With the 2022 play-in tournament underway, we are getting close to the start of the playoffs. This is where things start to get serious as even the smallest mistake can ruin a team’s entire season of hard work.
As a result, come playoff time, each team shortens their rotations, and only the players who have performed consistently throughout the season get a spot in the said rotations.
Despite that, the pressure to perform in the playoffs is not something that every player can sustain. Even the best of the players might succumb to that pressure and fail to play at an elite level.
With the playoffs right around the corner, fans and sports analysts alike have started to create a list of such players who will have the entire world’s eye on them for one reason or another.
Recently, popular NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith did something similar via his Twitter account. Smith named 5 players who are under the most postseason pressure. The list features James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul, Jimmy Butler, and Klay Thompson.
Players under the MOST pressure this postseason! pic.twitter.com/hIAcO4zxBU
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) April 13, 2022
The veteran NBA analyst has created the list in descending order and for the most part, it is correct. However, some fans are wondering if he missed a few names like that of Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid. But that’s a discussion for another day.
Speaking of the players who are on the list, James Harden will definitely feel the pressure. Because since his Houston Rockets days, The Beard’s game has been declining constantly. Moreover, at first, he joined the Nets to form a superteam with Kyrie and Durant, but later forced a trade to the 76ers and join forces with Embiid.
If he doesn’t play well in the playoffs, he will certainly receive a lot of backlash from NBA fans. Next up is his former teammate Kyrie Irving. Irving has been a constant name in the headlines due to his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
So much so that he was sidelined for most of the season, later joined as a part-time player, and is now finally able to play full-time. Keeping that in mind, fans will be keeping a close eye on how he plays in the postseason.
On the other hand, Chris Paul hasn’t done anything controversial to get the media’s attention. The only reason he is there is that he nearing retirement and is yet to win an NBA Championship. After finishing as runner-up last season, he will be under a lot of pressure to finally win the first-ever ring of his career.
In Jimmy Butler’s case, he has grabbed the attention of everyone in recent weeks. Following the heated incident with coach Spo and Haslem, there are reports that Butler might leave the team if they do not perform well in the playoffs. But what if Jimmy himself fails to play well? That will serve as a huge pressure on his shoulders.
Lastly, Thompson’s name on the list is pretty controversial since the Golden State Warriors superstar has missed the last two seasons due to injury. While expectations will be high from him, he surely won’t get destroyed by fans.
