NBA Playoffs: 10 Best Bench Performances

The NBA playoffs are a realm of heroes and villains, where every move, however minute, is magnified and scrutinized under an unyielding spotlight.

For some, the light is simply too blinding, too much to handle—they sweat, they shrink, they fall like Icarus. Others feed off it, like Superman does the Sun—they thrive, they prosper, they grow into kings.

Every postseason narrative is defined by superstars with singular names or epithets—MJ, LeBron, Kobe, Dirk, The Beard, The Brow—but behind basketball's royalty, on the bench, sit the yeomen, waiting for a moment to make theirs.

Some are former stars past their prime, some are perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidates, some are journeymen with nothing to lose and some may just come along to unexpectedly lift up a King, only to recede into the shadows shortly after...

In a postseason where injury has removed a number of key players—Kevin Love, Mike Conley, Chandler Parsons, Wesley Matthews—and limited several others, reserves have had to take on an even bigger role.

With playoff focus always narrowed on superstars, it's only fair we show a little love to the bench.

Ranking Criteria

Associated Press

Ryan Anderson's 26-point Game 3 effort against Golden State ranks second among bench scorers this postseason.

First, and most obviously, to qualify for the list, you must have come off the bench in that particular game. The amount of minutes played doesn't necessarily matter, just the quality of minutes played. Though, someone like Beno Udrih, who saved an injured Mike Conley from playing heavy minutes in Game 1, will be rewarded justly.

This is the playoffs; winning doesn't just matter, it's all that matters. There have been several excellent bench performances in losses this postseason, especially from Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas, but save the moral victories for Brad Stevens' postgame speeches, not this list.

Only one reserve who played in a losing effort made my top 10. That might be harsh, but so is the world of playoff basketball.

As mentioned in the previous slide, injuries have been rampant this postseason. Coaches in these situations need their bench to limit the onus put on key starters who might be physically compromised. Reserves who stepped in for an injured starter, or just one who was off his game, will receive higher consideration.

Scoring matters, but not every bench player is expected to be Vinnie Johnson. Some are distributors, some are defenders and some are just a melting pot of useful skills. Those who came in and transcended their particular skill set, or outplayed expectations, will be recognized for their efforts.

Setting and situation matter. A victory down 3-0 in a series holds less importance than a win that ties a series 2-2 or helps a team take a series lead. Stellar road performances are also greatly appreciated.

Now, with that out of the way, and with apologies to the hard luck losers (C.J. McCollum 2x, Josh Smith, Alan Anderson, Isaiah Thomas, Jared Sullinger, Norris Cole), let's get into the list...

10. Ryan Anderson, Pelicans: Game 3 vs. Golden State

Ryan Anderson's 26-point, 10-of-14 shooting performance in Game 3 against Golden State was the best performance by any bench player in the NBA playoffs, at least according to Basketball-Reference.com's game score statistic.

Unfortunately, Anderson decided to have his best game of the season against a 6'3" hardwood heartbreaker named Steph Curry, which typically never bodes well for anyone. Still, Anderson's performance against the best team in the league was simply too good to leave off the list.

Offensively, the 6'10" stretch 4 did everything in his power to derail the NBA's West Coast juggernaut. Even Defensive Player of the Year runner-up Draymond Green, with his spastic, bruising defense, couldn't extinguish Anderson's flames.

According to SportVU data, Green was absolutely abused by Anderson in the two minutes, 11 seconds they matched up. On just seven touches, the 2012 Most Improved Player dropped 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting.

Not that the rest of the Warriors had an answer for Anderson either: he shot 5-of-8 (15 PTS) against all other defenders.

And when the floor began to crumble beneath the Pelicans' feet, it was Anderson, not Anthony Davis, that held the Smoothie King Center together. Though it merely delayed the inevitable, Anderson's eight fourth-quarter points (3-4 FG, 2-2 FT) provided New Orleans with a chance of victory in overtime.

Anderson's floor spacing and timely shot-making—his three with 1:11 left in overtime put New Orleans down just one—were the ingredients that nearly led to a season-defining upset for the upstart Pellies.

But to the chagrin of the sold-out crowd, Chef Curry's 40 points and corner-three fatality eliminated both the Pelicans' chances of extending the series and Anderson's chance of being No. 1 on this list.

