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The 2020-21 NBA season has repeatedly put teams in difficult situations, and the 2021 NBA Playoffs haven't been any different. With Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely, the four remaining teams have only one championship-winning player on their combined rosters (LA Clippers' Rajon Rondo).
All four teams have certainly earned their right to be in the Conference Finals, and some players have performed tremendously for it to happen. Among the four remaining squads, we will see Paul George, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker, or Trae Young win their first NBA championship.
The 2021 NBA Playoffs have been entertaining, even if injuries have played a huge role.
5 Players who have exceeded expectations in the 2021 NBA Playoffs
Players like Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns) and Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks) have made the most of their first appearances in the NBA Playoffs. Both have a good chance of reaching the NBA Finals. Booker and Young are among the top players in the next generation of NBA talent. However, they were not expected to be leading two of the four surviving teams at this stage of the year.
In this article, we will give you five players who have exceeded expectations during the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Without further ado, let us take a look.
#5 Giannis Antetokounmpo - Milwaukee Bucks
The two-time NBA MVP is certainly exceeding expectations in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Giannis Antetokounmpo is recognized as a fantastic talent in today's NBA, but he has been the subject of consistent media criticism despite winning consecutive MVPs and the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Antetokounmpo was unable to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to the NBA Finals despite his brilliant individual performance. He led the NBA in regular-season records in both the 2018-19 and 2019-20 NBA seasons. Keeping this in mind, criticizing and mocking him for not making the Finals seems quite unjustified.
In fairness, those Milwaukee Bucks' teams were not bad. But they were not constructed like some of the other talented, experienced squads. Notable examples of these are the 2019 Toronto Raptors or the 2020 LA Lakers, the last two NBA champions.
Still, Antetokounmpo and the 2020-21 Milwaukee Bucks are exceeding expectations. This is primarily because expectations were quite low for them during the regular season itself. Several media analysts expected an outcome similar to the last couple of years for the Bucks in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. However, the Bucks took down the Brooklyn Nets this time around and earned some respect.
The Bucks still had some weakness exposed against the Nets, but did well to take the series in the end. Now, expectations are high for Mike Budenholzer's squad, and Antetokounmpo is expected to put the Bucks in the 2021 NBA Finals.
In this season's NBA Playoffs, the 26-year-old has averaged 28.8 points, 13.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 11 games.
#4 Devin Booker - Phoenix Suns
Devin Booker had not made the NBA Playoffs since entering the league in 2015 before this season. Regardless, he was still viewed as one of the best young players in the game and his performances in the 2021 NBA Playoffs have been stunning.
In his first postseason run, Booker was surely expected to play well. But his performance against the LA Lakers in the first round impressed many.
Booker has averaged 29 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists in the 2021 NBA Playoffs so far.
He is usually not viewed as the Phoenix Suns' leader with Chris Paul on the side. However, in Game 1 of the Western Finals without CP3, Booker stepped up and led the team to a victory with 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists.
5 players who have exceeded expectations in the 2021 NBA Playoffs so far
#3 Reggie Jackson - LA Clippers
Reggie Jackson is an experienced player who had already played 50 postseason games before the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Yet, the 31-year-old was not expected to be one of the main performers for the LA Clippers in their postseason run.
Jackson did not start for the LA Clippers during the early weeks of the 2020-21 NBA season and came off the bench in the first two games of the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
However, his performances earned him a spot in the starting lineup. Jackson played a huge role in saving the LA Clippers' season in both the first and second rounds.
He has been great for the LA Clippers in the postseason, averaging 17.1 points per game with 50/42/92 shooting splits.
#2 Paul George - LA Clippers
Another superstar whose reputation took a hit in recent postseason performances, Paul George has answered the call in the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
The LA Clippers' star has been heavily criticized for some of his performances in the NBA Playoffs. These have continued from his days with the OKC Thunder as well as the Clippers.
Still, 'Playoff P' has displayed his quality for the LA Clippers throughout the 2020-21 season. Despite some bumps on the road, George has been excellent in the 2021 postseason.
He has averaged 26.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game in the NBA Playoffs with 44/37.5/89.2 shooting splits. Moreover, George was huge in the last two games of the second-round duel with the Utah Jazz. He led the LA Clippers to victory without Kawhi Leonard on the court.
PG averaged 32 points per game with 48/44/87 shooting splits in the last four games against Utah. Moreover, he opened the Western Finals with 34 points in a Game 1 loss against the Phoenix Suns.
#1 Trae Young - Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks had a tremendous offseason before the 2020-21 NBA campaign, and their moves have paid off in the NBA Playoffs. The franchise will play in the Conference/Division Finals for the first time since 2015 and the second since 1970.
The appointment of Nate McMillan as head coach in place of Lloyd Pierce has brought about several positive changes for the Hawks. However, Trae Young's performances in the 2021 NBA Playoffs have been the driving force for the team.
The Hawks won two series in which they did not have home-court advantage in the 2021 Playoffs. This is simply stunning from a team led on the court by a third-year player. Young is an NBA star and he is proving his worth when it matters the most.
Expectations were not high for the Hawks or Young before the NBA Playoffs. In fact, this has been common since the 22-year-old entered the NBA. However, Young has proven that he can be the leader in a deep postseason run.
He has averaged 29.1 points and 10.4 assists in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Young has made 41% of his field goals and 33% of his three-point shots so far. Most importantly, with his high Usage Rate (fifth-highest of the postseason), he has done a magnificent job of taking care of the ball (only 3.3 turnovers per game).
Also read: 5 greatest Game 7 performances in NBA Playoffs history
