Top 10 Most Disappointing Players of the First Round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs
The NBA playoffs are back to normal and underway. While many players exceeded expectations such as Damian Lillard, Luka Doncic, and Donovan Mitchell (2 of them still lost), many players did not prove anything, instead proving that they may not be as good under pressure as previously thought. Here are a few of these players.
Jimmy Butler III is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. Born in Houston, Butler grew up in Tomball, Texas, and attended college at Marquette University. Wow. From the person who helped lead his team to the finals last season, Jimmy Butler sure didn't show the same energy this year. Against the Bucks, Butler averaged only 14.5 points per game in 39 minutes per game, a horrible ratio. He also shot a measly 30% from the floor, and 27% from three point range. This is not the type of performance a star player should be putting up in a key playoff series.
Kyle Alexander Kuzma is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. I don't think I have to say much about Kyle Kuzma. In the playoffs against the Suns, he looked like a walking brick, shooting 29%, and 17% from three. He only averaged 6.3 points in 22 minutes per game, and made the entire Lakers fanbase hate him. Not a good look at all.
Kristaps Porzingis is a Latvian professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. He is 7 ft 3 in tall, and plays both the power forward and center positions. A number 2 option in Dallas didn't look like a number 2 option. While Luka Doncic was putting up historic playoff numbers, Kristaps was only averaging a disappointing 13.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. This rebounding total, for a 7'3 center, is lower than that of Ja Morant, and Kyrie Irving.. His abysmal performance makes me question, is he really fit to be the second superstar in Dallas?
Can we call Kristraps overrated? I mean Luka can only do so much to help the Mavs
Kemba Hudley Walker is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association. He had previously played for the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets from 2011 to 2019, and the Boston Celtics from 2019-2021. He was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder after the 2021 NBA season. In the 3 games which Kemba played, he was clearly shut down, and didn't look like he was playing up to standard. He was only able to average 12.7 points per game on 32% from the floor, and a decrepit 17% from three. Boston picked up Kemba to help offensively, but he appeared to do anything but...
Julius Deion Randle is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association. Newly emerging superstar Julius Randle showed he wasn't up for the challenge against the Hawks. When he was supposed to be the star, sometimes triple double getting center, he showed up averaging a weak 18 points, on 30% from the floor and 33% from three. He was the reason for the knicks big jump in 2021, and a partial reason for them losing to the Hawks.
Caldwell Pope did not show why he was getting minutes for the Lakers in this series, as he averaged an incredibly weak 6.2 points on 21% from three point range, the area where he is supposed to excel at. He also maintained one of the lowest efficiency ratings among players getting as many minutes as he was in the playoffs.
Bam Adebayo also struggled in the playoffs tremendously, averaging only 15 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in 34 minutes. In a space where he is supposed to be a dominant big man, he was not showing the same prowess and ability to control the paint which he did in the bubble last season.
What happened to him? It's like he just vanished
Marc Gasol Sáez is a Spanish professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. Adding yet another Lakers player to the list, Marc Gasol averaged only 5 points and 4 rebounds, abysmal totals for someone expected to help take the team to the next level. While it was only in 17 minutes, Gasol had one of the worst +/- ratios for any Laker player against the Suns...
Barrett, along with Randle, disappointed in the playoffs this season. In 32 minutes per game, he was only able to average a little over 14 points per game, on 39% shooting, and 28% from 3. He was outshined by Derrick Rose, and did not make a case for himself in the slightest.
While many do not know much about Dorian Finney-Smith, it appeared as if, this playoffs, he was just out there running most of the time. In an astounding 39 minutes per game, he averaged only 10 points per game, and almost as many turnovers as assists.
Andre Jamal Drummond is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association.
Anthony Marshon Davis Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association.
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. LeBron has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and the Lakers.