Tyrese Haliburton heard the noise loud and clear. Voted by his peers as the NBA’s “most overrated” player in an anonymous poll, the Indiana Pacers star has responded with exactly the kind of postseason statement you’d expect from a franchise cornerstone.
Leading the Pacers to a shocking 4-1 beatdown over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, and now up 2-0 against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, Haliburton is averaging 18.4 points and 10.7 assists per game while controlling the tempo like a seasoned playoff veteran. Overrated? Not even close.
But not everyone can say the same. As we hit the midway point of the second round, this postseason has exposed a number of big-name stars who haven’t lived up to their billing.
Some, like James Harden and Jalen Green, flamed out in the first round with underwhelming performances that left their teams wondering about their futures. Others, still active, are struggling badly with efficiency and impact, and they will be called out as well.
In this piece, we’re ranking the players who have been the most disappointing so far in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Haliburton has silenced his critics but the same can’t be said for these struggling stars.
1. James Harden
2024-25 Postseason Statistics: 18.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 9.1 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.0 BPG
James Harden’s postseason meltdown was impossible to ignore. Against the Denver Nuggets in the first round, Harden looked like a shell of the player who was once an MVP. His averages hovered around 18.7 points, 9.1 assists, and 5.4 rebounds, but the efficiency was brutal; he shot 43.6% from the field and disappeared when the Los Angeles Clippers needed him most.
Game 7 summed up the Harden playoff experience: passive, turnover-prone, and a step slow defensively. Putting up 7 points on 2-8 shooting is unacceptable, and it unfortunately adds to The Beard’s poor record in big games.
We have to admit it, Harden has made postseason collapses part of his legacy. His inability to create offense in a do-or-die game was glaring against a team like Denver. The Clippers lost because Denver has the better team, yes, but Harden was brought in to be a game-changer. Instead, he barely looked like a third option.
2. Jalen Green
2024-25 Postseason Statistics: 21.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.4 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG
After a fantastic regular season that saw Jalen Green average 21.0 points per game, his playoff showing was a nightmare. In the seven-game war against the Warriors, Green managed only 13.3 points per game on dreadful efficiency (29.5% from three and 37.2% from the field).
His inability to adapt to playoff defenses and rise to the moment cost the Houston Rockets dearly, especially in the decisive Game 7 at home (8 points on 3-8 shooting). What’s worse is that Green’s confidence seemed to vanish game by game.
His shot selection became more erratic, and he was routinely shut down when he had the ball. While Houston’s future is still bright, Green’s stock as a ‘franchise cornerstone’ has taken a massive hit, so much so that he’s now reportedly being shopped in major trade talks this summer.
3. Jayson Tatum
2024-25 Postseason Statistics: 26.8 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Jayson Tatum has been atrocious offensively by his standards against the Knicks in the second round. While he’s posting amazing averages for the playoffs, 26.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, the inefficiency and passivity during key moments in the second round have been concerning, and we can’t give him a pass. To be fair to Tatum, he hasn’t given himself one, either.
Tatum has endured back-to-back low-efficiency shooting nights, and he’s been a non-factor in the second round. Against the Knicks, Tatum is only averaging 18.0 PPG on 28.6% from the field and 25.0% from three, and he is mainly responsible for blowing back-to-back 20-point leads and falling 0-2 in the series.
Boston doesn’t just need Tatum to be good, they need him to be great to come back against the Knicks, let alone win the title. The superstar’s tendency to settle for contested jumpers has created real frustration among Celtics fans who expected an MVP-level playoff run and has instead proven to be overrated.
4. Jaylen Brown
2024-25 Postseason Statistics: 22.6 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Jaylen Brown’s playoff numbers look good at first glance, 22.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, but like Tatum, his decision-making remains wildly inconsistent. His offensive inconsistency is still a glaring weakness, with too many sloppy turnovers and bad misses under pressure.
Against New York, those mistakes have proven fatal. The Celtics are down 0-2, and while Tatum gets the bulk of the blame, Jaylen Brown is right behind because he is only posting 21.5 points per game on 34.9% from the field and 17.6% from three.
Brown’s athleticism and toughness are undeniable, but in key stretches of games so far, he sometimes hijacks Boston’s offense with forced drives and mid-range jumpers. For someone on a supermax contract, you expect a little more polish and composure than what Brown has shown thus far.
