Bucks forward Bobby Portis is among the players shining off the bench this postseason.
Winning a title in the NBA is a collective effort. The star players and regular starters are always the ones who carry most of the heavy workload, but sometimes, bench players need to step up as well. Let’s take a look at the bench players who have been leaving a mark in the early stages of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Let’s start with Davion Mitchell. The former Raptors guard turned heads with an epic showing in the Play-In Tournament against the Hawks with 15 points and 9 assists, and he followed that up with back-to-back 18-point performances in the first two games of the series against Cleveland. He started in Game 2 of the series, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he remains in a starting role alongside Tyler Herro in Miami’s backcourt.
One of the top reserves in the NBA, Bobby Portis has done a good job coming off the bench for the Bucks. Portis missed 25 games due to a suspension late in the regular season but didn’t miss a beat upon his return. Portis scored in double digits in his three appearances while racking up two double-doubles before the start of the playoffs. He showed his importance in Game 2 of the series against the Pacers, posting 28 points and 12 rebounds across 32 minutes off the bench. He should play a huge role for the Bucks in their comeback quest.
Naz Reid is another player worth watching in this postseason run. Even though Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle are the established starters in the frontcourt, Reid often sees heavy minutes and handles both positions while stretching the floor for Minnesota on offense. His production in Game 1 was indicative of everything he brings to the table. He totaled 23 points (8-12 FG, 6-9 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks across 31 minutes during the 117-95 win over the Lakers in Game 1 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Last but not least, it’s impossible to leave Alex Caruso out of the equation. Caruso’s impact is often not seen in the offensive box score, but his defensive contributions are key on a Thunder team that looks like the best team in the Western Conference by a sizable margin. Caruso’s impact is likely to continue growing as the playoffs continue.
Other names worth singling out are Ty Jerome (Cavaliers), Dennis Schröder (Pistons), T.J. McConnell (Pacers) and the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, Payton Pritchard (Celtics). All these players are expected to contribute heavily in each of their respective teams’ playoff runs.