He may be seven inches shorter, but Curry casts a shadow even Anderson can't escape from.

9. Austin Rivers, Clippers: Game 4 at San Antonio

Austin Rivers has worn many masks during his brief NBA career: lottery pick, starting 2-guard, backup guard, erratic shot-maker, bust. But through it all, he's always avoided wearing one mask: fear.

So, in Game 4 of the Clippers-Spurs series, a coach called upon his oft-used son for some key minutes. The son stood up, accepted the challenge and turned in the most important performance of his three-year NBA career.

"For a moment, for a half second maybe, I became a dad in there," Clippers coach Doc Rivers, with tears welling, told Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski following LA's 114-105 win.

In just 17 minutes on the court, Rivers (16 PTS, 7-8 FG, 2-2 FT) was, in a word, unstoppable. Rivers has always had that tendency to fly perilously close to the Sun, but here, in the biggest moment of his basketball career, he finally found the perfect cruising altitude.

In two key stints—coming in the first five minutes of the second quarter and the first six minutes of the fourth quarter—Rivers not only provided a sorely needed scoring punch off the bench, but rest for Chris Paul.

"It was amazing," Paul told NBA.com's Shaun Powell. "The rest I was able to get in the second quarter and even the fourth quarter was unbelievable and was due to Austin. Without his production, we don't win the game."

The Point God isn't wrong.

Rivers' 95.1 defensive rating led the Clippers, his +16.2 net rating was second on the team and his 27.2 Player Impact Estimate—PIE measures a player's overall statistical contribution, similar to PER—led all players who had at least one minute of court time.

He smartly abused the diminutive Patty Mills in the post. He successfully challenged Tim Duncan at the rim. He scored seven straight points in the second quarter and had two big buckets in the fourth. Every time he left the game, the Clippers were up.

The fact that he only played 17 minutes and didn't significantly contribute outside of his scoring (1 AST, 1 STL, 0 REB) hurt his overall ranking, but if not for Austin Rivers, the Clippers season may have already ended in disappointment.

The Clippers currently trail the defending champs 3-2, but if Rivers' postgame decree to Wojnarowski—"Nah, man, we didn't win a championship"—is any indication, the 22-year-old's hunger is far from satiated.

8. Otto Porter, Wizards: Game 2 at Toronto

It's easy to forget that Otto Porter is just 21 years old.

It feels like the media, fans and the Twittersphere have been harping on poor Otto forever, waiting for him to piece together the scattered, albeit compelling, puzzle pieces that made him the No. 3 overall pick in 2013.

Now, it appears he's beginning to figure this whole NBA thing out. For the proof, look no further than the Wizards' 117-106 Game 2 win in Toronto.

Porter's shot chart is the stuff of Daryl Morey's dreams.

Corner threes. Restricted area dominance. Porter knows what makes the new NBA world go round.

Much of his paint success came from flat out wanting the ball more than every other player on the court. Six of his 15 points (6-8 FG) were of the second-chance variety, the most of any player in the game.

His athleticism, ingenuity and smart timing allowed him to wreak havoc on the boards against a lifeless Toronto team. Porter led the Wizards in both total rebounds (nine) and offensive rebounds (four).

Defensively, the Georgetown product was even better. When Porter was on the floor, the Raptors simply couldn't score.

Toronto players shot just 2-of-11 (18.2 percent) when guarded by Porter, whose 7'1.5" wingspan seemed to envelop every Raptor he encountered. His 98.8 defensive rating led all Wizards players who played at least 11 minutes and was second to only Kyle Lowry in the entire game.

And for those that don't appreciate hounding defense and glass cleaning, Porter sprinkled in just enough pizazz to truly round his performance out.

Following the game, Drew Gooden, speaking to The Washington Post's Jorge Castillo, summed up Porter's night best: "Otto grew up tonight, man."

NBA Champion, troll master and current "King in the North" Paul Pierce echoed Gooden's sentiments.

"He’s an X-factor for us, and he’s proving that right now in this series. ... I think a lot of the stuff y’all see coming out, I think has always been there."

The only reason Porter doesn't rank higher on this list is because this wasn't a series-defining game, and the Wizards had plenty of firepower coming from their main stars (Beal 28 PTS, Wall 26 PTS).

That's not the case for most of the men ranked ahead of him.

