Who have been the biggest winners and losers from the 2021 NBA playoffs
The NBA playoffs have been an exhilarating ride and are almost at their culmination, with the Finals beginning on Tuesday between the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks.
There have been surprise eliminations, poster dunks and outrageous threes. Although the league had to deal with the coronavirus pandemic and the limitations of the virus, there was still endless excitement and several seven-game series.
For some though, the 2021 NBA playoffs will be quickly forgotten, with attention instead turning to a productive offseason and the 2021-22 campaign. In this article, we will outline who has been the winners and losers from this year's postseason.
The NBA playoffs biggest winners and losers of 2021
Winner - Chris Paul
The biggest winner from the NBA playoffs has been Phoenix Suns veteran Chris Paul. After 16 years of bad luck, the Point God's stars appear to have aligned. He shrugged off a first-round shoulder injury to return and help his side through to face the Milwaukee Bucks in the Finals.
In game six against the LA Clippers, Paul became just the fourth player in NBA playoffs history to record a Conference Finals game of 40 points and zero turnovers. He was consistently brilliant on both ends of the floor in the 14 games he played, averaging 18.1 points, 8.7 assists and 1.4 steals.
Now that he is finally there, we can be sure that Paul will stop at nothing to win that elusive Larry O'Brien trophy. He is the beating heart of the Suns team and has done wonders in helping to develop the team's young stars.
Loser - Ben Simmons
Arguably the biggest loser of the NBA playoffs was Ben Simmons. The Philadelphia 76ers man faced severe criticism for his performances in the Sixers' semi-final exit, averaging 9.9 points and shooting at just 33% from the free-throw line.
Although he was still an elite creator on offense, dishing out 8.6 dimes per game in the series, Simmons was not the aggressive player the Sixers needed him to be on that side of the ball. He looked scared at times in the paint, passing up easy lay-up attempts to pass the basketball instead.
Winner - Paul George
The LA Clippers, Reggie Jackson and the chosen Paul George could all have been classed as winners of this year's NBA playoffs. However, we have chosen the latter due to the criticism the shooting guard has faced in the past for his postseason performances, rightly or wrongly.
George was electric in the NBA playoffs, helping the LA Clippers to their first Conference Finals appearance. He averaged 26.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists while shooting at 44% from the floor. Prior to their elimination, the 30-year-old led all other players in postseason minutes played with a whopping 777 across 19 contests, with the next closest being Khris Middleton on 668.
In each game he played, George scored no fewer than 20 points. His postseason run peaked in game five of the LA Clippers' series with the Suns, in which he scored 41 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Aside from silencing his critics, George helped carry the Clippers while Kawhi Leonard was sidelined through injury. They prevailed past the Utah Jazz, winning games five and six, and made a valiant effort against Phoenix by taking them to six matchups.
Loser - NBA fans
Despite there being some exhilarating seven-game series and electrifying performances, NBA fans missed out on watching some of the league's greatest stars. Overall, nine All-Stars were injured for part, if not all, of their team's playoff games. Jaylen Brown was sidelined with the postseason just around the corner after injuring his wrist, while the LA Lakers' series against the Phoenix Suns was marred by ongoing issues for Anthony Davis and Chris Paul.
The Brooklyn Nets took the Milwaukee Bucks to seven games, despite Kyrie Irving and James Harden only being able to play in four contests each. Among the other All-Stars to miss game time were Giannis Antetokounmpo, Trae Young, Kawhi Leonard and Mike Conley.
Winner - Giannis Antetokounmpo
It has taken eight seasons since the Milwaukee Bucks drafted Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the franchise is finally back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974. The Greek has wanted this for a long time. He has won back-to-back MVP awards, an MIP award and the Defensive Player of the Year trophy but has never been to the Finals.
Budenholzer played down the forward's injury, which ruled him out of games five and six of the team's semifinal series with the Hawks. However, Antetokounmpo was on the sidelines cheering his teammates on and you can guarantee that if he is almost ready to play he will push every boundary to be on the floor for game one on Tuesday.
This is Antetokounmpo's moment, the one he has been waiting for and if the Bucks can win the NBA Championship, it will cement his name as a basketball legend.
Loser - LA Lakers
Among the biggest losers from the NBA playoffs were the LA Lakers. After dominating their opposition in the bubble last year, it was widely expected that they would be favorites for another title this season or, at the very least, a finals appearance.
Neither would come to fruition as the Lakers had a fraught campaign with injuries that carried over into the NBA playoffs. Anthony Davis put up back-to-back 34 points displays before getting injured in game four, ending the effectiveness he could have on the series.
Beyond Davis, though, the Lakers lacked any form of scoring depth. Aside from LeBron James' performances, no other player stepped up. Dennis Schroder struggled to face off against Chris Paul's excellence while Kyle Kuzma disappointed off the bench. The organization may have to make some serious adjustments in the offseason to recapture its status as favorites.