The NBA Western Conference Finals tip off Tuesday night when the champion Golden State Warriors take on the Portland Trail Blazers. The Eastern Conference follows suit on Wednesday evening with the Milwaukee Bucks taking on the Toronto Raptors.
This stage of the game is old hat for the Warriors, who are looking for their third straight title and fourth in five years, but Portland has not made it this far since 2000, nor Milwaukee since 2001. And while Toronto did reach the conference finals for the first time in 2016, they had a unceremonious exit that year. Here is one player from each team who could make a difference in their own series, since some newcomers have entered the fold.
Khris Middleton, Milwaukee — Middleton is an All-Star and among the greatest two-way players in the game, but he’s not exactly a household name. A defensive whiz, Middleton will be tasked with stopping Toronto’s celebrity and round two hero Kawhi Leonard.
Pascal Siakim, Toronto — Siakim, who could win NBA’s Most Improved Player award this season, will probably matchup with Milwaukee’s league MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo for most of the series. Siakim was an prospect from New Mexico State when Toronto drafted him, but he’s steadily improved over the course of his career, turning into a force on both sides of the ball.
Evan Turner, Portland — While he has never lived up to expectations after getting picked no. 2 in the 2010 draft, Turner can still be an effective playmaker. He needed a brutal stretch in the playoffs this season before scoring 10 points in a clutch fourth quarter in Portland’s Game 7 against triumph over the Denver Nuggets. The Blazers could use more of that against the Warriors.
Andre Igoudala, Golden State — Frankly, there aren’t any surprises about the Warriors anymore. However, Igoudala, ever the savvy veteran, has always come up with big plays when the Warriors want him to.
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