Quoted from Andrew Sharp of Sports Illustrated:
"But all of this is what makes the NBA playoffs irresistible. Basketball has more superstars than the other three American sports combined. Each facial expression is caught on camera, every funny quote goes viral, and stars gradually become vivid characters that every sports fan can recognize. Then the playoffs start, and those stars are graded on a curve that becomes more impossible the better they get. They have to carry teams, dispel stupid criticisms, win titles, and come through in moments that will define their reputations in ways that aren't completely rational—and the rest of the world watches them try to respond.
It's a truly ridiculous equation, but it can give us memories like Dirk in 2011, KG in '08, Ray Allen in 2013, or LeBron last year. And then sometimes it gives us memories like Harden against the Spurs. "