7. Iman Shumpert, Cavaliers: Game 4 at Boston

The Cavaliers were always going to win this series, even after Kevin Love's dislocated shoulder and J.R. Smith's Falcon Punch to Jae Crowder's head left Cleveland without two key rotation players.

Still, these young Celtics were feisty enough to extend the series if no one stepped up in their absence.

Enter midseason acquisition and flat-topped menace Iman Shumpert.

When Love and Smith exited, Shump stepped in. His excellent line (15 PTS, 75% FG, 10 REB, 3 BLK, 2 STL) doesn't even paint the true picture of the vital energy and intensity the former Knick brought to the game.

The TD Garden can be an inhospitable place, filled to the brim with vampiric basketball fans that taste the blood and feed on the fear of the opposition. But Shumpert wasn't about to let them feed off any perceived terror; in fact, he was going to inflict some of his own.

Primarily known as a defensive stopper, Shump more than lived up to his reputation. His hands were everywhere, knocking balls away and jetting into passing lanes to disrupt Boston's offensive flow. The Celtics shot just 5-of-15 when defended by Shumpert, who turned several misses and steals into fast-break opportunities for Cleveland.

Offensively, Shumpert was as aggressive as he's been since coming over to Cleveland. He attacked his defenders mercilessly, becoming a mini-LeBron with a far better hairline.

Shump finished the game 8-of-8 from the free-throw line, with most of his drawn fouls coming on ferocious drives to the hoop.

Speaking with Cavs.com beat writer Joe Gabriele following the series-ending 101-93 win, coach David Blatt praised Shumpert's exceptional all-around game:

"

Shump is underrated as an offensive player. In our system he gets not a whole lot of looks. He gets his chances but generally they’re the result of playing off the other guys. But I thought he made huge plays on offense, driving to the rim and getting fouled. He didn’t miss a foul shot, especially in crunch time, which we really needed. He defended everybody on the court, he played physically. He was without question the X factor in our victory tonight.

"

Boston made a run late in the game, closing the gap to six with 37 seconds left, but Shumpert, who played the entire fourth quarter alongside LeBron, helped prevent any kind of catastrophic collapse.

Shumpert's outstanding closeout game ranks above Porter's Game 2, not only because it meant so much for Cleveland in the now, but because it means so much to the Cavs' title hopes moving forward.

6. Jarrett Jack, Nets: Game 3 vs. Atlanta

To some, the line might look a bit underwhelming: five points (1-3 FG), eight assists and five rebounds in 26 minutes, 57 seconds of court time. Not exactly the stuff legends are made of.

But dig a little deeper into the Nets' 91-83 Game 3 victory over the Hawks—which prevented the Nets from falling into an impossible 3-0 hole in the series—and you find that the 31-year-old journeyman out of Georgia Tech was the catalyst behind this most unlikely of upsets.

The 6'3" guard smoothly directed the pace and flow of the game while looking to spark his teammates.

Jack especially looked to involve Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez, the Nets' two most important offensive weapons, save for the rare occasion when the zombified remains of Deron Williams feels like feasting on buckets instead of brains.

Jack assisted on two Johnson triples and three Lopez buckets, making it a point to get them involved in the Nets' offense early and often.

"Playing the point guard position, that's what it is," Jack told Sports Illustrated's Deantae Prince. "You survey, you take the pulse of the game, and understand what's necessary, when, why and sometimes what isn't."

But it wasn't just his Stockton Syndrome that fueled the Nets victory. Jack defended admirably, holding opponents to just 1-of-8 shooting and leading all players with a 66.8 defensive rating.

He did all this while starting point guard and former All-Star Williams agonized on the bench, nursing a bruised tailbone. Jack played the final 16 minutes of the game while Williams sat sorely, ice affixed to his back.

“I just try to be ready when my number is called,” Jack told ESPN's Mike Mazzeo following the win. “We have a helluva starting point guard in D-Will. Right now he’s a little banged up, so if I have to come in and try to give him some relief, I try to do the best I can."

Jack has been providing relief all series, and he's currently a major reason why a 38-win Nets team has stolen two games from a 60-win Hawks team.

4 & 5: C.J. McCollum and Meyers Leonard, Trail Blazers: Game 4 vs. Memphis

This is cheating, but it's impossible not to lump these two together following their performance in Portland's 99-92 Game 4 win over Memphis.

