When the smoke of the playoffs began, people unconsciously focused on the stars with sky-high contracts. Today, let's talk about the performance of the Lakers' Russell and the 76ers' Tobias Harris.
Let's talk about Russell first, this guy's performance in the playoffs this year is really surprising. When he signed the two-year, $36 million contract, Lakers fans looked forward to him as a savior. But who knows, after this savior came on the court, the three-point shot was like iron, and the whole person seemed to be out of the game. In an average of 34.7 minutes of playing time, he scored a measly 12 points, shooting just 32.6 percent from the field and a low 30.8 percent from three-point range. This kind of performance is really suspicious, is this the Russell we are familiar with?
Turning his head and looking at Tobias Harris, this brother's contract is so high that it is not known to be higher, 180 million dollars for five years, which sounds exciting. In the regular season, he was quite good, averaging 17.2 points per game and shooting 48.7% from the field. But when it comes to the playoffs, this performance is simply like two people. With only 8.3 points, he averaged only 39.3% from the field and a miserable 27.3% from three-point range. Where's that Harris, who averaged 17 points per game?
Lakers and 76ers fans are about to be mad by these two. On the pitch, they were paid a lot of money but played a mess, as if those numbers only existed in the contract book. Especially when you see the opposing team's stars leading the team forward, isn't this gap even more obvious in comparison?
Lakers fans even began to complain on social media: "What kind of treasure did we spend a lot of money on?" while 76ers fans sighed and mocked: "Tobias Harris's contract is really the worst business in history!" Former NBA star Rasheed Wallace couldn't help but come out and complain, bluntly saying that Harris's performance was simply "waste wood".
Now, the future of both stars is also a hot topic. Especially with Harris' contract expiring, what will the next contract look like for the player with an annual salary of nearly $40 million?
When comparing the performances of these two stars, we see not only the difference between them on the field, but also the sharp decline in their standing in the hearts of the fans. Whether it is a mistake on the court or a storm of public opinion after the game, it is full of emotion. Hopefully, these two stars can find themselves next season and don't let those sky-high contracts become a dead letter.
And for us ordinary fans, such a comparison may be more of a helpless sigh. We're looking forward to the great performances of the stars and the surprises and joy they can bring us just as much as the numbers on the contract. But sometimes, things backfire, and high salaries don't always buy victory and glory.
The playoffs are like a mirror that reflects everyone's true face. For Russell and Tobias Harris, this "value vs. performance" battle is not only a personal challenge for them, but also a common test for all the highest-paid stars. Hopefully, in the days to come, they will bring us more surprises and not disappointments.