5. Michael Porter Jr.
2024-25 Postseason Statistics: 9.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Michael Porter Jr. continues to frustrate Nuggets fans with his playoff performances. His averages, 9.6 points and 5.4 rebounds, are simply unacceptable for the third option on the team. Porter’s shooting has been inconsistent at best (39.2% from the field), and he often fades away completely when defenses turn up the physicality.
Denver needs Porter to be the third star behind Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, but far too often, Porter settles into the background. His defensive lapses have also hurt the Nuggets, as the team was forced into Game 7 in the first round, and it doesn’t help that his team was destroyed by 43 points in Game 2 against the OKC Thunder in the second round. Porter Jr. is a very capable shooter, but it is hard to deny that he is simply overrated.
6. Austin Reaves
2024-25 Postseason Statistics: 16.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 3.6 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.6 BPG
Austin Reaves was expected to take a leap this postseason after being one of the Lakers’ bright spots in 2024-25. Instead, he took a step backward. He posted 16.2 points per game in the first round, but those numbers look quite bad next to his regular-season average of 20.2 PPG.
When the Lakers needed him to create offense next to Luka Doncic and LeBron James, Reaves often came up empty. Reaves’ lack of size and athleticism was exposed badly by Minnesota’s guards, and he struggled to generate clean looks.
His defense, once quietly solid, regressed too. If Reaves wants to be considered a legitimate third option on a contending team, these kinds of playoff performances won’t cut it, and the Lakers might have to force their hand this summer as a result.
7. Ja Morant
2024-25 Postseason Statistics: 18.3 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 5.0 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Ja Morant’s stats aren’t great, and it doesn’t help that he only played 3 games in the postseason. Regardless, Morant’s efficiency cratered, and the Grizzlies bowed out meekly in a first-round sweep.
Worse yet, Morant’s leadership came under fire again after inconsistent energy and lapses in big moments. It actually stemmed from the regular season with silly “celebrations” that gave him fines, but the postseason solidified that the point guard is unfortunately overrated.
Ja remains one of the most electric athletes in the league, but the question now is whether he can be the engine of a serious title contender. Until he evolves past being just a highlight machine, he’ll continue to leave fans (and Memphis’ front office) wanting more.
8. Jaren Jackson Jr.
2024-25 Postseason Statistics: 16.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Jaren Jackson Jr. was supposed to be a defensive anchor for the Grizzlies this postseason and form a dynamic duo with Ja Morant. Instead, he struggled with rebounding and looked overwhelmed at times.
His scoring dipped to about 16.0 points per game, and he was often outplayed on both ends by Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren. The Defensive Player of the Year conversation now looks like ancient history.
JJJ’s lack of rebounding (especially for a big man) hurt Memphis badly against the Thunder’s relentless offense. While the talent is undeniable, Jackson’s postseason showing revealed he still has a long way to go before he can be trusted as a playoff difference-maker.
9. Norman Powell
2024-25 Postseason Statistics: 16.0 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Norman Powell was a non-factor for the Clippers against Denver, at least compared to his standards. His scoring dropped off significantly, at 16.0 points per game, and he shot poorly from three (35.0%). Powell was thrust into a bigger role, as he was in the regular season when he was an All-Star snub, and he simply couldn’t deliver.
Powell’s limitations were also exposed by Denver’s bigger wings. For a player who was supposed to provide microwave scoring, his playoff performance was anything but inspiring. It was bad enough that Harden didn’t perform, but the Clippers needed Powell to increase his scoring, not let it dip from 21.8 PPG to 16.0 PPG.
10. Kyle Kuzma
2024-25 Postseason Statistics: 5.8 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Kyle Kuzma had arguably the worst postseason showing of any semi-big name. After being acquired midseason by Milwaukee, Kuzma absolutely collapsed against Indiana. He averaged just 5.8 points per game on horrific shooting splits, looking totally lost within the Bucks’ offense.
Kuzma’s inability to create offense against playoff-level defenders, combined with his inconsistent defense, made him borderline unplayable at times. For a player who fancies himself a borderline star, this series was a humbling reminder that Kuzma might just be a flashy regular-season player and little more.
