Welcome to the Morning Shootaround, where every weekday you’ll get a fresh, topical column from one of SI.com’s NBA writers: Howard Beck on Mondays, Chris Mannix on Tuesdays, Michael Pina on Wednesdays, Chris Herring on Thursdays and Rohan Nadkarni on Fridays.
The NBA playoffs are unforgiving. They are an emotional rollercoaster capable of producing the highest of highs and lowest of lows, sometimes only 48 hours apart. The postseason is a war of attrition, as well as a mental, physical, and emotional challenge. And on top of all of that, how players perform in desperate moments typically ends up as the basis for how their careers are judged, however fair or unfair that may be.