It’s not too late to catch the next generation of stars in the NBA.
Even though the regular season is over, there are several young players with bright futures making appearances in the playoffs and turning heads in the process. Here are 10 rising stars you should check out.
1. Dennis Schroder
Schroder has been tearing it up in the playoffs for the Atlanta Hawks. The fourth-year point guard is averaging 24.4 points and 7.2 assists after recording playoff career-highs of 29 points and 11 assists in Wednesday’s 103-99 Game 5 loss to the Washington Wizards. With the Hawks staring down elimination in Game 6 on Friday, look for Schroder to have another big game.
2. Norman Powell
The Toronto Raptors looked to their bench for a spark in the playoffs and, boy, did they get one in Powell. The second-year shooting guard put on a show in Monday’s 118-93 Game 5 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring a playoff career-high 25 points and adding four rebounds, four assists and three steals. Here’s hoping for more slams like these from Powell in Game 6 on Thursday:
Norman Powell ignites the @Raptors in Game 5 with some serious SLAMS! #NBAPlayoffs #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/MgShKPTkG1
— NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2017
3. Taurean Prince
Prince has been a model of consistency in the playoffs despite his lack of experience. The rookie forward is averaging 12.6 points and 5.4 rebounds for Atlanta. According to the Hawks PR department, Prince is the first rookie to start his first five playoff games and score 10-plus points in each game since San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker in 2002.
4. Tim Hardaway Jr.
Hardaway is about to get paid this summer if he keeps playing like this in the playoffs. The soon-to-be restricted free agent scored 15 points in Atlanta’s loss on Wednesday. He’s now averaging 12.8 points over five games in the postseason. If the Hawks are to avoid being eliminated from the postseason, they’ll need Hardaway to step up in Friday’s must-win game.
5. Rodney Hood
Hood has provided the Utah Jazz with a scoring lift off the bench in each of the last two games against the Los Angeles Clippers. He had 18 points in Game 4 on Sunday and 16 points in Game 5 on Tuesday, helping his team take a 3-2 series lead. It will be interesting to see if he answers the call again for Utah in a critical Game 6 on Friday.
6. Malcolm Brogdon
Brogdon’s success during the regular season has carried over into the postseason. The rookie guard is averaging a respectable 9.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists in the playoffs while also contributing on the defensive end against Toronto’s backcourt duo of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. Whether or not Brogdon wins Rookie of the Year, the Bucks have to be happy about what the future holds for their second-round pick. He has had a huge impact on his team this year, more so than any other rookie.
7. Otto Porter Jr.
Porter is another soon-to-be restricted free agent that will generate a lot of interest this summer after what he’s done in the regular season and in the playoffs. The fourth-year forward contributed 17 points in Washington’s victory on Wednesday, with nine of those points coming at the free-throw line. Porter has now scored in double figures in three out of five playoff games against the Hawks. The Wizards need that sort of production out of him the rest of the way.
8. Bobby Portis
Talk about a way to make an entrance. Portis finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks in his playoff debut against the Boston Celtics in Game 1. He averaged less than seven points during the regular season, so it was quite a surprise to see the second-year forward break out offensively. Portis has been relatively quiet in the four games since his breakout performance, but the Chicago Bulls need another big game out of him on Friday as they look to avoid being eliminated from the postseason.
9. Paul Zipser
Zipser is another young player on the Bulls having an impact in the postseason. A second-round pick in last summer’s draft, Zipser averaged 5.5 points in a little over 19 minutes per game during the regular season. He played almost 30 minutes in Game 2 against Celtics, scoring 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting. He followed that up with 10 points across 25 minutes in Game 3. Time will tell if Zipser develops into a star for the Bulls. At the very least, he appears to be a good rotational player for them.
10. Thon Maker
Don’t sleep on Maker. There’s a reason the Bucks used a first-round pick on him last summer. He’s loaded with potential, and it has shown through on several occasions during the playoffs. He can block shots, grab rebounds and he displays exceptional shooting touch for a seven-footer. Give Maker some time to develop and he’ll be among the best big men in the league.
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