Luka Doncic: Now with the Lakers, his brilliant Western Conference finals run raised the stakes. But his Finals performance left room for improvement. A deep run with the new team would prove a lot. James Harden: Despite being underrated, his playoff games have been disappointing. Leading the Clippers to the Finals would silence critics. Donovan Mitchell: Has had great individual seasons but hasn't led his team past the second round. Needs a breakthrough this year. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: A top MVP candidate, but an early exit last year means a deep run is crucial this season. Jalen Brunson: His success in New York comes with pressure to end the Knicks' title drought. Jimmy Butler: Playoff Jimmy needs to deliver for the Warriors and win a title.