Six players in need of proof in the playoffs, led by Tatum
There are too many pseudo-superstars in the history of the NBA, they tend to play flashy statistics in the regular season, and then become invisible when it comes to key games and playoffs, not only because they lack strength, but also because their mentality is also a very central factor. Real superstars like Jordan and James, the more important the game, the stronger they are, and that's why they have won so many championships.
And these 6 players on the current line, they are typical regular season dragons, playoff bugs, they have played All-Star level performances in the regular season, but so far in their careers they have not been able to break through themselves in the playoffs, and now that the playoffs of this season are about to begin, they need to prove themselves as soon as possible.
6. Russell (Lakers)
Averages per game this season: 18.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists
As early as the 2018-2019 season, Russell showed his "soft-footed shrimp" characteristics, that year he was selected as an All-Star in the regular season and led the team to the playoffs single-core, thinking that he would become famous, but his performance in the playoffs surprised fans, averaging 19.2 points per game in 5 games, and shooting only 35.9%. However, Russell still had an excuse at that time, after all, it was the first time he made the playoffs, and he was targeted against the 76ers single-handedly.
However, Russell's performance in the Timberwolves' playoffs once again proved that he is really not good, averaging 12 points per game, shooting 33.3% from the field, and his ability to hold the ball in the face of high-intensity defense is seriously stretched, except for throwing three points, he has almost no means to score. Russell's performance in last year's playoffs was still very average, averaging only 13.3 points per game, and the most important thing was that he averaged less than 7 points per game in the Western Conference finals.
5. Harden (Clippers)
Averages this season: 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game
The problem of Harden's tendency to weaken in key playoff games during the Thunder period was exposed, and he averaged 12.4 points per game against the Heat in the 2012 Finals, shooting less than 40%. Later, after joining the Rockets, although Harden played better and better in the regular season and won the MVP once, he still hasn't fully proved himself in the playoffs, although he averaged points per game in the playoffs in those two years, 28.5 points in 2018 and 31.5 points in 2019, but first, it has declined compared to the regular season, and second, he has indeed pulled in key games.
In 2018, Harden shot 5 of 21 in the battle of Tianwang Mountain in the West, scored 19 points in 0 of 11 three-point shots, and scored 20 points in the third game of 20 shots in the first round in 2019, and the semifinals also played against the Warriors in the life-and-death battle G6, his performance in the second half was very different, especially in the fourth quarter, he only scored 5 points, as the team boss he had no desire to attack, and his defense was also careless. Now Harden has been in a serious decline, he scored 9 points in a single game when the 76ers were eliminated last season, but now the Clippers want to win the championship and have to count on him to prove himself.
4. Towns (Timberwolves)
Averages per game this season: 22.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3 assists
As the No. 1 pick in 2015, Downs' talent is also outstanding, and he has gradually become one of the best three-point shooting big men after entering the league. In the 2017-2018 season, Towns averaged 21.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game in the regular season, but in the playoffs, it plummeted to 15 points and 13.4 rebounds, and the three-point shooting rate was as low as 27.3%, and the Timberwolves finally stopped in the first round that year.
Later, Towns himself did not have the ability to bring the Timberwolves into the playoffs, and it was not until Edwards entered the league that the team showed signs of recovery. However, Downs' playoff performance in the past two years is only qualified in 2022, averaging 20+10 per game, and the offensive efficiency is okay, but he has not been able to continue to maintain. Last year, Towns averaged only 18.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, and his three-point shooting rate fell to 25%, and this season the Timberwolves have made the playoffs to see if he can prove himself this time.
3. Sabonis (King)
Averages per game this season: 19.5 points, 13.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists
Before joining the Kings, Jr. gave the outside world the impression that he was mediocre in the playoffs, and in fact he was, and his best performance in the playoffs before that was only 12.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. However, Xiao Sa also said, after all, he had not completely risen at that time, but after joining the Kings, he still seems to have not changed in this regard, and it seems that he is the third center in the league in the regular season, and he can score, grab rebounds, and assist in an all-round style, but when it comes to the playoffs, it changes again.
Against the Warriors, Sa averaged 16.4 points, 11 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game, all of which declined, and he shot only 49.5% from the field with almost no outside shots, which is definitely inefficient for an insider. This season's stats are still improved compared to last season's regular season, but the Kings may have to go through the play-offs to make the playoffs, and his true strength can be completely seen this year.
2. DeRozan (Bulls)
Averaged 23.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game this season
As one of the famous "garbage brothers", DeRozan was also a well-known regular season star in the Bulls back then, he was also selected to the All-Star team at that time, and also led the team to play the first record in the East, but when it came to the playoffs, he was easy to pull across, and the team never broke out of the East under his leadership. In 2018, the Raptors traded DeRozan because they lost so badly in the playoffs that year, and they were swept by the Cavaliers in the semifinals.
As the leader of the team, DeRozan averaged only 16.8 points per game in the series, far less than Lowry played, and then he came to the Spurs and Bulls one after another, but his playoff performance still had no obvious breakthrough. In the 2022 playoffs against the Bucks, DeRozan averaged 20.8 points per game and shot 41.1% from the field, and his performance was once again below expectations.
1. Tatum (Celtics)
Averages this season: 27 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game
When Tatum first debuted, his performance in the playoffs was quite impressive, and with the team's core Irving and Hayward reimbursed for the season, the 19-year-old averaged 18.5 points per game to lead the team all the way to the Eastern Conference finals. However, since then, Tatum seems to have changed as a different person, and although he has changed his style of play, he has become better and better in the regular season, but his performance in the playoffs has become more and more inconsistent.
In 2022, the Green Army returned to the Finals with a strong lineup, and thought that Tatum would officially lead the Green Shirts back to the top this year, but in the Finals, in the face of Wiggins' defense, he directly became invisible, and he even played a humiliating performance of 13 points on 6-of-18 shooting in the team's life-and-death battle. In the tiebreaker that lost to the Heat in the playoffs last year, Tatum once again contributed to the famous scene, scoring only 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting. As a team that is in the hunt for the title every year, you can't always predict what their big names will do in key games, so it's obviously impossible to really succeed.