The top 5 players who disappointed on the first weekend of the 2021 NBA playoffs
The first round of fixtures in the 2021 NBA playoffs is officially over, with fans treated to a traditional level of excitement and talking points from the weekend's action. Half of the teams with home-court advantage lost their opening game in front of their fanbase.
With the NBA playoffs, there's always trepidation and greater disappointment if a team who has had a successful regular season campaign fails to live up to expectations. There are also players who have had a stellar year but have struggled to cope under increased pressure in the postseason.
This article will examine the performances of five players who are looking to improve their form ahead of game 2 of the NBA playoffs, having struggled to hit the heights in their first outing.
#1 Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis looked a shadow of the player he was, dominating the NBA playoffs in the bubble last year. The LA Lakers forward scored 13 points and grabbed 7 rebounds against the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of the NBA playoffs on Sunday afternoon. However, he also missed 11 of his 16 field goal attempts and had the worst +/- of any Lakers player (-18).
Since their loss in game 1 the NBA playoffs, Davis has come under a lot of criticism for his performance and has since acknowledged his shortcomings. After the game he took responsibility for the loss and stated that he would have to be better or else the Lakers would not be able to win the series, let alone progress in the NBA playoffs.
On the night, Davis was overshadowed by his less-experienced counterpart DeAndre Ayton, who finished with 21 points and 16 rebounds for the Suns. Instead of bullying his opponent down low, Davis attacked the basket less with Andre Drummond manning the paint for the Lakers.
#2 Julius Randle
Julius Randle, like Anthony Davis, is essential to the New York Knicks' success in the NBA playoffs. Randle had a breakout year in the NBA for the Knicks this season and earned his first All-Star selection. In fact, his performances this season have been so good that by scoring 15 points and 12 rebounds on Sunday in a loss to the Hawks, his efforts were a disappointment. This is due to the fact that Randle also shot at 26% from the field.
If the Knicks are going to advance in their first round matchup, Randle will need to be better and you can imagine he will. After all, it is the 26-year-old's first postseason experience.
During the campaign, Randle shot at 45% from the field, 40% from downtown and 81% from the free-throw line - the latter two of which were both career-highs. The Knicks rely heavily on the power forward in their half-court offense. In the previous three games against the Hawks, Randle had dominated his opponents, averaging 37 points in each. However, they found a way to stop him in game 1 and he will have to navigate a way out if the Knicks are to succeed.
#3 Kristaps Porzingis
Unfortunately for Kristaps Porzingis, the criticism of his game on Saturday was flowing on social media platforms. The 7"3' center shot at just 30% from the field (4-13) and 20% from downtown on 1-5. He also grabbed just four rebounds despite averaging nine boards per game during the regular season.
Porzingis could be the deciding factor in their NBA playoffs series but could also be the Mavs' Achilles heel. The Latvian has the skillset to average a double-double in every game with the versatility to post up in the paint and step out to shoot threes, thereby clearing the lane for the likes of Luka Doncic.
However, he is also injury prone and therefore is unreliable as a consistent threat. With Kawhi Leonard supposedly going to guard Doncic more closely in game two, it will be down to Marcus Morris and Ivica Zubac to limit 'The Unicorn' again.
#4 Dennis Schroder
Anthony Davis wasn't the only LA Lakers star to disappoint on the opening weekend of the NBA playoffs. Dennis Schroder, who missed seven games at the end of the regular season due to the league's health and safety protocols, also looked off the pace.
Schroder finished the game with 14 points and 3 assists, having played 34 minutes. His aggressive drives to the basket didn't happen often enough; he had four turnovers and committed three personal fouls in the game. His defense on Chris Paul and Devin Booker also wasn't good enough, with Frank Vogel preferring to use Alex Caruso at times. One of the best players in the sixth-man role in the league, Schroder will be hoping to overturn his and his team's fortunes in the NBA playoffs.
#5 Jimmy Butler
Yes, Jimmy Butler almost grabbed a triple-double in the Miami Heat's NBA playoffs return after reaching the Finals last year, and yes, he made the shot to take the game into overtime. However, against the Milwaukee Bucks, Butler took a lot of shots and also missed a lot. In fact, the 31-year-old shot a measly 4-22 from the field and 2-9 from downtown in one of his worst shooting performances of the season.
While Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic were able to bail the Heat out, Butler will need to improve his efficiency if they are going to have any chance of advancing in the NBA playoffs. It was quite an uncharacteristic performance from the forward, who was traditionally solid on defense but turned the ball over a game-leading six times. Given his competitive nature, one can assume this will be the only blip in Butler's series against the Bucks.