Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen had guys like Steve Kerr and Luc Longley. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant had guys like Robert Horry and Rick Fox. As the national media descends upon a great team, the basketball community builds reverence for the hustle guys and role players present in the highlight reels diving for loose balls, making the key pass, or setting a strong pick to help the team succeed.
On a team that’s 20 games under .500, these players are banished to the obscurity of box scores for meaningless games that only the most dedicated fans notice beyond a brief skim.