C.J. McCollum and Meyers Leonard both spent exactly 35 minutes, one second on the court against the Grizzlies. Everything the Trail Blazers did seemed to ebb and flow with the play of these two 23-year-olds.

So for one night, with the season on the line, Terry Stotts looked to his bench's own odd couple—one, a 7'1" center from Illinois, the other a 6'4" shooting guard from Lehigh—for playoff salvation. They didn't disappoint.

McCollum and Leonard combined for 31 points (13-18 FG, 5-5 3P), 18 rebounds and four assists, a far cry from their regular-season combined averages of 12.7 points, six rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.

Leonard and McCollum divided their conquests, with the big man dropping all 13 of his points in the first half and McCollum saving his best for last.

McCollum's emergence at shooting guard was desperately needed by Stotts, who had already lost Wesley Matthews for the season and was dealing with an injured, ineffective, still starting Arron Afflalo.

McCollum's aggression couldn't be contained, even by the Grizzlies' stifling D.

The No. 10 pick in the 2013 NBA draft went parasitic on Memphis' vaunted inside defense, feasting to the tune of 1.56 points per possession (14 points) on drives to the basket, per SportVU.

He was nearly as effective operating as the primary ball-handler on screens, as the Blazers averaged 1.26 points per possession with McCollum leading the pick-and-roll.

McCollum even stepped up as a late-game hero—a role typically reserved for Lillard—coldly hitting a three to put Portland up 91-88 with just 1:20 left in the game.

Memphis coach Dave Joerger was understandably irate following the game, according to The Oregonian's Mike Richman. "We have serious problems with CJ McCollum right now. He is getting to the rim, to the rim, to the rim over and over."

Leonard's shining moment, on the other hand, came mostly in the second quarter, when he scored 10 points (4-4 FG, 2-2 3P) to put Portland up 55-48 at the half. He didn't score again, put he played the entire fourth quarter, which Portland won 31-17, alongside McCollum.

The Grizzlies finally eliminated the Trail Blazers Wednesday night, but the surprising effort McCollum and Leonard provided in a potential closeout game in front of a fanatical Rip City crowd earned them the duel No. 4-5 spot in these rankings.

As it is, hindsight is a tricky thing, but had this series gone further, Portland's odd couple could have ranked even higher. Unfortunately for Leonard and McCollum, the next guy on the list had all of his fun at their expense.

3. Beno Udrih, Grizzlies: Game 1 vs. Portland

“Basketball, unlike football with its prescribed routes, is an improvisational game, similar to jazz. If someone drops a note, someone else must step into the vacuum and drive the beat that sustains the team.” — Phil Jackson, The Last Season

Heading into their series with Portland, the Memphis Grizzlies' on-court conductor was banged up, nursing a sprained right foot that had kept him out of the final four games of the regular season. Coach Dave Joerger needed someone to drive the beat, so a 32-year-old Slovenian named Beno took the baton.

Udrih subbed in for Conley with 3:48 left in the first quarter and proceeded to take over, hitting four consecutive mid-range jumpers, most of which were quality open looks.

Memphis led 25-15 after the first quarter and never looked back, going on to win 100-86 in a game where they were up by as much as 29.

Picked 28th overall by the Spurs in 2004, the journeyman was nearly infallible in Game 1. Udrih finished with 20 points (9-14 FG), a 7-to-0 assist-to-turnover ratio and seven rebounds—the first reserve with those numbers since Nick Van Exel in 2003.

The 11-year pro never forced the action, taking smart shots when they came to him—Udrih was 7-of-8 from the field when defenders were at least four feet away, per SportVU—and finding teammates at the perfect times.

His most important statistic, however, was minutes played. Udrih spent 24 minutes on the court, including the entire fourth quarter, which allowed Conley (23 minutes) to handle a relatively light burden while nursing his foot.

"Beno gets the game ball," Zach Randolph told The Associated Press' Teresa M. Walker following the win. "With Mike being out, helps him get his confidence up and playing."

Udrih's superb Game 1 not only secured Memphis a victory, it secured Joerger's confidence in allowing Udrih to run the offense and handle difficult defensive assignments for long stretches with Conley on the bench.

"Beno Udrih was sensational, having whatever, 20," Joerger said following the game, per Fox Sports' Brandon Speck. "But he did a good job staying in front of (Damian) Lillard and (CJ McCollum)."

