2. Cleveland Cavaliers – Tristan Thompson
I know what you’re thinking, why is there a picture of Tristan Thompson in an article about the “Most Important Players For Every Playoff Team.” Further, why is it Thompson and not LeBron James or Kyrie Irving that’s categorized under Cleveland?
Trust me, I know whole-heartedly that James is a monster during the playoffs, all of the evidence is there to make that claim, after all just look at his near triple-double average in last year’s Finals.
However, a reason why James and Cleveland were able to exorcise their demons and knock off Golden State last June was behind the performance of underappreciated forward Tristan Thompson. If you can remember, it was Thompson’s efforts on the glass – securing 10 rebounds per game and 16 each in Games 5 and 6, keeping possessions alive for the Cavs on the offensive and defensive end. In addition, Thompson proved to be a viable rim-runner and savvy pick-and-roll specialist. In other words, the work that Thompson put in during last year’s Playoff run is just as vital for Cleveland now than it has ever been.
Although Tyronn Lue and the Cavaliers have invested more time constructing a perfect “small-ball” lineup this season – by experimenting with James at the 5 surrounded with an array of shooters – Cleveland can still dangerous when they want to go big. In this regard, Thompson’s improvement as a low-post scorer, making 60 percent of his 2’s, and emergence a shot-blocker (averaging 1.2 BPG), will make Thompson a plus in any lineup Cleveland decides to roll with. Lastly, with minutes reaching a career-high for Kevin Love, Thompson most nights will be counted on to spell Love in the post if need be.