NBA Playoffs 2012: Unsung Heroes Who Will Propel Superstars to Berth in Finals

The glue guys, role players and defensive specialists are essential components of championship-caliber teams—even when those teams have stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant or Kobe Bryant.

Those lesser names won't be making an All-Star team anytime soon, but they could soon find themselves serving key functions in the NBA Finals. As the cliche goes, some of a team's most vital contributions don't show up in the box score.

The supporting casts on elite teams are living proof of that.

While a well-paid superstar (or superstars) gets all the points, glory and endorsements alike, chances are there's a guy or two doing the dirty work for him in exchange for a much smaller paycheck.

Here are a few of the indispensable names that will do wonders behind the scenes for the NBA's star-studded title hopefuls.  

Thabo Sefolosha—SG, Oklahoma City Thunder

Sefolosha is one of the league's best on-ball wing defenders. He's also a steady long-range shooter, although you wouldn't know it from his production alone.

The Thunder have so many scoring options that this guy can get lost in the shuffle, but he's more than capable of hitting timely treys from the corner.

He'll also do most of the defensive heavy lifting against guys like Kobe Bryant—a priceless contribution.

Kendrick Perkins—C, Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder's undersized center might not get as much attention as the shot-blocking Serge Ibaka, but he's a solid defender in his own right. Perkins' strength can pose a problem for bigs fighting for post position, and that could be important against guys like Andrew Bynum or Tim Duncan.

Brandon Bass—PF, Boston Celtics

Bass didn't do much in Boston's Game 1 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, but he's capable of scoring a lot of points from mid range and generating second-chance opportunities for his team.

With Kevin Garnett moving over to play center, Bass has made the most of regular playing time and a promotion to the starting lineup—he'll need to keep it up if the Celtics are to make a run.

Shane Battier—SF, Miami Heat

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh don't need a lot of help, but Shane Battier almost always answers the bell when they do. He's a defensive specialist if there ever was one and a savvy veteran with the perfect pedigree to anchor Miami's bench.

He's a great perimeter shooter along the baseline. 

Mario Chalmers—PG, Miami Heat

Chalmers has taken his fair share of criticism in his first four years, but he's had easily his most efficient season with the Heat this year.

With LeBron and Wade handling most of the play-making duties, Chalmers isn't called on to be much of a distributor—but he still makes an impact with a consistent shot from range and quick hands on defense.

Danny Green—SG, San Antonio Spurs

Leave it to the Spurs to have a seemingly endless line of unsung heroes come out of the woodwork.

The latest is third-year guard Danny Green who's found a home in San Antonio's starting lineup after failing to hold on to his gig with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

How often does that happen? Green has made the most of the opportunity, reprising Bruce Bowen's role as an aggressive on-ball defender with a penchant for the corner three.

Gary Neal—SG/PG, San Antonio Spurs

The undrafted guard has cemented himself as a scorer off the bench capable of shooting from anywhere and willing to take the big shot.

Neal's playing time might take a hit in the playoffs, especially with Stephen Jackson on board—but he's the kind of guy who can make a big impact in short order. 

Ramon Sessions—PG, Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers' new starting point guard has quickly become one of the league's most important fourth options.

He's quickly become a hit in Los Angeles, but he's yet to snag his share of the credit from his star teammates. That could change if he helps this team return to the NBA Finals.