The top 3 disappointing players in the NBA playoffs
Nikola Jokic versus Karl Anthony Towns, Kevin Durant
© Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports© Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Big-time players make big-time plays, especially in the playoffs. It’s where superstars thrive and separate themselves from the rest of the league. However, these three players are either struggling or not helping their teams to win. We present you with the top three disappointing players in the 2022 NBA playoffs.
Struggling superstars
Trae Young was supposed to be here on the list, but we'll give him a pass since he just destroyed the Miami Heat with his floater in the dying seconds of Game 3. But make no mistake, we’re watching and monitoring your next game, Trae.
1. Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant had been there, done before (MVP, Finals MVP, championship, scoring titles), so seeing him struggle offensively in this series is surprising. Credits to Boston Celtics for throwing everything but the kitchen sink to KD, but his inconsistency is uncharacteristic for a player of his caliber. Jayson Tatum, a guy, not known for his defense, was able to contain him in two games. If the Brooklyn Nets want to advance, they need KD to rediscover his old lethal self. Age could be a factor, too, but a player’s decline doesn’t happen overnight. With the Nets staring at a 2-0 hole, they are in desperate mode. So expect a different version of Durant to come in Game 3.
2. Karl-Anthony Towns
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The Minnesota Timberwolves are behind 2-1 in their series against the Memphis Grizzlies. As great as Ja Morant is, it was supposed to be the Wolves in the driving seat. Instead, they have nothing but themselves and the coaches to blame for the Game 3 meltdown where they surrendered 20-point leads twice. KAT, the Wolves’ franchise player and self-proclaimed greatest shooting big man of all time, has done nothing to impact the two games they lost.
What’s even more disappointing was his reaction after the Game 3 loss. Karl Anthony Towns said they all needed to go home to drink some wine. He also skipped some questions about his sub-par game. In games like this, as the leader of the team, he should take it upon himself to redeem the Wolves. Be angry, vow it will never happen again, anything but suggest they go home, relax and quickly forget everything.
3. Nikola Jokic
The Denver Nuggets are on the brink of a sweep. If the Golden State Warriors win Game 4, Nikola Jokic will become the first MVP to get swept in the first round. Forget about Jamal Murray or the other players that the Nuggets are missing. At this point, almost all teams have been hampered by injuries. What’s disappointing is Nikola’s failure to rally his team behind him. We could see Nuggets players close to fistfights. There is a miscommunication on the floor, and not all are aligned. In these times, a team needs its leader on and off the court, and that’s Nikola Jokic for the Denver Nuggets. Draymond Green manhandles him in the series so far. No matter how many points, rebounds, or assists Jokic makes, if Denver gets swept, he should be the one shouldering a big chunk of the blame.
Most disappointing team: Utah Jazz
Runner up for the most disappointing players are Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. How can they let a Dallas Mavericks team, without its top two superstars in Luka Doncic and Tim Hardaway Jr., get a 2-1 advantage in their series? How can the Utah Jazz let Jalen Brunson score 41 and 31 points in two consecutive games and run wild on his drives to the basket with elite defensive player Gobert manning the middle?
The Utah Jazz lost its opportunity to gain the upper hand in this series without Doncic. Now that Luka is about to return, the problems will only snowball for Utah. It seems like the Jazz players have accepted this would be their last run as a team and wants everything to be done and over so the front office could finally revamp the roster in the summer. As superstars of the team, this responsibility falls on the shoulders of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.
The playoffs are not yet done. The players mentioned on this list still have a chance to prove us wrong, but so far, their performances have been lacking and should be called out.