Udrih falls behind the two men ranked ahead of him mainly because the Grizzlies made relatively light work of the hobbled Trail Blazers, winning the series 4-1. Even so, Udrih's Game 1 dominance was one of the most enjoyable events of the 2015 playoffs.

The Zen Master would be proud of Beno's beat.

2. O.J. Mayo, Bucks: Game 4 vs. Chicago

O.J. Mayo's NBA career has been as divisive as the condiment he shares his last name with. Some enjoy, some avoid and others just scoff in disgust.

But Mayo, formerly one of the top high school prospects in the nation, has never lacked for talent, and he's more than capable of performances just like the one he turned in in the Bucks' 92-90 Game 4 victory over the Bulls.

Mayo's 24 minutes ranked behind seven other Bucks, but his impact in just two quarter's worth of time is more than enough to justify his lofty perch here.

Mayo led the Bucks in scoring (18 PTS, 6-11 FG, 4-6 3PT), plus/minus (plus-13), defensive rating (76.4), net rating (28.1), PIE (27.6) and true shooting percentage (75.8 percent). He also chipped in four steals, four assists and three rebounds.

For much of this offensively inept contest, Mayo was the only spark of life. He knocked down deep threes. He mixed in head fakes and hesitation dribbles with skip passes and rim attacks. He breathed life into a Bucks offense that at times looked no better than highway roadkill.

He frustrated Derrick Rose (14 PTS, 38.5% FG, 8 TO) and harassed Jimmy Butler as best he could. And, of course, he hit shots like this.

Mayo's three with 1:42 left in the game put the Bucks up 90-84, which would be Milwaukee's final bucket until Jerryd Bayless got lose for a layup at the buzzer to win the game. Mayo played every second of the fourth quarter, finishing with eight points, two steals and one ruthless 26-footer.

Bayless came out the hero, the star of the highlight, but the Bucks aren't still fighting for playoff life without the stellar play of Mayo.

If it wasn't for a certain Australian guard making a hostile Staples Center his own personal playground, Mayo would earn the top spot. As it is, he'll have to be content taking second place behind the smallest dude on this list.

1. Patty Mills, Spurs: Game 2 at Clippers

Patty Mills' height has never stopped him from coming up big.

Generously listed at 6'0", Mills is typically the smallest player on the court, running around, causing havoc like a bowling bowl in a Spurs' jersey. He came up huge during San Antonio's championship run last season, and it appears he's regained his championship-caliber form at a most opportune time.

Mills dropped 18 points (5-9 FG, 2-5 3PT, 5-5 FT) in just 19 minutes, with every bucket coming in the second half and overtime.

His minutes and all-around statistics don't stack up to the others on this list, but given the hostile road environment, high stakes—San Antonio would have gone down 2-0—and dramatic overtime finish, Mills is eminently deserving of the No. 1 spot.

With a physically compromised Tony Parker (1 PT, 0-6 FG, 5 AST) unable to do much of anything, Gregg Popovich called upon the 26-year-old Aussie he once referred to as "a little fat ass."

Mills answered the call, much as he did in the closeout game of last year's NBA Finals. He even enraged Chris Paul enough to cause an on-court temper tantrum.

With the game, and possibly the series, in the balance, Mills coolly sank two free throws with under nine seconds left in the fourth to force overtime. Then, with Parker sidelined, Mills made the extra period all his own.

The former Saint Mary's Gael led all scorers with eight points (2-2 FG, 4-4 FT) in overtime. In the final 11 seconds, with San Antonio desperately clinging to a slim lead, Mills stepped to the free-throw line for four shots, happily collecting each time on the free bounty of points.

San Antonio walked away victorious, 111-107, largely because of the Aussie's second-half heroics.

“I feel good,” Mills told reporters following the overtime win, per Fox Sports. “It was a game of grit and grind and competitiveness. We showed competitiveness at the toughest times. ... We needed to show that we can compete for 48 minutes and even more tonight in overtime."

The Spurs currently lead the Clippers 3-2, in what has become easily the most exciting series of the postseason. And if Mills continues this level of play, you can expect to see plenty more of CP3's always entertaining hardwood paroxysms.

All statistics courtesy of NBA.com unless otherwise noted.