These 4 under-the-radar players could play key roles in the NBA conference finals

The NBA Western Conference Finals tip off Tuesday night when the defending champion Golden State Warriors take on the Portland Trail Blazers. The Eastern Conference follows suit on Wednesday evening with the Milwaukee Bucks taking on the Toronto Raptors.

This stage of the game is old hat for the Warriors, who are seeking their third straight title and fourth in five years, but Portland hasn't made it this far since 2000, nor Milwaukee since 2001. And while Toronto did reach the conference finals for the first time ever in 2016, they had a fairly unceremonious exit that year. Since some newcomers have entered the fold, here's one under-the-radar player from each team who could make a difference in their series.

Khris Middleton, Milwaukee — Middleton is an All-Star and one of the best two-way players in the game, but he's not exactly a household name. A sharp-shooting defensive whiz, Middleton will be tasked with stopping Toronto's superstar and round two hero Kawhi Leonard.

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Pascal Siakim, Toronto — Siakim, who could win NBA's Most Improved Player award this year, will likely matchup with Milwaukee's league MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo for most of the series. Siakim was an unheralded prospect out of New Mexico State when Toronto drafted him, but he's steadily developed over the course of his three-year career, turning into a force on both sides of the ball.

Evan Turner, Portland — While he's never lived up to expectations after getting picked no. 2 in the 2010 draft, Turner can still be an effective playmaker. He had a brutal stretch in the playoffs this year before scoring 10 points in a clutch fourth quarter in Portland's Game 7 against win over the Denver Nuggets. The Blazers could use more of that against the Warriors.

Andre Igoudala, Golden State — Frankly, there are no surprises about the Warriors anymore. But Igoudala, ever the savvy veteran, has always come up with big plays when the Warriors need him to.