In the world of sports, the spotlight shines brightest on those who can rise to the occasion and deliver when it matters most. But what about those who crumble under the pressure? In a recent YouTube video titled “WORST Players Of The 2024 Playoffs,” the focus is on some of the notable underperformers in the NBA postseason. From familiar names like Russell Westbrook to disappointing showings from Paul George and Tobias Harris, the video sheds light on those who struggled when the stakes were highest. Let’s take a closer look at the players who failed to live up to expectations in the 2024 playoffs and examine why their performances fell short.
Westbrook’s Playoff Shooting Woes: A Historical Perspective
They say the truly great players are best when the lights are the brightest but today we’re talking about the guys who crumbled under the pressure. Unfortunately, we’re starting with a familiar suspect. Westbrook is a player who traditionally struggles with his shot, especially in the playoffs. For his career, Westbrook is shooting 44% from the field and 30% for three, but in the postseason, his shooting averages dropped to 4% from the field and just 29% for three over 23 playoff series in his career. Westbrook shot below 40% in 11 different series, which might be an NBA record. This time, in the first round against the Mavericks, Russ hit a new low. He shot only 26% from the field, 23% for three, and 61% from the free throw line, averaging an abysmal six points, four rebounds, and two assists per game. Russ scored a total of 38 points in the series but took 50 shots to get them and he had a turnover for every assist he made. Westbrook will be a Hall of Famer based on his numbers in the regular season and rightfully so, but in the playoffs, he’s probably the least efficient scorer of all time. He was by far the worst shooter in the 2024 playoffs.
However, Russ wasn’t the only member of the Clippers who had a disappointing playoff performance. A lot of blame also has to go to Paul George, who played below the level that his salary and Superstar reputation would suggest. PG-13 had a masterful performance in game five, scoring 33 points, hitting seven out of 10 threes, and dishing out eight assists in a 116 to 111 win. But in all the other games, George was anemic, averaging just 17 points, shooting 37% from the field, and 28% from deep. With Kawhi Leonard injured, the Clippers needed a superstar performance from George and he only came through in one game for them. When you’ve given yourself the nickname playoff P based on your play in the playoffs and then you get knocked out in the first round with such a lackluster performance, maybe it’s time to get a new nickname. George wasn’t the only player whose old meme came back to haunt him in the 2024 playoffs.
Paul George: The Disappointing Superstar of the Clippers
They say the truly great players are best when the lights are the brightest but today we’re talking about the guys who crumbled under the pressure. These are the worst players in the 2024 NBA playoffs, and unfortunately, we’re starting with a familiar suspect. Westbrook is a player who traditionally struggles with his shot, especially in the playoffs. For his career, Westbrook is shooting 44% from the field and 30% from three, but in the postseason, his shooting averages dropped to 40% from the field and just 29% from three over 23 playoff series in his career. Westbrook shot below 40% in 11 different series, making him one of the least efficient scorers in playoff history.
In addition to Westbrook, a lot of blame also has to go to Paul George, who played below the level that his salary and superstar reputation would suggest. PG-13 had a masterful performance in game five but fell short in the rest. With Kawhi Leonard injured, the Clippers needed a superstar performance from George, and he only came through in one game. George’s lackluster performance in the playoffs raised questions about his ability to perform when it matters most. Perhaps it’s time for George to get a new nickname as “playoff P” didn’t quite hold up in the 2024 playoffs.
Tobias Harris: A Max Contract Mistake Resurfaced
WORST Players Of The 2024 Playoffs
They say the truly great players are best when the lights are the brightest but today we’re talking about the guys who crumbled under the pressure. Starting with a familiar suspect, Westbrook is a player who traditionally struggles with his shot, especially in the playoffs. For his career, Westbrook is shooting 44% from the field and 30% from three, but in the postseason, his shooting averages dropped to 40% from the field and just 29% from three. Over 23 playoff series in his career, Westbrook shot below 40% in 11 different series which might be an NBA record. In the 2024 playoffs, Westbrook hit a new low in the first round against the Mavericks, shooting only 26% from the field, 23% from three, and 61% from the free-throw line, averaging an abysmal six points, four rebounds, and two assists per game.
Russ scored a total of 38 points in the series but took 50 shots to get them and had a turnover for every assist he made. Westbrook might be a Hall of Famer based on his numbers in the regular season, but in the playoffs, he’s probably the least efficient scorer of all time. He was by far the worst shooter in the 2024 playoffs. However, Westbrook wasn’t the only member of the Clippers who had a disappointing playoff performance. A lot of blame also has to go to Paul George. PG-13 had a masterful performance in game five, but in all the other games, he was anemic, averaging just 17 points and shooting 37% from the field and 28% from deep. With Kawhi Leonard injured, the Clippers needed a superstar performance from George, and he only came through in one game for them.
Future Outlook
the 2024 NBA playoffs brought out the best and worst in some of the league’s top players. From Westbrook’s shooting struggles to George’s inconsistency, the pressure of the postseason can be unforgiving. As we reflect on the performances of these players, it’s clear that even the most talented athletes can falter when the lights shine brightest. Whether it’s reclaiming a tarnished reputation or living up to lofty expectations, the 2024 playoffs serve as a reminder that greatness is earned, not given. Let’s hope these players use this experience as fuel to come back stronger next season. Remember, it’s not about how you fall, but how you rise.