NBA Playoffs 2012: Stars That Must Rise to the Occasion

With the 2012 NBA playoffs in full swing, it’s time to identify the stars that must rise to the occasion for their teams.

Players like Rajon Rondo and Andre Iguodala are leading their respective teams to a series advantage, but they need to close the door quickly and move on. Meanwhile, other stars like JaVale McGee have to help keep their team’s series alive.

No matter what category all of the following stars fall into, each must step up if their team wants to make it to the second round.

Rajon Rondo

The Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks are engaged in one of the oddest series that I can remember. With no consistency at either end of the floor on either team, someone must step up and take the game over.

For the Celtics, that someone must be Rajon Rondo.

After putting up a solid 13 points and 12 assists in the team’s Game 5 loss to Atlanta, it’s time for the young star to start putting up 20 points and 15 assists again. The team needs that from him to make the offense work.

If the Celtics get those numbers from their point guard, they will advance in Game 6.

Andre Iguodala

After taking a 3-1 series lead on the battered and broken Chicago Bulls, the fun is over. The Sixers are now staring at a Game 6 that is a must win. That’s why team leader and All-Star representative Andre Iguodala must step up.

While the team will never expect huge offensive numbers from the inconsistent shooting star, he can add so much more on the defensive end and on the boards.

Whatever Iguodala has to do to get involved on Thursday night against Chicago and push the Sixers to the second round, he must do it. It’s time to step up.

JaVale McGee

While it still blows my minds that the Washington Wizards traded young center JaVale McGee to Denver, it is the Nuggets that have proven he is the new catalyst of their team.

It is no coincidence that McGee had a double-double in the only two games that Denver was able to beat the Los Angeles Lakers in their first-round series. The man can be a beast under the basket, but he needs to find consistency.

If the Nuggets want to shock LA and force Game 7, they must make a concerted effort to feed the ball to McGee as often as possible.

Check back for more on the National Basketball Association as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s NBA Page to get your fill of all things basketball.

Follow @Donald_Wood