Who’s Been the Best Role Player for Each NBA Conference Finals Team?

While the star players grab the headlines, multiple standout role players made crucial plays to put their respective teams in the Conference Finals.

Ajay Mitchell (Thunder), Dylan Harper (Spurs), Mikal Bridges (Knicks), and Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers) each came up big in the semifinals to keep their team’s season alive.

The film shows how these four players all provided something different from a strategic standpoint.

Ajay Mitchell Stepped up for the Thunder

Mitchell had his coming-out party against the Lakers. He scored 24 points or more twice in the regular season. In Game 3, he scored 24 points and then set his career high of 28 points in Game 4.

His ability to get downhill was a massive part of the Thunder’s offense.

On the isolation, Mitchell gets a favorable switch with Austin Reaves on him, and with a quick crossover, he blows by him. Mitchell reads and reacts — sees Rui Hachimura trap the box and Mitchell doesn’t over-penetrate to get his shot off.

The result is a double clutch bucket, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s reaction says it all.

Speaking of Gilgeous-Alexander, the Lakers trapped him most of the series, which allowed Mitchell to get plenty of one-on-one opportunities.

Here’s a situational play that Mitchell executes:

There are 37 seconds, and the Thunder have a two-for-one opportunity if they score quickly. Mitchell recognizes that and, even against a set defense, attacks a backpedaling Reaves in space.

He steps into the paint and uses the rim as a shield to negate the weak side help. Mitchell scored the layup with 31 seconds to get the Thunder the two-for-one. 

The 23-year-old showed no fear in the spotlight throughout the series.

Dylan Harper’s Playmaking Gave Spurs a Spark

Harper averaged 14.7 points and 2.5 assists in the semifinals against the Timberwolves. While they’re not the sexiest numbers, his playmaking kept the Timberwolves on their paws. 

In the play above, while it’s a simple toss as a dribble handoff, Harper generates momentum into the lane. Reading and reacting, Harper sees Rudy Gobert leave his feet and commit to contesting his shot.

Harper makes the pass in mid-air to Luke Kornet, who has enough room to push the shot into the cup.

At the end of Game 6, Harper comes off Victor Wembanyama’s cross-screen, Jaden McDaniels gambles on the pass, which gives Harper the lane to drive. From here, it’s a simple two-on-one read. Naz Reid’s feet are coming towards Harper, and the second overall pick hits Harrison Barnes for a wide-open catch-and-shoot triple.

Simplifying the game offensively allowed Harper and the Spurs to dominate the Wolves.

Mikal Bridges’ Screen Navigation Sets the Tone

Bridges did all the things that don’t appear on a regular stat sheet. The 29-year-old blew up possessions by staying in front of the ball.

Watch him angle his feet away from the screen, ready to fight over it.

He initiates contact with Joel Embiid to get over the screen. Once Tyrese Maxey is trapped near the sideline, Bridges immediately jumps on the pass and steals it with his 7-foot-1 wingspan.

Bridges cleanly gets over another screen here.

His left foot is in the space between the screener and ball handler, exactly the spot he wants to be in defensively. While Bridges does leave his feet early, he recovers to make Maxey throw over the top of his arms.

The Knicks get what they want out of this possession: neither Maxey nor Embiid takes a shot, and the result is a missed above-the-break 3-pointer by VJ Edgecombe.

Jarrett Allen Takes the Numbers Advantage 

Allen saved his best for last, scoring his series high in both of the Cavaliers’ Game 7s (22 points vs. the Raptors and 23 points vs. the Pistons). 

A bulk of Cleveland’s success came when the Pistons put two defenders on the ball, and it was up to Allen to take advantage.

Once James Harden makes the pocket pass, it’s up to Allen to make the correct decision out of the short roll. Allen does a great job of feeling the contact and decides to flip up a finger roll for an and-one.

Pistons trap Harden again.

On the short roll, Allen keeps the ball up high on the catch to avoid a potential strip. With a numbers advantage, Allen pump-fakes a pass to get Duncan Robinson to commit back to his man before going down the lane for a wide-open dunk.

Allen’s decision-making was on par to help Cleveland sustain easy buckets.

Wrap Up

Mitchell, Harper, Bridges, and Allen all came up big to push their respective teams into the Conference Finals.

Their string of unsung plays showed why role players swing the pendulum in the postseason.