5 Highly Underrated Players In The Playoffs – essentiallysports.com

With the 2017 NBA Playoffs just around the corner, let us take a look at some highly underrated players who might upset a team or two.

1. C.J. McCollum

The Portland Trail Blazers have been playing phenomenal basketball ever since the All-Star break. Currently the 8th seed out west, the Blazers looked out of playoffs contention at one point of time. A significant fraction of the Blazers offence goes through C.J. McCollum who’s averaging 23 points for the season who’s also sported the clutch gene a number of times in the regular season. Watch out for CJ!

2. Patrick Beverley

A playoff game is very different from a regular season game. Intensity increases fourfold once we enter the postseason. Patrick Beverley is a fireball of a player. Known for his intensity, he is a lock-down defender. He might not score a lot of points but he is the sole defensive unit in a team that is not known for defence.

3. Lance Stephenson

There is no one quite like Lance Stephenson in today’s NBA. Ever since coming back to Indiana, we are seeing the old Lance “Born Ready” Stephenson. Talking trash, getting into people’s faces. A high octane player who can make differences, get into anyone’s head and brings a lot of energy to a low key Pacers team.

4. Avery Bradley

Probably the most underrated player in the eastern conference, Avery Bradley is a key player for the Boston Celtics. He’s average 16 points and 6 rebounds this season. His defence is the aspect of his game that makes him appear in this list. Apart from dropping points, he has the ability to lock down a player on defence. So, don’t be surprised to see him stripping the ball from a player in the final minutes of the game.

5. Enes Kanter

Enes Kanter has been the life of the Thunder bench this season. Averaging 14 points and 7 rebounds off the bench. He is a significant part of an otherwise insignificant Thunder roster. A really good player in the post, he is also an above average defensive player. When combined with a veteran Taj Gibson in the frontcourt, he can bring down thunder and lightening on the opposing defence.