensive foul in the closing seconds of an unbelievable game.
Waiters shoved Manu Ginobili in the chest while inbounding the ball, and the only reason the refs didn’t call anything is because they had never seen the play before. Waiters is simply not doing enough for this team, and the Thunder simply don’t have the depth to run with the Spurs if no one other than Durant and Westbrook are playing well. At this point, it’s now or never for Dion Waiters and the Thunder.
C.J. McCollum, Guard, Portland Trail Blazers
McCollum was a deserving Most Improved Player award winner this season, but he needs to continue that improvement in the postseason. In the first round, he was excellent, and helped carry the Blazers past the Clippers. In the second round, however, the Warriors have subdued him and, to a lesser extent, Damian Lillard. Portland had a real opportunity to jump out in this series with Stephen Curry still on the sideline, but the Warriors stormed back in game two to take a 2-0 series and bide their time until Curry’s return. The Trail Blazers’ backcourt had to jump on a thinner Warriors backcourt, and McCollum needed to take advantage. He hasn’t, and if he doesn’t do so soon, the Blazers will be buried too deep to come back.
Joe Johnson, Guard/Forward, Miami Heat
Joe Johnson was once known for being a cold-blooded playoff killer. In Atlanta he was a big shot taker and maker, and even in Brooklyn he went toe to toe with anyone in his path. Now, Miami needs that version of Johnson to surpass the Raptors. Johnson is an excellent three-point shooter, but his shot has seemed to desert him.
He hasn’t hit a 3 in this series yet, and has been shut down by DeMarre Carroll when being guarded by him. That was the same story as last year when Johnson’s Nets and Carroll’s Hawks faced off, and the matchup continues to plague him. If Johnson can’t rediscover his shot, and surpass Carroll for the rest of the series, Miami won’t make it out of the second round.
Serge Ibaka, Forward, Oklahoma City Thunder
The West is truly there for the taking for the Oklahoma City Thunder. They have proven that they can hang with the Spurs in games two and three, despite blowing a late lead once again on Friday night. Serge Ibaka has played well so far, but not well enough considering that LaMarcus Aldridge has been absolutely dominant for San Antonio. Ibaka has to show some of his trademark defensive prowess against Aldridge, who has simply been on fire. If Ibaka doesn’t, the Spurs will continue to exploit that matchup and leave OKC in the dust.