With the NBA playoffs continuing, all eyes are on the latest luckless losers to face the onslaught of one-and-done talent, most-consequentially from the NBA’s youngest teams. Zach Kram, a national NBA writer for ESPN.com, highlights how the conference finals feature several players who could shape the league’s future. We’ve seen phenomenal development from the Oklahoma City Thunder, Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks. They’re shedding a light on emerging stars that ensure hope for the future of basketball.
Chet Holmgren, the centerpiece of their offseason movement, was the No. 1 overall pick in the last draft. He continues to be an important player for the Thunder. Alongside his teammates, he joins a roster that boasts the youngest average age in the playoffs at just 24.6 years. This youthful energy, combined with the discipline of the game’s top young corps, has made the Thunder a heavy favorite this postseason.
On the other side, Cade Cunningham has proven to be must-watch in his first postseason. Averaging 8.7 assists across six games, Cunningham has established himself as a playmaking floor general able to shoulder the responsibility of leading his team. He’s fitting right in with a growing list of players who have made their mark on this unique playoff season.
The Thunder’s Rebuild and Young Talent
The Oklahoma City Thunder have undergone the most incredible Volkswagen beetle-through-the-trees makeover since they hit the nadir of their rebuild. By adding players like Wiggins and Isaiah Joe—who had previously been waived before signing with the team—the Thunder have created a dynamic roster. This heady mix of youthful vigor and grizzled seasoned players has resulted in some phenomenal performances during the entire playoffs.
One thing is clear, this season—Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has become a killer on the court. He is currently tied for 3rd in the entire NBA with Tyrese Haliburton and Jalen Brunson in assist rate. What’s more, he’s consistently maintaining turnover rates under control, too! That kind of efficiency has grown more important, as playoff rotations have gotten tighter and stars are increasingly asked to carry the burden of larger workloads.
Along with their youthful roster, the Thunder have struggled with free throw attempts. In fact, they, the Knicks and Pacers are the only teams to have given up more attempts at the charity stripe than they’ve taken themselves. This statistic points to the greater need for improvement in defensive discipline as they continue deeper into the postseason.
The Pacers and Their Surprising Consistency
The Indiana Pacers, for instance, have not selected a top-five draft pick since the Reagan administration. Nevertheless, they had still been able to make it to the conference finals back-to-back years! Their sustained success is a product of great scouting and great player development. Tyrese Maxey certainly took on that load, playing an incredible 37.7 minutes a night in the regular season. It’s his tireless work ethic and dedication to winning that made his greatness obvious.
Even as these playoffs progress, it’s remarkable to consider that only 20 players are averaging more minutes than Maxey did over this postseason. This trend underscores a shift in how teams are managing their rotations and utilizing their star players to maximize impact on the court.
Cavs point guard Darius Garland gave a little window into playoff Xs and Os, where it’s all about taking advantage of your opponent’s tendencies. He remarked, “pick on [Tyler Herro] … pick on their weak defenders.” This data-driven approach shines a light on how teams, smartly, are changing their game plans to partner with new-found vulnerabilities in their opponents.
Rising Stars and Seasoned Leaders
Players who are 37 years old, like Mike Conley Jr., still have tremendous impacts on their teams’ success. His experience will offer a calming force to younger teammates who are experiencing these pressure-packed moments for the first time.
Of course, Brunson’s been great, too, averaging 8.2 dimes this postseason. On the other end, he not only makes others around him better, he finds a way to get himself going. This dual-threat capability is a huge weapon in playoff basketball.
As teams adjust to the trends that we’re seeing in playoff success, here’s something really important that we’ve learned from Nikola Jokic about player rotations. Coaching strategies have begun to change in order to keep teams infused with the energy required to compete even as stars play more minutes through fatigue.
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