Top 10 Most Disappointing Players of the First Round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs
The NBA playoffs have returned to their traditional format. While many players exceeded expectations, such as Damian Lillard, Luka Dončić, and Donovan Mitchell (though two of them still lost), others failed to rise to the occasion. Instead of proving their worth under pressure, they reinforced doubts about their ability to perform in critical moments.Here are a few of those players.
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.
I don't think much needs to be said about Kyle Kuzma. 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 fan base hate him. Not a good look at all.
A number two option in Dallas didn't look like a number two 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 if he is really fit to be the second superstar in Dallas.
Can we call Kristaps overrated? I mean, Luka can only do so much to help the Mavs.
In the three games that Kemba played, he was clearly shut down and didn't appear to be playing up to standard. He only averaged 12.7 points per game on 32% shooting from the floor and a poor 17% from three. Boston acquired Kemba for offensive help, but he did not deliver.
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 only managed to average a weak 18 points, shooting 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 demonstrate why he deserved minutes for the Lakers in this series. He averaged a weak 6.2 points on 21% from three-point range, the area in which he is supposed to excel. He also had one of the lowest efficiency ratings among players who received as many minutes as he did in the playoffs.
Bam Adebayo also struggled in the playoffs, averaging only 15 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in 34 minutes. In a space where he should have been a dominant big man, he did not show the same prowess or ability to control the paint as he did in the bubble last season.
What happened to him? It's like he just vanished.
Adding yet another Lakers player to the list, Marc Gasol averaged only 5 points and 4 rebounds, which are abysmal totals for someone expected to help take the team to the next level. Despite playing just 17 minutes, Gasol had one of the worst plus/minus ratios of any Laker against the Suns.
Barrett, along with Randle, disappointed in the playoffs this season. In 32 minutes per game, he managed to average just over 14 points per game on 39% shooting and 28% from three. He was outshined by Derrick Rose and didn't make a strong case for himself.
While many do not know much about Dorian Finney-Smith, it appeared as if, in these 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 had almost as many turnovers as assists.
The Newcomers
