What the stats say:

The Spurs still have a superstar stopper, and it is not Kawhi Leonard. Among 212 players to face at least 30 drives against 2018 All-Stars, Kyle Anderson allows the third fewest points per chance on drives, at 0.72.

Season is a success if ...

Given all the drama stirred up from the bizarre Kawhi saga and all the tinkering with rotations to get San Antonio into the postseason for the 21st consecutive year, this season is already a success, with Popovich deserving of Coach of the Year consideration. But the real indicator of whether this season has been a success is when, if at all, Leonard returns to the lineup. The Spurs want Leonard back on the floor, but it's not about what he can do to help them win, according to a league source. It's about showing the rest of the team he is committed to San Antonio for the long haul. The team needs to see Leonard in the locker room, in film sessions, on the team plane and at team dinners. Leonard is up for a supermax extension this summer, and a return in the playoffs could go a long way toward alleviating doubts about his long-term prospects in San Antonio.

What to watch in Round 1

Aldridge struggled with Leonard out of commission during last season's matchup with the Warriors in the conference finals due to Golden State constantly throwing double-teams at him. San Antonio expects the Warriors to continue to throw everything at Aldridge, but the team is confident the power forward is better equipped now to handle such a scenario. The club also believes the supporting cast -- players such as Danny Green, Kyle Anderson, Pau Gasol and Patty Mills -- needs to step up and make the open shots created by Golden State's focus on Aldridge.

-- Michael C. Wright

2017-18 record: 47-35

BPI odds vs. HOU: 12 percent

The suspense held until the regular season's finale, but the Timberwolves are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Jimmy Butler loves the stage the playoffs provide and desperately wants to show he can lead his team into the second round and beyond, but his health will be worth monitoring after he missed more than a month because of a meniscus injury in his knee.

Who has the most to prove?

Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, who are supposed to be the future of the Timberwolves organization. But neither young player has developed the way Tom Thibodeau would have liked. Towns has superior offensive talent and showed flashes of putting it all together, but there are far too many times when he doesn't have a solid presence defensively. As for Wiggins, he hasn't shown consistency on either end.

Season in a single game: April 11

The drought is over! Game No. 82 sent Minnesota to the postseason for the first time in 14 years in a de facto playoff game of its own, as Butler poured in 31 points and Towns added 26 in an overtime thriller against the Nuggets.

What the stats say:

As much as Minnesota missed Butler's All-Star production, it could have also used his grit and determination. Case in point: Butler's average miles per hour getting back on defense in transition ranks first on the team and first among every 2018 All-Star.

Jimmy gets back on defense Among 2017-18 All-Stars, no one gets back in transition faster than Minnesota's Jimmy Butler. ALL-STAR TEAM MPH Jimmy Butler MIN 7.24 LaMarcus Aldridge SA 7.13 Goran Dragic MIA 7.04 Karl-Anthony Towns MIN 6.97 Victor Oladipo IND 6.95 Source: Second Spectrum

Season is a success if ...

It's hard to believe a team that hasn't made the playoffs in 14 years could make the postseason and still have its season considered unsuccessful, but that is the tightrope the Timberwolves are walking. After so much optimism early in the season, Towns, Wiggins & Co. were not able to pick up the slack when Butler went down. The only way the Wolves' season can be considered a success is if they claw their way into the second round.

What to watch in Round 1

Jimmy Butler came into Wednesday's must-win season finale against the Denver Nuggets on a minutes "guideline," according to Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau. After playing just over 20 minutes in his first two games back from knee surgery, Butler racked up 42 minutes in Wednesday's overtime win and comes into this series having to do everything for a Timberwolves team that has gotten crushed by the Rockets every time they've played this year. How far will Thibodeau be able to stretch Butler out now, and how much will Butler be asked to switch onto Rockets MVP candidate James Harden? Those questions will go a long way in determining if the Timberwolves have any chance to steal a game or two in this series.

-- Nick Friedell

2017-18 record: 59-23

BPI odds vs. WAS: 88 percent

After several seasons of residing in the league's upper-middle class, the Raptors asserted themselves in 2017-18 as the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. They climbed the ladder by injecting spacing and creativity into their offense and by instilling greater discipline in their defense.

Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are the NBA's old married couple -- stylistically and temperamentally different, yet bringing out the best in each other as they mature into their golden years as a backcourt. Then there's the dominant reserve units, which make the Raps' early second and fourth quarters the best show in town.

Who has the most to prove?

Both DeRozan and Lowry will have to replicate their regular season outputs if the Raptors are to beat the rap as one of the most disappointing playoff teams in recent memory. Among active NBA players, only Rajon Rondo and Jamal Crawford have attempted more field goals in the postseason and converted them at a lower true shooting percentage than DeRozan. Lowry has performed marginally better, but his contributions in the playoffs, in which he has often appeared tired, have fallen well short of the standard he has established as one of the league's best shot-making guards.

Season in a single game: March 7

In Detroit, the Raptors and Pistons were tied in overtime at 119 with less than 10 seconds left, and DeRozan -- who did this near the end of regulation -- was racing down the floor with possession. But rather than play hero ball and settle for a low-percentage attempt when he was met in the lane by a swarm of Pistons defenders on his drive to the rim, DeRozan kicked the ball out to a wide-open Fred VanVleet, who drained the shot from 21 feet, giving the Raptors a win. Trust is an essential ingredient for a championship team, and it is decisions such as that by a team's superstar that help build it.