5 players who have exceeded expectations in the 2021 NBA Playoffs so far
The 2020-21 NBA season has repeatedly put teams in difficult situations, and the 2021 NBA Playoffs haven't been any different. With Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely, the four remaining teams have only one championship-winning player on their combined rosters (LA Clippers' Rajon Rondo).
All four teams have certainly earned their right to be in the Conference Finals, and some players have performed tremendously for it to happen. Among the four remaining squads, we will see Paul George, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker, or Trae Young win their first NBA championship.
The 2021 NBA Playoffs have been entertaining, even if injuries have played a huge role.
5 Players who have exceeded expectations in the 2021 NBA Playoffs
Players like Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns) and Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks) have made the most of their first appearances in the NBA Playoffs. Both have a good chance of reaching the NBA Finals. Booker and Young are among the top players in the next generation of NBA talent. However, they were not expected to be leading two of the four surviving teams at this stage of the year.
In this article, we will give you five players who have exceeded expectations during the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Without further ado, let us take a look.
#5 Giannis Antetokounmpo - Milwaukee Bucks
The two-time NBA MVP is certainly exceeding expectations in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Giannis Antetokounmpo is recognized as a fantastic talent in today's NBA, but he has been the subject of consistent media criticism despite winning consecutive MVPs and the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Antetokounmpo was unable to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to the NBA Finals despite his brilliant individual performance. He led the NBA in regular-season records in both the 2018-19 and 2019-20 NBA seasons. Keeping this in mind, criticizing and mocking him for not making the Finals seems quite unjustified.
In fairness, those Milwaukee Bucks' teams were not bad. But they were not constructed like some of the other talented, experienced squads. Notable examples of these are the 2019 Toronto Raptors or the 2020 LA Lakers, the last two NBA champions.
Still, Antetokounmpo and the 2020-21 Milwaukee Bucks are exceeding expectations. This is primarily because expectations were quite low for them during the regular season itself. Several media analysts expected an outcome similar to the last couple of years for the Bucks in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. However, the Bucks took down the Brooklyn Nets this time around and earned some respect.
The Bucks still had some weakness exposed against the Nets, but did well to take the series in the end. Now, expectations are high for Mike Budenholzer's squad, and Antetokounmpo is expected to put the Bucks in the 2021 NBA Finals.
In this season's NBA Playoffs, the 26-year-old has averaged 28.8 points, 13.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 11 games.
#4 Devin Booker - Phoenix Suns
Devin Booker had not made the NBA Playoffs since entering the league in 2015 before this season. Regardless, he was still viewed as one of the best young players in the game and his performances in the 2021 NBA Playoffs have been stunning.
In his first postseason run, Booker was surely expected to play well. But his performance against the LA Lakers in the first round impressed many.
Booker has averaged 29 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists in the 2021 NBA Playoffs so far.
He is usually not viewed as the Phoenix Suns' leader with Chris Paul on the side. However, in Game 1 of the Western Finals without CP3, Booker stepped up and led the team to a victory with 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists.