Alex Caruso’s two-way play and defensive dominance have made him a critical X-factor in the Thunder’s push for an NBA championship.

Holmgren has shown his toughness in this series. In Game 4, he rolled his ankle but still logged 37 minutes and posted 14 points with a game-high 15 rebounds. His defense late in the game was huge. Indiana went at him in isolation, but Holmgren stood tall, making crucial plays, forcing tough contested shots and being an overall disrupter.

Pippen was a crucial part of the six titles won by the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s as he was a highly effective player on both sides of the ball and acted as a No. 2 option to that of Michael Jordan. Thus, Williams gets the comparison since he embodies those traits.

As more than 20 players could realistically impact the series, I take a look at the top eight players in the NBA Finals, from the league's MVP to the key rotational players who round out each starting lineup.

To say everything means more in the NBA Finals would be stating the obvious. In the Finals, the league's finest battle to win an ever-elusive championship. The

It's no surprise the NBA's Most Valuable Player sits atop the list ... Bontemps The West finals represented a key step in Williams' development as a championship-caliber sidekick.