NBA Playoffs 2012: Most Important Player for Every Remaining Team

The NBA playoffs are an important time of year, a time when every contending team needs its most important player more than ever.

It takes a complete team effort to win in the postseason, but it takes just one player to lead the charge. That player is invaluable and vital to any franchise's championship push.

For without him, a title automatically becomes out of reach.

Philadelphia 76ers: Andre Iguodala

There's more than a few good reasons why Andre Iguodala leads the Sixers in minutes per game for the postseason.

The savvy wingman has seen 40.3 minutes per contest and also leads Philadelphia in steals with 1.9 per night.

Iguodala will hardly ever blow up the stat line the way Rajon Rondo does, yet he's still a star. He's a lockdown perimeter defender, a solid obstacle in the post and an above-average shot-blocker for a small forward.

Though his point totals during the playoffs thus far stand at a modest 13 per game, he has continued to hit the boards and distribute the ball effectively.

Iguodala has a broad impact on the outcome of any game; the effects he has on the Sixers are truly understated.

Sure, Iguodala has built a career on intangible impact and under-the-radar efficiency, but he's no stranger to making big plays.

And if the Sixers wish to get past the Celtics—or even have a chance of doing so—Iguodala must be at the top of his game; without him, Philadelphia wouldn't stand a chance.

Los Angeles Clippers: Chris Paul

Without Chris Paul, not only would the Clippers not have been able to surpass the Grizzlies, but they wouldn't have made the playoffs at all.

Paul has been playing nearly 40 minutes per game despite an ongoing battle with a strained right hip flexor.

The point guard is more than an athletic freak; he's a man of sheer will. He is the spark plug to the Clippers' engine.

Since the start of the playoffs, Paul is averaging 20.4 points, 7.1 assists and 2.7 steals per game—all team-leading numbers.

The floor general's court vision is impeccable, he can get to the rim, he enables Blake Griffin's gaudy point totals and he gives Los Angeles at least one positional advantage against every remaining playoff team.

There's no way the Clippers come as far as they have without Paul running the offense and leading by example on defense for almost the entire game.

There's no way they advance any further without this trend continuing either.

Boston Celtics: Rajon Rondo

Kevin Garnett has certainly turned back the clock, but it's Rajon Rondo who helped replace the batteries.

The point guard is instrumental on both ends of the floor. He rarely loses his dribble, breaks down opposing defenses as if they were putty in his hands and is one of the most skilled—and most underrated—perimeter defenders in the game.

Foul shooting aside, Rondo is a stud. He has taken a roster that was supposed to succumb to the rigors of age and turned it into a contender once again.

For Boston to move past Philadelphia and have a chance against teams like Miami, San Antonio and Oklahoma City, it needs Rondo's intellect and energy.

The fire with which he plays with is simply unmatchable, especially on the offensive end, where the Celtics score 102 points per 100 possessions as compared to 80.8 without him.

Rondo is elite, and subsequently, without him the Celtics would be mediocre. At best.

Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant is 33, yet he is averaging more than 40 minutes per game in the postseason.

While the Lakers need more than Bryant to have a shot at this year's title, he is the team's most valued commodity, especially in the postseason.

Not only is Bryant leading Los Angeles in points and assists per game with 29.1 and five respectively, but he also gives the team a proven scorer down the stretch.

Andrew Bynum remains inexperienced, and Pau Gasol is struggling. In Bryant, the Lakers have perhaps the best last-second option in the NBA and an athlete who knows what it takes to win a championship ring or five.

Los Angeles certainly needs Bryant to be at the top of his game, but even more, it needs him just to be on the court, offering guidance to his teammates and making everyone around him better.

Without his guidance, without him casting a winning shadow over his basketball brethren, the Lakers would be getting manhandled on a nightly basis.

Indiana Pacers: Roy Hibbert

The Pacers' most important player is not Danny Granger, nor is it Paul George or David West. It's Roy Hibbert.

In a center-starved league, Hibbert's presence in the middle cannot be discounted. He gives Indiana a clear edge at the 5 against Miami, a position battle that has to be won for the Pacers to prevail.

For the postseason, Hibbert is averaging 12 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.3 blocks on 52.7 percent shooting. He has proven to have quick hands and offers a 7'2" stature that strikes uncertainty into every opponent.

Granger doesn't do that. He's a phenomenal scorer and a bona fide team player, but he's not a monstrosity who will force LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to adjust their methods of attack.

That is Hibbert, the heart and soul behind any of Indiana's remaining playoff success.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Durant

Russell Westbrook generates points, and James Harden is as enormous a difference-maker as there is, but Kevin Durant is the Thunder's most important player.

Neither Westbrook nor Harden can slash through the paint as well as Durant.  He scores at will, has picked up his defense and thrives in crunch time.

Most importantly, though, Durant's impact stretches far beyond his stat lines. His 26.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game this postseason are incredible, but his leadership is astounding.

Durant understands the best way to lead is by example, and he's not only doing that on the court, but off it as well, where he remains coachable. Few superstars are as humble or as open-minded as Durant. He's not above acknowledging or correcting his shortcomings.

That makes him not only great, but irreplaceable, though his ability to match LeBron James point for point helps as well.

San Antonio Spurs: Tony Parker

The Spurs have been borderline unstoppable all season long, a reality that would have remained a pipe dream without Tony Parker.

Parker picks apart opposing defenses with his exceptional speed and dribble penetration. He's great in transition and has developed into one of the smartest players in the NBA.

Most importantly, though, Parker is the glue that holds the complicated San Antonio puzzle together.

The point guard brings out the best in all of his teammates, creating easy opportunities that build their confidence and utilize their strengths. In short, he keeps the Spurs running.

While Parker's postseason stat line of 21 points and 6.5 assists per game is impressive, it's his postseason experience and composure that lifts San Antonio the most.

He was the one that pushed the Spurs while Manu Ginobili watched from the sidelines, ensuring that his team persevered through what was supposed to be a detrimental injury.

Parker has been taking care of business all year, and if San Antonio wishes to extend its championship window any further, it'll need him to continue to do so.

Miami Heat: LeBron James

The Heat are a team laden with superstars, but none more important than LeBron James.

James is fresh off his third MVP award, an honor that cannot be discounted this time around, as he proved his worth alongside two other All-Stars. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are elite players, yet it's James who renders Miami dominant. 

From offense to defense, scoring to passing, blocks to turnovers, James does it all. He excels in all facets of the game and pushes those around him to elevate their efforts and keep the Heat on top.

His 28.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game for the postseason are a triple-double waiting to happen, and it's become abundantly clear that the only person who can lock James down is himself.

Love him or hate him, the impact he has on the game is undeniable. His past postseason transgressions were cause for some concern coming in, but not anymore.

James is on a mission, one that doesn't end with his latest MVP award. That makes him, and the Heat, more dangerous than ever.

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