Every NBA team's unsung hero

While he’s never been a quality shooter, Thabo Sefolosha’s excellent perimeter defense makes him an indispensable part of the Atlanta Hawks' rotation. Routinely asked to guard the opposing team’s best scorer, Sefolosha answers the call from night to night.

Although he’s now a proven player around the league, casual fans might not realize how important Jae Crowder is to the Boston Celtics. Crowder’s sharpshooting from beyond the arc and superb defense help hide flaws in the team’s starting backcourt, and at the age of 26, the fifth-year player is just entering his prime.

While the Brooklyn Nets are one of the worst teams in the NBA, they start one of the league’s more underrated power forwards in Trevor Booker. Although a bit undersized for his position, Booker is extremely efficient in the low post and strong enough to take rebounds away from players taller than him.

One of the best screen-setters in the NBA, Cody Zeller’s play for the Charlotte Hornets helps make life much easier for Kemba Walker. Along with creating ample space for the Hornets' star point guard to operate in, Zeller is an efficient scorer and decent rim protector.

A traditional power forward, Taj Gibson has been a mainstay in the Chicago Bulls' rotation since 2009. Gibson is flexible enough to start or come off of the bench and always finds a way to make an impact on at least one side of the floor night in and night out.

While LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love dominate the headlines, Cleveland big man Tristan Thompson is an integral part of the team. One of the best offensive rebounders in the NBA, Thompson brings much-needed energy around the rim for the Cavs and has become a terrific pick-and-roll player for James and Irving.

Admittedly, things could not be going much worse in Dallas right now for the Mavericks. The team is experiencing its worst season of the Dirk Nowitzki era and appears destined to miss the playoffs by a mile. At the very least, shooting guard Wesley Matthews has made a full recovery from his Achilles injury and is shooting above nearly 40 percent from beyond arc.

A first-round pick in 2014, center Jusuf Nurkic is a difference maker on defense for the Denver Nuggets. The 22-year-old is a tank in the low post who can defend, protect the rim and shows signs of improvement every game.

Playing on a team that features Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson and Tobias Harris, the contributions of Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope often get overlooked. Averaging nearly 15 points per game, KCP is a key player in the Pistons' rotation and one of head coach Stan Van Gundy’s most trusted players.

One of the tallest point guards in the NBA, Shaun Livingston’s importance to the Golden State Warriors cannot be understated. Not only does Livingston give head coach Steve Kerr a viable option off the bench when he wants to rest Stephen Curry, but he can also play Livingston alongside Curry, who can then run off screens and torch opponents from downtown. Additionally, the veteran Livingston is a highly efficient scorer and strong defender.

After losing Dwight Howard in free agency, the Houston Rockets knew they would have to count on Swiss-born center Clint Capela this season. The 22-year-old Capela has filled Howard’s shoes marvelously, averaging 11.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. Most impressively, Capela is putting up these numbers while playing in just 117 NBA games.

A player who can fill up the stat sheet in a hurry, C.J. Miles is one of the best bench players in the NBA. The Pacers shooting guard is a superb shooter from beyond the arc and able to disrupt passing lanes on defense with his long arms.

He might not start on any other team, but Clippers starting small forward Luc Mbah a Moute does exactly what Doc Rivers and the Los Angeles Clippers need him to do. The 30-year-old can be counted on every game to play quality defense, and his 41.5 percent three-point shooting percentage gives Chris Paul yet another option to toss the ball to on offense.

While his stat line isn’t anything special, Lakers backup center Tarik Black always makes a positive impact for the Purple and Gold when he is on the floor. A high-motor player, the Lakers have lost the last six games Black has not played in.

He’s one of the most limited offensive wing players in the NBA, but Tony Allen’s ferocious defense goes a long way in holding the Memphis Grizzlies together. A three-time All-Defensive First Team player, Allen is the Grizzlies' tone-setter and can always be counted on for quality minutes.

Heat guard Josh Richardson has joined Hassan Whiteside and Justise Winslow as a player Miami can build around going forward. A second-round pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Richardson is an athletic two guard who can get buckets at the rim and make three-pointers.

