5 Stars Who Have Failed To Live Up To Expectations In The NBA Playoffs

The first round of the NBA playoffs has shown a lot of surprises and several cagers have disappointed. This has added to the woes of their current teams, some either eliminated or find themselves on the brink of being sent to an early vacation.

While there are factors involved like injuries and chemistry, NBA fans are left disappointed since they are fully aware of what these players can do. Here are some of them.

Julius Randle, New York Knicks

The 2021 NBA Most Improved player, Julius Randle, went from regular season hero to playoff flop. For some reason, the 26-year-old has failed to live up to expectations with his numbers sorely dropping. Although they are double-double performances, they pale when compared to his regular-season averages of 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 6 assists.

Randle is averaging 16.8 points, 11.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists but his turnovers have also gotten worse at 3.8 in the postseason. This has left the Knicks in a 1-3 void, placing New York on the brink of elimination.

Kristaps Porzingis, Dallas Mavericks

Kristaps Porzingis has had his share of struggles this season, mostly due to his inability to stay healthy. His scoring dived but his horrendous rebounding did not escape attention. From a regular-season average of 8.9 caroms per game, he has so far managed only 3.7 boards against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The series is now tied but head coach Rick Carlisle needs more from the Latvian center the rest of the way. Luka Doncic remains the focal point, but the Slovenian guard needs Porzingis to do his part as well.

Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat

After an explosive 2019-20 season, Jimmy Butler was hardly a shade of himself in the NBA playoffs. He averaged 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists for the Heat who were sent to early vacation by the Bucks. From those stats, his scoring dived averaging 21.5 points in the regular season.

Andre Drummond, Los Angeles Lakers

With LeBron James and Anthony Davis not at top shape, most saw the coming of Andre Drummond as timely for the Lakers. His numbers are considerably down and Frank Vogel needs more from the 6-foot-10 center to keep their NBA title aspirations afloat.

Drummond held regular-season averages of 14.9 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists. In the playoffs, he was only good for 9.5 points and 10.5 rebounds. Given his caliber and that he is only 27, the usual double-double machine needs to do more if he wants to help the Lakers drive to the NBA Finals.

Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets

Another player struggling in the NBA Playoffs is Michael Porter Jr. of the Denver Nuggets. After norming 19 points, 7.3 rebounds and an assist, the 22-year-old has managed only 15.3 points and 58 rebounds. However, it would be best to note that he is not getting many touches and such is a mystery. The defensive matrix of the Portland Trail Blazers could be a reason and Porter needs to figure out a way to recall his old form soon. The Blazers and the Nuggets series is tied at 2-2 as of this writing.