Superstars are the ones who normally decide a playoff series, but what about the players on the team who can swing the momentum of the series based on their impact?
In the case of the playoffs, it's not just the impact they bring but how they match up against an opponent that alters, changes and counters their game plan across the course of a series.
Here's my take on one X-factor from each NBA team heading into the semi-finals who could prove to be the unsung heroes for their team to advance to the next round.
(3) New York Knicks v (7) Philadelphia 76ers
New York: Karl-Anthony Towns
2026 Playoff Stats- 18.7 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.7 SPG, 1.7 BPG
The Knicks will go as far in the playoffs as Towns takes them, with his offensive game flickering with inconsistency for a team that now needs a consistent second option beside Jalen Brunson. Towns has a history of disappearing in playoff games and this series against former MVP Joel Embiid will be no different for him to step up not only offensively, but also defensively.
Embiid and Towns have a history of bad blood, with the series being just as much a test of the two keeping their emotions in check against one another.
Philadelphia: VJ Edgecombe
2026 Playoff Stats- 15.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.4 BPG
For a Sixers team filled with veterans and proven superstar scorers, Nick Nurse will hope to get a rise from one of the best rookies the NBA has seen this season. Though Edgecombe's inconsistency is his biggest issue and one that typically haunts most rookies.
He has already shown he is capable of 30+ scoring nights against the Celtics and should have a decent opportunity to pour out some again, with New York's defence focus likely looking to slow down superstar Tyrese Maxey.
