It is well known that playoff intensity will increase, but there are also many nuances, which makes the difference between extended running and early holidays very small. Better competition, higher bets, thinner profits.

Star Play is often branded series, but nuances can often define them – any aspect of the game from an unparalleled player, coach’s strategy or gameplay can improve the balance of key games.

Here are six potential X factors in the second round of the NBA playoffs:

The Celtics have hardly had any sweat in the playoffs over the past five series. But if they go further, their list of spinners in the injury report may be crucial in the next six weeks.

Kristaps Porzingis had only seven of his 19 playoff games last spring for the Celtics, but his 20 points in the NBA Finals were crucial. This season, valuable guard Jrue Holiday played his best in the fewest of four games and missed three playoff games against the Orlando Magic in the first round with a hamstring injury. Jaylen Brown (Knee) and Jayson Tatum (Wrist) are managing the recent loss of their game this playoffs.

The length of the Celtics’ IR list may be the only factor that can slow down the defending champion.

Rick Carlisle's experience

The Indiana Pacers coach was deported in a 2024 playoff loss to the New York Knicks and then stayed up late until working with employees, sending 78 video clips to the league office inquiry.

This seems like a typical complaint, but wearing the opponent, whether it's the referee or another team, is part of a bigger strategy.

The calls were evenly, deeper, healthier Pacers beat the Knicks in seven games to advance to the team’s first Eastern Conference Finals since 2014. Remember that in the 2011 NBA final, his Dallas Mavericks ran in the Western Conference playoffs before defeating the Miami Heat in LeBron James’ first season at South Beach. Carlisle has always shown a savvy ability to adjust and perfect strategies.

The Pacers will be the underdog in every series, but Carlisle knows it well.

"Playoff Jimmy" is a real difference maker, and there should be zero surprises when he scored 20 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists in the Golden State Warriors' Game 7 with the Houston Rockets.

Butler scored 28 points in Game 7 in the 2023 final against Boston. He scored 42 points in the same playoffs to end the Milwaukee Bucks. In 2022, his 47 points, 9, 8 assistants, 4-driven Game 6 was one of the highest moments in the playoffs. He ended 32 points with the Philadelphia 76ers one round ahead of schedule.

Butler's value increases when there are important playoff games.

The Cleveland Cavaliers star has the highest average score in NBA playoff history (at least 50 games), at 27.9.

Now, he scored 30 or more in eight straight games, breaking his previous record with Michael Jordan.

Mitchell can score at high leverage moments. However, there is a good line between this and quantity generation. When the Cavaliers lost their first game to the Pacers on Sunday, Mitchell usually scored 33 points, but it took 30 shots to get there.

Cleveland was behind the entire game, and Mitchell worked very hard to save his team, a trend that has been repeated throughout his career. When Mitchell scored 30 or more in the playoff game, his team was 1-5. For example, he scored 50 points in the playoff game in Orlando last season and scored 36 shots in a failed effort.

He was also 1 of 11 in Sunday's 3-point line. When he scored 11 or more 3 seconds in the playoff game, his team was 2-7. He played two games against the Celtics last season, resulting in two losses.

McDaniels, who may have been the best two weeks of his career in the first round of the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaged 17.4 points in a five-game series win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

But the reason he has a $130 million contract is his defense - he is this Warriors' Stephen Curry's defensive plan in the second round. McDaniels guarded Curry against 161 properties during the regular season. It's not only the most this season, but most defenders for any player this season; it's Curry's third-place opponent guard In the past decadeaccording to ESPN research.

Curry made 53 shots against McDaniels this season, with an effective shooting percentage of 53%, which is well below his season average of 57%.

McDaniels' lateral agility and height of 6-foot-9 are a factor. But the challenge for Curry is that he keeps moving. The two MVP ran 1.99 miles in the Warriors' Game 7 in Houston. McDaniels will go all out.

No one thinks the Nuggets are a "fast" team, probably because star Nikola Jokic is known for his clumsy style. But they cheated quickly.

In fact, they won the league at 20.1 this season at a fast pace per game. Jokic had no leadership, frankly, ended many quick breaks. But he knows the ball moves faster than men, and his precise full-game pass is the main weapon in the Nuggets' offense.

This is especially important against the Oklahoma City Thunder, which is a good defensive team at halftime but is easily hurt in the transition. The Thunder leads the NBA with a 12.3-per-game transition rate this season.