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#3 Enes Kanter Freedom - Portland Trail Blazers, 2019
The Portland Trail Blazers made an astonishing run to the 2019 NBA Western Conference Finals, partly because of Enes Kanter Freedom.
With starting big man Jusuf Nurkic sidelined for the entire playoffs, Kanter Freedom stepped up when it mattered most. He was waived by the New York Knicks, and then signed with the Trail Blazers on February 13, 2019.
He played 23 games for the team the rest of the season, averaging 13.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per outing on 57% shooting from the field.
Kanter Freedom had a major contribution in their playoff run that year leading up to the 2019 NBA Western Conference Finals.
He started in 14 out of 16 postseason games that year, and dropped eight double-digit scoring games, including two 20+ point outings and five double-doubles. He was playing for the bottom-table Knicks at the time, and was getting no minutes and value, but ended up contributing to an incredible postseason run.
#2 Boris Diaw - San Antonio Spurs, 2012
Boris Diaw was bought out by the Charlotte Bobcats in 2012, and he immediately signed with the San Antonio Spurs.
The Spurs were in the middle of championship runs with a revamped squad around Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Diaw's services wouldn't reap rewards till the 2013-14 NBA season when the Spurs entered the campaign heavily motivated and focused after a tough loss in the 2013 NBA Finals.
Diaw averaged 9.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game that season, which boosted up to 8.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists during the five-game NBA Finals series in 2014.
In fact, he outrebounded and had more assists than LeBron James in the NBA Finals. The Spurs re-signed him on a multi-year deal after he was considered buyout-worthy by the Bobcats.
#1 Markieff Morris - LA Lakers, 2020
Markieff Morris provided a major boost to the LA Lakers' quest for their 17th championship banner.
He was bought out by the Detroit Pistons, and signed with the Purple and Gold, eventually earning himself huge minutes in the rotation. He sank several critical three-pointers during the playoffs, and was often their main substitute in the frontcourt.
Morris provided great defense and spacing for the Lakers, and he had four games with double-digit points in the postseason, including a 19-point outing in the NBA Finals. He averaged 5.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and an assist per game during the playoffs while shooting at an impressive 42% clip from beyond the arc.
Guess the Lakers players!
