Jarrett Allen has been a steady presence for the Cavs this postseason, anchoring the paint on both ends of the floor.
These NBA playoffs haven’t been short on premier players making premier plays. Tyrese Haliburton, Aaron Gordon, Jalen Brunson, Jimmy Butler, to name a few.
That’s what this time of year is all about. Every team’s centerpiece is stepping up and assuming the role he was given and earned. No team moves forward unless that certain player delivers.
There’s also a noticeable number of supporting players who’ve seized the moment to rise and go beyond their status. Almost every team needs that player, too, in order to stay alive.
That collection is starting to swell, and each player is making a name for themselves. And their contributions won’t go unnoticed.
Here’s each team’s unsung player in these playoffs (listed alphabetically by last name):
1. Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers
He should have “unsung” stitched across the back of his jersey, even though he’s a former All-Star. Allen is the archetype worker bee, averaging 15 points in the postseason despite the Cavs running zero plays for him.
His role and importance as center are heightened now, with Evan Mobley’s injury status raising some concern. Both worked well alongside each other throughout a 64-win season, and now Allen, the Cavs’ leading rebounder, must amp up his work on the boards and rim protection to ease the potential loss of Mobley, who missed Cleveland’s most recent playoff game.
Honorable mention to Ty Jerome, but he needs to rebound from a poor opening game of the second round, where he missed 13 of his 14 shots and scored two points in 28 minutes against the Pacers.
2. Christian Braun, Denver Nuggets
He’s developing so quickly that his profile is slowly stretching beyond the Denver city limits. He was pressed into heavier minutes once the Nuggets declined to re-sign Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope over the last few summers. The bad news is Denver could use the depth and defense those two provided.
The good news is that Braun is producing higher than anticipated. Flush with increased minutes (39 per during the playoffs!) and trust amongst his teammates, Braun received a role promotion and is using his energy to justify it. He’s not a polished shooter from deep but will challenge bigger players at the rim and scores in transition. Honorable mention to Peyton Watson.
3. Alex Caruso, Oklahoma City Thunder
One of two big acquisitions last summer (Isaiah Hartenstein the other), Caruso arrived to a team loaded with depth. The bad news — he played less than 20 minutes a night during the season. The good news — OKC won 68 games and captured the top seed, partly because of defense and depth, both of which Caruso provided.
His true worth is being realized in the playoffs, where his minutes and production are up. He’s leading OKC in steals — which says a lot on the No. 1 rated defensive team — and is often guarding the opponent’s most dangerous threat. Caruso also opened the second round with 20 points, six assists and five steals in a loss to Denver.
4. Josh Hart, New York Knicks
This is an easy call; the Hart and Soul of the Knicks is hardly one for glamour but is big on guts. His durability and all-around impact make him invaluable, and coach Tom Thibodeau hesitates to sit him for any length of time.
He’s had three double-doubles in the playoffs, including the Game 1 overtime victory over the Celtics, and will out-wrestle his own teammates for rebounds in traffic despite being just 6-foot-4. He’s always on the floor in close games with under a minute to play because Thibs knows Hart will get in someone’s grill defensively and collect stray balls. It is what he has done not only all season, but since becoming a Knick.
Runner-up is Mikal Bridges, who made a pair of massive defensive stops in both wins over the Celtics, but it’s hard to be unsung when the Knicks unloaded a fortune in assets to get you to do just that.
5. Buddy Hield, Golden State Warriors
Buddy Hield becomes the 3rd player in NBA history to have back-to-back playoff games with 20+ points, 5+ made 3-pointers and zero turnovers.
Golden State relied on star power throughout their dynasty era, but now leans on a collection of less-established players to travel deep into the postseason. Pat Spencer, Quinten Post, Brandin Podziemski are all playing above their resumes. But where would the Warriors be without a little Buddy?
Solid and also inconsistent in his previous stops before arriving to the Warriors, Hield began the season strong, then drifted, and now has come full circle here in the playoffs. Yes, he can be unplayable at times if the 3-point shot’s not falling. But not lately. His defense has been a revelation, and he KO’d the Rockets with 33 points in the first-round closeout. With Stephen Curry dealing with a strained hamstring and out for the next three games, Buddy’s 3-point buckets loom large.
6. Al Horford, Boston Celtics
Now that Payton Pritchard is decorated with a Kia NBA Sixth Man award and therefore no longer unsung, it’s time to embrace an aging veteran who’s still commanding heavy playing time — 32 minutes through these playoffs — and doing something with it. Horford has a knack for timely defense, and when he’s standing on his sweet spot in the deep corner, opponents must stretch and respect his 3-point ability.
And now, Horford’s defensive presence, especially against Karl-Anthony Towns, is even more important because of Kristaps Porziņģis. He played in Game 2 against the Knicks after missing the second half of Game 1 with illness, but given his history of missing games, you never know.
7. Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves
This comes with a disclaimer, because McDaniels is hardly an unknown when the subject is defense. At that end of the floor, he’s among the league’s elite. Yet, it’s his offense that’s rising and at times making him an unsung and more of a two-way player.
The Lakers were victimized in the first round; McDaniels had games of 30 and 25 points, shooting 24 of 35 combined, which is rich for him. He’s fully capable of going dry as well, and the Wolves, who aren’t exactly loaded with point producers, often suffer when that happens. He makes it so much easier for Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle when he’s hitting the corner 3 or scoring in transition.
"I got 2 words for you. Jaden McDaniels" 🗣️
Anthony Edwards attributed part the Wolves' success down the stretch to his teammate 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Q3Z0kR7m7F
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 26, 2025
8. Aaron Nesmith, Indiana Pacers
It’s almost a coin flip between him and Andrew Nembhard; both have accelerated their performances to carve out meaty roles in the lineup and pecking order. Nembhard is making half his shots in the playoffs, scoring 16 points a night while playing sidekick to Tyrese Haliburton in a point guard attacking duo.
But we’ll go with Nesmith. This stretch is his best basketball of the season, perhaps of his career.
Nesmith has scored double-digit points for six straight games and, more impressively, rose to the occasion in the frantic Game 2 win over Cleveland with crucial plays at both ends. He was the 14th pick by the Celtics in 2020, but three summers ago, they sacrificed him for a veteran in Malcolm Brogdon, only to see Nesmith blossom in Indiana with a starting role and increased minutes.
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
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