The NBA as we all know, stands for Nothing Before April, and luckily for us both April and the NBA playoffs are right around the corner. This means we can start thinking about who is going to be hosting the Larry O’Brien trophy at the start of summer, and to a lesser extent, who will be winning Finals MVP.

Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a list of three dark horses to keep an eye on as the playoffs get underway.

Jimmy Butler

It’s hard to think about Jimmy Butler being a dark horse for this award after leading the Miami Heat to the Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers in the bubble season. However, Butler is playing a more passive role these days as a member of the Golden State Warriors.

Since reaching the Bay, Butler has deferred to Steph Curry. Still, we know Butler tends to turn his engine on when the lights shine the brightest. Butler’s joining the team mids-season has catapulted the Warriors to one of the best teams in the league, and there’s no reason to think they can’t reach the Finals now. If they do, I know who I’m counting on to take his game to the next level.

Luka Doncic

Much like Jimmy Butler, it’s almost impossible to think of Luka as a dark horse for any award. However, similarly to Butler, Doncic was traded this season and is now finding himself playing second fiddle.

Luka’s trade to the Lakers has turned the Lakers into one of the premier teams in the league, but Luka still has to share the floor with LeBron James. James, who has four championships to his name, has one Finals MVP every time he has won the Finals. Still, if the Lakers reach the finals, it’s not impossible to think James will be willing to let his young co-star take the reins.

Evan Mobley

The Cleveland Cavaliers own the best record in the NBA this season. When people think of the Cavs and their success this season, most tend to think of their star-studded backcourt duo of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell.

However, there’s an argument that Evan Mobley is the engine that makes the machine run. Mobley was always a force on the defensive end, but this season has seen him take his offensive game to the next level. If the Cavs reach the Finals and win, it may be thanks to Mobley’s presence on both sides of the floor, which wouldn’t be lost on award voters.

It’ll be interesting to see how each of these stars do throughout the playoffs.