The NBA postseason brings with it an escalated level of intensity and physicality that most players can't fathom, let alone match, in their first go-round. For the players who can adapt and elevate their performance, a newfound notoriety follows them, as well as respect and (quite often) added leverage in future contract negotiations.
This is the NBA's biggest audition, where legacies are made (or tarnished) and everyone is watching. But one of the things that I look forward to the most is seeing guys playing in their first playoff experience and flourishing.
Here are four players who caught my attention with auspicious playoff debuts in 2013:
Curry
Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors | PG
Regular Season: 22.9 PPG, 6.9 APG, 45.1 FG% 45.3 3P%
Playoffs: 24.5 PPG, 11.0 APG, 46.5 FG%, 40.0 3P%
It should come as no shock that Curry leads this list, as he has been sensational thus far, catapulting himself into the stratosphere of stardom. He's not only incredibly productive, but he also makes his teammates better and helps his team win. About a month ago, I wrote about Curry being one of the most indispensable guards in the NBA and featured an incredible stat: In his career, the Warriors are 20-8 in games in which Curry has 10-plus assists. Since that article, Curry has posted 10-plus assists six more times, and the Warriors have gone 5-1, including Tuesday's Game 2 victory at Denver, which boasted a 38-3 home record in the regular season.
Curry's quick release and ability to make a variety of difficult shots (off one leg, off wrong leg, etc.) make him an extremely tough cover in one-on-one situations. His success necessitates help defense, opening up a world of passing opportunities. That's what makes him special, his willingness to move the ball to open teammates despite the fact that he can confidently know that he has a good chance of making a "bad" shot. When I was with the Phoenix Suns and scouted Curry at Davidson, I posed the question: If you could shoot like that, would you ever pass the ball?
The Game 2 demolition all started with Curry getting loose with his shot, sending the Nuggets into scramble mode, which lit the fuse of Golden State's supporting cast. I still have Denver winning in six games, but we'll remember 2013 as the year Curry finally "got it." Let's hope his most recent ankle injury will not derail that.