Playoff success is contingent on big-time performances from the league’s brightest stars and an occasional role player stepping up when needed the most.
The second round of the NBA playoffs officially ended Sunday with the Game 7 matchup between the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors.
The second round produced plenty of storylines, such as the Cleveland Cavaliers looking like a well-oiled machine all but destined to reach the NBA Finals for consecutive seasons.
Other plots involved a legend turning back the clock and writing off anyone saying he was done, Stephen Curry returning from injury looking better than he did before, a reserve center stepping into the starting lineup and producing for a starving franchise and a pair of top-10 scoring champions eliminating the most consistently successful franchise of the millennium.
Playoff success is contingent on big-time performances from the league’s brightest stars and an occasional role player stepping up when needed the most.
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With the conference finals already under way, let’s take a look back at the top performers from the second round of the NBA playoffs.
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