Top three bench players from first round of NBA playoffs

The first round of the NBA playoffs has seen some unsung heroes play big roles. 

Let's take a look at the best bench players from the first round.

3. Malik Beasley/Dennis Schroder

The young and scrappy Detroit Pistons were able to push the New York Knicks to six games before they ultimately fell short, but the series was close throughout. The inexperienced Pistons were able to stay neck-and-neck with the Knicks with the help of their two veteran leaders off the bench in Beasley and Schroder. 

Schroder had an interesting season where he started with the Brooklyn Nets but was then traded early in the campaign to the Golden State Warriors. His time with the Warriors did not work out, and he was shipped out in the Jimmy Butler trade.

No one expected much from him, but he turned into a solid veteran backup point guard for the Pistons. He had some strong games in this series, including a 20-point outburst to help them steal Game 2. He averaged 12.5 points and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 49.1% from the field. However, he was not the only bright spot off the bench. 

Beasley was one of the best bench players all season long, which led to him finishing second in the Sixth Man of the Year award voting. He was lethal from three throughout the regular season, and that translated to the postseason as well. Beasley led the series in threes made with 20, including two games of six threes made. 

The Pistons could not win the series, but they showed heart and toughness with the help of their two off-the-bench veterans. 

2. Naz Reid

The Minnesota Timberwolves entered their series against the Los Angeles Lakers as underdogs, fueling them to take out the Lakers in just five games. They had great play from Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert, but Reid was a difference-maker off the bench. 

Reid exploded out of the gate in this series with a 23-point night to take Game 1. He ended up averaging 11.6 points per game in the series while shooting 52.6% from the field and 50% from three. 

The most important stats of them all, though, are his fourth-quarter numbers. Reid scored a total of 27 points during the fourth quarters of this series, which was more than Luka Doncic and LeBron James.