Jun 3, 2021
As we get closer to the start of the NBA conference semifinals, it’s a good time to look at the most surprising stars of the postseason. Some are familiar faces elevating their game, while others are thriving in their first taste of playoff basketball. Here are the five first-round breakout stars of the 2021 NBA playoffs.
5. Austin Rivers
Rivers’s bravado has been infectious for this Nuggets team. Despite being waived multiple times in his career, Rivers plays like he belongs, which has been enough to earn minutes on a depleted Denver roster. Nuggets coach Michael Malone knows he can count on the guard to play tough defense and have the confidence to take the biggest shots.
I often picture Mavs superstar forward Luka Dončić decked out in a velour tracksuit opened just enough at the top so the imposing gold chains tangled in his nest of disheveled chest hair peek out of his wife-beater T-shirt. Is he going to shoot a porno today? Maybe. But before he gets double-teamed in the sheets,
Looking to come back from his second 2-0 series deficit, Kawhi Leonard has put the Los Angeles Clippers on his back and guided them to two straight road wins. His personal dominance against Dallas, dating back to last year s playoffs, is something to behold.
Trailing 2-0 entering Game 3 in Dallas, the Los Angeles Clippers had their backs against the wall. In what many considered the most important game in franchise history, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George responded emphatically. How did they get it done?