Chris Paul and 'Postseason Saviors' Who Aren't Living Up to Hype in NBA Playoffs

The start of the NBA playoffs traditionally marks a time when superstars are supposed to rise to the occasion and deliver for their team.

Whether it's Chris Paul, Andrew Bynum or any other big-name player, this is the time where these guys need to step up and play their best game every night they're out on the floor.

Nobody should underestimate what star power can mean in the postseason, and we've seen how different the outcome of a series can be if certain players don't live up to expectations.

Although it's still extremely early in the 2012 NBA playoffs, there are a handful of guys who really need to kick it into high gear moving forward if they have expectations of still playing once June rolls around.

Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers

Here is the good news for CP3: his team currently holds a 3-2 series lead over the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round. Here is the bad news: Paul has only had double-digit assists in two of the five games to date despite averaging a whopping 40 minutes per game.

Paul has uncharacteristically struggled at times in the turnover department, and he's not playing the stellar brand of basketball that we saw from him during the regular season. Despite having moments of brilliance against Memphis, the Grizzlies have made his job a challenging one on the perimeter and have limited his opportunities to penetrate through the defense and get to the rim.

Even if the Clippers survive and move on, Paul is going to have to be more assertive and deliver several memorable games in order for Los Angeles to have any realistic thoughts about winning it all this season.

Andrew Bynum, Los Angeles Lakers

Bynum's problem isn't based on production as much as it his effort between games. He was thoroughly outplayed by JaVale McGee in a disappointing Game 5 loss at the Staples Center, and Bynum needs to do a better job of bringing his "A" game every night.

The numbers are certainly there for Bynum, who is shooting 60.3 percent through his first five playoff games in 2012. But after a 10-block explosion in Game 1, Bynum hasn't looked nearly as engaged on the defensive end of the court. Unfortunately, that's where Mike Brown and the Lakers most need him to exert himself.

The 24-year-old big man was named a starter in the 2012 All-Star Game, the first of his career, and if the Lakers are going to make a deep postseason push (as many of their fans are expecting), it's going to have to come on the shoulders of Bynum.

Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics

After getting to the free-throw line a combined 30 times through the first three games of the first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks, Paul Pierce had just one attempt from the charity stripe over his last two contests.

There is no doubting that his sprained MCL is hindering his ability to attack the rim, but Pierce is shooting just 33.3 percent from behind the arc and 42.5 percent overall through the first five games of the postseason.

Boston has a chance to close out the series on Thursday evening against a scrappy Hawks squad, but in order to close out the series, Pierce is really going to have to step up and deliver like we all know he can.

Danny Granger, Indiana Pacers

We know that the Pacers and Miami Heat are set to square off in a second-round affair that will certainly be entertaining to watch. But if Indiana has a prayer of competing against LeBron James and crew, Granger has to come with a better effort than we saw in the first round against the Orlando Magic.

He shot just 41.2 percent from the field and 35 percent from behind the arc versus Orlando, and that isn't going to fly against a Miami defense that's going to make his life on the perimeter even more difficult.

Rather than settling for jumpers and using a heavy set of isolation plays, Granger should look to be more active in getting his teammates involved. If he can do a better job of moving without the ball and getting easier looks near the rim, it will do a world of difference for him and his team against a hungry Heat team looking to win it all.