NBA Playoffs 2013: Players Who Became Stars in Postseason

While all of the attention right now in the NBA is on the NBA finals matchup between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs, several players from other teams were actually able to make names for themselves in the playoffs this season.

These guys were great players in the regular season, but didn’t get the opportunity to truly shine under a national spotlight until the playoffs. These players were able to make the most of their opportunities, and now they are known as stars around the NBA.

Let’s take a look at the guys who were able to make that step into stardom during the playoffs.

Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Even though Curry was able to break the record for three-pointers made in a season, it felt like he wasn’t getting enough credit as a star player heading into the playoffs.  Maybe it was due to the fact that he was on the West Coast where coverage is overshadowed by teams in Los Angeles, but he certainly made his presence known in the playoffs.

Curry made his name known quickly against the Denver Nuggets in the conference quarterfinals.  He finished the series averaging 24.3 points, 9.3 assists and 2.2 steals per game while shooting 44.2 percent from behind the arc. 

The Warriors may not have been able to beat the Spurs in the next round, but Curry was still able to boast an average of 22.5 points per game.

Him and Klay Thompson quickly became known as the Super Splash Brothers. Curry has now reached the next tier of stars in the NBA.

Nate Robinson, Chicago Bulls

Before this season, Robinson was remembered as the little guy that won the Slam Dunk Contest and stuffed Yao Ming.  After the end of this season, he showed the world that he’s an exciting scorer when hot.

Despite the Bulls team basically falling apart due to injuries during the playoffs, Robinson still found ways to push his team. In Game 4 against the Brooklyn Nets, Robinson was able to go off for 34 points on 14-for-23 shooting.

In Game 1 against the Miami Heat, Robinson was able to work some magic again. By putting up 27 points on 8-for-16 shooting, he somehow lead the Bulls to a win.

Even though the team fell apart by the end and Robinson had some bad games, people now know that he can shoot the ball and put up points in a hurry.

Paul George, Indiana Pacers

Of all the players to step up in the playoffs, no one did it quite like Paul George.  He not only became a star, but he may have actually become a superstar before our eyes in the series against the Heat.

George finished the playoffs averaging 19.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 43 percent from the field.  These numbers were nice, but nothing compared to some of the plays he made against the Heat.

There was the dunk on Birdman.

Then there was another dunk on Chris Bosh.

And then there was this ridiculous game-tying shot to force overtime.

It’s hard to deny that George is at the very least a superstar in the making. With how well he played in the postseason, it’s not out of the question to think that this guy will be an All-Star-caliber player for the next five to ten seasons.