A former lottery pick, John Henson hasn’t lived up to the hype he had coming out of college in 2012, but he is still Milwaukee’s best rim protector. The long and lengthy Henson is averaging 1.7 blocks per game in just 20 minutes of action a night and gives head coach Jason Kidd a viable defender in the low post to bring off of the bench.

With rising stars Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine out in Minnesota, it’s easy to overlook big man Gorgui Dieng. However, for anyone who follows the Timberwolves closely, it’s obvious that the team has another keeper in Dieng. The fourth-year player out of Louisville is averaging 10.3 points per game on 52 percent shooting, along with nabbing eight rebounds a night.

Even when longtime starter Jrue Holiday returned to the team after missing the start of the season due to personal reasons, Pelicans point guard Tim Frazier held on to his starter’s status longer than anyone expected him to in New Orleans. The third-year player out of Penn State is averaging 11 points and 7.5 assists per game in 31 minutes a game as coach Alvin Gentry’s primary ball-handler.

He’ll never be the most efficient player on a team, but as the New York Knicks' first player off of the bench, point guard Brandon Jennings seems to have found a role that suits him. Jennings leads the Knicks in assists and is now a far more mature player than he was just a few years ago.

A fan favorite in Oklahoma City, center Steven Adams emerged last year in the playoffs as a top player for the Thunder. In fact, with Kevin Durant now gone, he may be the second best player on the team next to Russell Westbrook. A ferocious presence in the low post, the 23-year-old Adams is averaging 11.9 points and 7.5 rebounds so far this season.

Very rarely can a team’s leading scorer be considered an unsung hero, but when it comes to Evan Fournier of the Orlando Magic, that’s exactly what he is. The French-born wing player is averaging a career-high 17.4 points a night for the Magic, can shoot the three ball and is a quality passer as well. The Magic has an outside shot of making the playoffs this season, and Fournier is the biggest reason why.

They’re not a playoff team this season, but “trusting the process” is finally paying off in Philadelphia for the Sixers. Although former 76ers GM Sam Hinkie is no longer with the team, the fruits of his tanking strategy are finally starting to pay off. With young players like Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Dario Saric, the 76ers should improve dramatically in the next few years.

Even at the advanced basketball age of 34, Suns center Tyson Chandler is still producing. Chandler leads Phoenix in rebounding, grabbing 12 a game, and his veteran leadership is much needed in a locker room full of young players learning how to become professionals.

After failing to impress all that much in his first four years in the NBA, Trail Blazers swing man Maurice Harkless is easily playing the best basketball of his career in 2016. The 23-year-old is averaging 12.6 points a night on 49 percent shooting from the field and has established himself as a mainstay in Portland’s rotation.

Always underappreciated, point guard Darren Collison is putting together yet another solid season. Collison is averaging 13 points, 4.6 assists and shooting 39 percent from beyond the arc for a Sacramento Kings team that desperately needs stability at the point guard position.

Who is the best point guard on the San Antonio Spurs? Well, it’s no longer Tony Parker. Instead, Patty Mills now owns that title. The Spurs' first player off of the bench, Mills is San Antonio’s best three-point shooter and is averaging a career-best 11.3 points per game.

Although he doesn’t particularly excel at one particular area, Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses either. The 24-year-old is averaging career highs in points and rebounds this season for Toronto and is the Raptors' most reliable player outside of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry.

At some point, Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder is going to have to give Joe Ingles more playing time. The 29-year-old from Australia has proved in the playing time he has received that he is a do-it-all, two-way player who rarely turns the ball over. Throw in the fact that Ingles is shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc, it becomes clear the Jazz has yet another impact player on the bench.

The third overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, there were major concerns coming out of Washington that Wizards forward Otto Porter Jr. was turning into a bust. However, 2016 is shaping up to be breakout year for the 23-year-old, as he is averaging 13.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals, while shooting 41 percent from downtown. These numbers are too good for Porter Jr. not to gain a little more recognition.