The NBA playoffs are where reputations are made or broken. Regular-season dominance means little when the stakes are at their highest, and for certain stars, the weight of expectations is crushing.
It won’t matter if a player is searching for his first ring or if there are high expectations; these 10 players enter the 2025 postseason with more at stake than anyone else. Let’s rank them from the ones who will feel the most pressure to the least pressure.
1. Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell has been the leader the Cleveland Cavaliers have needed as they hold the best record in the Eastern Conference (59-15). He has been great offensively (23.7 PPG) and is a key cog for a very talented starting lineup featuring three total All-Stars. Yet, as the playoffs approach, the spotlight will be on Mitchell to translate regular-season success into a deep postseason run.
Cleveland fans, still reminiscing about past glories with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, are eager for Mitchell to be the catalyst for a new era of championship contention. For Mitchell, this postseason is not just about personal accolades but about proving he can be the cornerstone of a team with legitimate title aspirations because making the Eastern Conference Finals should be the bare minimum.
2. Karl-Anthony Towns
Since his move to the New York Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns has been under the intense scrutiny that comes with playing under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden. His offensive prowess remains undeniable (24.6 PPG, 12.9 RPG), and he has been a top-5 MVP contender as a result.
However, the Knicks’ passionate fanbase and media expect more than just individual brilliance; they crave postseason success. The Eastern Conference is a battleground right now, and for the Knicks to emerge as contenders, Towns must elevate his game to another level alongside superstar Jalen Brunson. If Towns doesn’t perform, there will be intense criticisms coming from the entire NBA media.
3. Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum’s ascent within the NBA has been both meteoric and scrutinized. Fresh off signing a record-breaking five-year, $314 million supermax extension with the Boston Celtics, surpassing even his teammate Jaylen Brown’s previous deal, Tatum’s commitment to the franchise is clear.
This season, he’s delivered standout performances, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer against the Toronto Raptors and a 43-point triple-double versus the Chicago Bulls. However, individual brilliance aside, the Celtics’ faithful are yearning for back-to-back titles, and they are looking at their best player to deliver.
The weight on Tatum’s shoulders will be immense. Jaylen Brown swept the individual accolades in last year’s playoffs, but Tatum needs to be the main man this time around. The East is stronger, and as long as the Celtics are healthy, Tatum will own the spotlight.
4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander might be the MVP frontrunner as the best player on the best team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, earning his place as a Western Conference starter in the 2025 NBA All-Star Game and a guaranteed All-NBA First Team selection as the game’s leading scorer (32.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 6.3 APG).
His versatility and poise have been central to the Thunder’s resurgence. As Oklahoma City eyes a deep playoff run, the onus falls on Gilgeous-Alexander to lead by example, and he has to play like the MVP from start to finish.
The playoffs present a proving ground for Gilgeous-Alexander to showcase his ability to perform under heightened scrutiny. The Thunder aren’t young anymore, they need to make the NBA Finals because if they don’t, it will be almost all SGA’s fault.
5. Jamal Murray
Jamal Murray is somewhat of an enigma in terms of regular-season performances matched up with his playoff prowess. The point guard has been solid this season (21.6 PPG, 6.0 APG), but he needs to be spectacular in the playoffs, because MVP candidate Nikola Jokic needs the help.
Murray’s health, consistency, and leadership will be critical as Denver aims to navigate the competitive Western Conference and look to challenge the likes of the Thunder for the top spot. Murray cannot fold like he did in last year’s matchup against the Timberwolves because Jokic is having a historic year, and he owes his teammate that much.
6. Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic’s tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers has been a rollercoaster of brilliance and emotions. He will be the franchise’s long-term savior, but Lakers fans want to win right now as long as LeBron James is a top-10 player in the world. The pressure is mostly on Luka’s shoulders, even if he has only played 20 games with the Lakers.
The pressure on Doncic, fairly or not, is amplified by the Lakers’ storied history and championship expectations. His performance in the playoffs will be a defining factor in shaping perceptions of his abilities with a new team. Of course, we expect Dallas Mavericks fans and especially Nico Harrison to watch closely at what the Slovenian does in the playoffs for various reasons.
7. James Harden
The pressure on James Harden won’t be as high as it was when he was in Houston, or even Brooklyn or Philly, but there are expectations. The Beard has yet to shake off the stigma of being a player who folds in the playoffs, and the Clippers are his team since Kawhi Leonard isn’t really the same player who once won Finals MVP.
Harden is having a terrific regular season as he made the All-Star Team (22.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 8.7 APG), but he needs to step up and push the Clippers past the first round. Anything less than that will mean Harden will likely never be regarded as the highest level of the game’s all-time players even though his resume screams that.
8. Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler forced his way out of Miami by causing an absolute ruckus. His image has been slightly tarnished by being a locker room killer, but if he can lead the Warriors to a deep playoff run alongside Stephen Curry, he will shut everyone up.
There is no doubt that Butler is a winner because making the NBA Finals twice with the Miami Heat was an excellent achievement. He has made the Warriors look like a perennial playoff team since his arrival, and if he keeps it up, it could do very well for his legacy and Hall of Fame aspirations.
9. Anthony Edwards
We can’t blame Anthony Edwards for not having Karl-Anthony Towns alongside him anymore and the Timberwolves showing inconsistency as a result. However, being a top-10 talent in the world naturally comes with pressure and Edwards has to answer the call.
Edwards won’t get much of a pass if he doesn’t perform in the playoffs, because he has enough around him (mainly Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert, and Naz Reid) to make it out of the first round. If he plays poorly, shows immaturity by getting techs and not having leadership, or simply shoots the ball inconsistently, there will be criticism. Knowing Edwards and his brash confidence, it won’t affect him too much anyways.
10. Tyrese Haliburton
Tyrese Haliburton has been the engine driving the Indiana Pacers’ offense throughout the 2024-25 season. Averaging 18.6 points and 9.2 assists per game, he’s not just a scorer but a facilitator who elevates his teammates’ performances. However, there will be high expectations after the point guard led the Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals last season.
The Pacers are vying to keep the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, which would grant them home-court advantage in the first round. Haliburton’s ability to navigate the heightened intensity of playoff basketball and lead his team will be pivotal, because he needs to prove his value as he did last season.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support.
