The 2015 NBA Playoffs are set and we’ve spent the last 24+ hours poring over the details of every matchup. After a long 82-game season, only 16 teams remain. We’ve got MVP candidates facing off in the first round, we’ve got former champions facing stars who have never been to the conference finals and for some terrible reason, we’ve got the Brooklyn Nets. The 2015 NBA Playoffs, everybody!
More from NBA
- Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
- Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
- Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
- Constructing the NBA’s perfect all-under-25 starting five
- Grading every NBA team’s highest draft pick in the last five years
But as we wait for these next agonizing 24 hours to pass until the playoffs begin, it’s worth mentioning that stars aren’t the only players who decide playoff series in the NBA. Superstars can take over games, but without the right role players, no team can ascend the throne.
In that spirit, it’s time to take a look at the non-star players whose successes or failures will play a major role in each first round series. Every team has an X-factor in this first round, and it’s time we identified them.
Note: These X-factor designations will only be given to players who aren’t superstars. We all know Stephen Curry and LeBron James will need to play well, but we’re more concerned with which role players can become X-factors to swing a series.
Next: Brooklyn Nets