Bruce Brown (11) and Gabe Vincent (2) have each proven to be difference makers in the playoffs.
The prime time players, the franchise players, the superstars, they’re the reason their respective teams traveled this far and reached this stage of the NBA season. It doesn’t happen without them.
And then there are the role players. That designation shouldn’t come with any negative connotations, because they, too, had a role in getting their teams to the doorstep of the promised land as well.
Now in the NBA Finals, those support players for the Nuggets and Heat can make a difference between winning and losing. History tells us that. Some of those players outperformed the stars. And a few outperformed everyone as Andre Iguodala and Cedric Maxwell are among the former Finals MVP winners.
The stage is set for one of these players to make his name and possibly legend in the 2023 Finals. The ball will find them, or they’ll get a tough defensive assignment, and they’ll be asked to produce, and because of the glare of the bright lights, they can’t hide. It’s not the most comfortable position for players who are fourth or fifth options, but if they’re prepared and eager enough, they’ll meet any and all challenges. Denver and Miami have already seen positive results in the road to the Finals.
Here’s a roll call of the role players who may tilt the score and the championship in their respective teams’ favor:
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
The energy, the desire, the basketball courage in tough spots, it’s all there with KCP, a proven championship player (2020, Lakers) who knows what it takes to thrive this time of year. Caldwell-Pope feasts on being left open whenever the defense pays respect to Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, and his 3-pointer is dangerous. He’s unafraid of the bright lights, as evident by his big shots three years ago in the Finals, and as seen in his massive role in the sweep of his former team. Caldwell-Pope had a pair of 21-point games in the Western Conference Finals and can spark runs if he gets hot. He’s Denver’s best defensive guard as well. Getting him from the Wizards last summer for virtually nothing was one of the best trades by the Nuggets in years.
Bruce Brown
NBA TV's experts share their picks for the best reserve in the conference finals.
He became a valuable addition to the rotation the moment he arrived from the Brooklyn Nets last summer. Basically, Brown fit in the locker room, the culture and the rotation as a flexible swingman who isn’t afraid of the moment. That’s why the Nuggets will use him deep in fourth quarters of close games. Brown is a mid-range specialist who’s efficient, plays well off Jokic and is usually the third option whenever Murray or Michael Porter Jr. sits. He’s also a solid defender with quick hands. He gave the Lakers fits in the Western Conference Finals, and in the Western semis he scored 25 points in 27 minutes in a Game 2 win against the Suns. There are few sixth men who have delivered more in this postseason than Brown has for the Nuggets.
Jeff Green
He’s a steady and sure 36-year-old veteran who gives coach Michael Malone very few worries because of his ability to play within himself. Having basketball leadership and wisdom doesn’t hurt, either; that’s why he’s affectionately known as “Uncle Jeff” by teammates both past and present. A 6-foot-8 combo forward, Green is willing to do the tough-man chores by guarding bigger and stronger players while attacking the rim for a dunk in traffic. He’s also capable of stepping out to the corners to hit 3-pointers as well. Never underestimate the durability and courage of a player who survived heart surgery and wears a six-inch scar running down his chest to tell the story. That’s why nothing Green will ever see on a basketball court will shake him.
Duncan Robinson
His is quite the comeback story: undrafted player earns big contract and gets benched for almost two seasons … only to resurrect himself in this postseason by getting back to his 3-point-shooting roots. Robinson was on the floor when it counted throughout the Eastern Conference Finals, and who saw that coming? When he went into a deep shooting slump, Robinson became unplayable largely because he doesn’t do anything else well, and was especially vulnerable defensively, a no-no in Erik Spoelstra’s system. He stayed positive, waited for his chance and made the most of it by splashing shots. His increased role was made possible by Tyler Herro’s injury in the first game of the playoffs; Miami had nobody else to turn to, and Robinson made the Heat breathe easy.
Caleb Martin
Caleb Martin goes off for 26 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 68% from the field to help lead the Heat over the Celtics in Game 7.
Some trivia: Caleb wasn’t drafted but his twin brother, Cody, was, by the Hornets in 2019, and Cody was soon joined in Charlotte by Caleb. Also: J. Cole, the rapper, hails from North Carolina like the Martin brothers and became friendly; J. Cole put in a good word with Heat scout Caron Butler after Martin was waived in 2021. Butler then encouraged Miami to work out the 6-foot-5 swingman, and the rest is history. Martin scored 28 points against the Bucks soon after arriving and became a fixture in the rotation. He’s fearless and flexible, exactly the type of player the Heat crave, and saw his stock rise in these playoffs once Herro went down with a hand injury in the first game of the playoffs. He was the best player on the floor in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and had 25 points in Game 2. He also averaged 11 points in the Heat’s upset of the top-seeded Bucks.
Caleb Martin reflects on how J. Cole helped get him a spot on the Miami Heat roster.
Gabe Vincent
The rare NBA player to stay in college for four years, Vincent wasn’t drafted and bounced around the NBA G League for three years before joining the Heat roster permanently in 2021. He quickly earned increased minutes because of his defensive intensity and, coupled with the depreciation of Kyle Lowry, found himself starting at point guard in the playoffs. Then his scoring became a pleasant surprise: 22 points in the closeout win against the Bucks in the first round, 20 and 21 against the Knicks, and 29 in the win that put Miami up 3-0 against the Celtics. Hard to find another player on any team this postseason with more growth than Vincent.
Max Strus
He arrived three years ago without much notice, but rapidly gained traction and a place in the rotation mainly because of his 3-point shooting and willingness to take that shot in tough situations. That endeared him to coach Spoelstra, and when Robinson plunged into a slump, Strus assumed a starting role this season along with more minutes. He’s in line for a new contract this summer, his first chance at big money, so there’s much at stake for him and the Heat. After averaging nearly 15 points in the conference semis against the Knicks, Strus was inconsistent against the Celtics, but the Nuggets would be advised not to leave him unprotected for any significant length. He made teams pay for that in the past.
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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 Twitter.
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