NBA 2018-19: Disappointing Performances - Week 20

We are slowly moving towards the NBA 2019 playoffs but there is still some uncertainty regarding the playoffs seeding. In both the conferences, there is just a small gap between No.1 and No.2 seed which makes it interesting to see who ends up at the top of the table.

Also, there are teams who are making playoffs push, trying to somehow sneak in. This week saw some of the league's biggest superstars have disastrous performances. In this article, we take a look at the five most disappointing performances from week 20.

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#5 Kyrie Irving - Boston Celtics

Kyrie Irving had a week to forget but the Celtics came out of the four-game slump

The Boston Celtics had a terrible week as they further slipped in the conference standings. One good thing, however, is the fact that there is a huge gap between them and the Brooklyn Nets who are at the sixth spot and therefore, the Celtics can't further regress unless they go on some really terrible losing streaks.

The Celtics played three games this week and in the final game of the week, they were able to come out of the four-game slump by defeating the struggling Washington Wizards. However, the Celtics did not do much on the offensive end and struggled to get buckets. It was their defense that came to the rescue and helped them finally get a win.

Kyrie Irving, who was coming off a 31-point performance in the loss against the Toronto Raptors, scored just 13 points on 6-for-15 shooting, in 34 minutes of action. However, Kyrie used his passing ability to dish out 12 dimes and help the team to the victory.

While it is nice to get the win, it is definitely a concern that Kyrie shot the ball poorly and knowing that the Celtics do not have a lot of players who can go off on the offensive end, they need Kyrie to be at his absolute best.

#4 Nikola Jokic - Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets are playing a lot different this year

The Denver Nuggets have been playing a lot different this year and are one of the contenders to come out of Western Conference. They have a stacked roster that can help this team win it all.

The cornerstone of this franchise is Nikola Jokic and the Serbian has taken his game to a whole another level. The league does not seem to have an answer for the 24-year-old as he continues to dismantle the opposition teams with his all-round performances.

However, this week has not been very kind to Jokic as he struggled shooting from the field. Even though he struggled shooting, he still dominated in the paint and scored baskets. However, there is this game against the Utah Jazz where Jokic was very inefficient.

He scored just 16 points in 32 minutes of action and even though he was great on the glass and collected 13 rebounds, he had a tough time putting the ball in the basket as he finished with a mere 5-for-15 from the field. He also had as many as 5 turnovers in the game and the Nuggets lost by 7 points, stunting their No.1 seed push.

#3 Kyle Kuzma - Los Angeles Lakers

Kyle Kuzma needs to be more consistent for the Lakers to get to the playoffs

Kyle Kuzma is that one guy the Lakers have always been excited about. The sky is the limit for the youngster and he has shown that he can play at a very high level. Kuzma has been good for the Lakers for the most part of the season but his performance against the Milwaukee Bucks this week is something he would not love discussing about.

Kuzma struggled from the field and went just 5-for-18 to finish with 12 points on the night in 34 minutes of action. Just like you would expect, the Lakers lost and even LeBron James' red-hot night could not save them.

The Lakers might miss the playoffs if this trend continues and they cannot take any game lightly. For the Lakers to get to the postseason, they need Kuzma to be more consistent with his performances.

#2 Russell Westbrook - Oklahoma City Thunder

Russell Westbrook needs to stop shooting the three-pointers unless he is really confident of knocking them

Let me make it clear. I am not a Russ hater but let me also say this. He needs to stop shooting the three-pointers unless he is really confident of knocking them down. At this point in time, having played so well for the most part of the season, Russell Westbrook cannot slack and lose focus.

Russ' shot-selection has been questioned by a lot fans and analysts for the most part of his career. Even though Westbrook is one of the top three PGs in the league, he has his own share of negatives and it appeared like he has worked on some of them in the offseason.

However, one thing he has definitely not worked on getting better is his three-point shooting. We all know he is not a great three-point shooter and that is definitely a negative for guard of his stature.

Shooting close to 26 % from the three-point line this year, Russ averages 5.1 attempts per game from the downtown and connects on just 1.3. This week, Westbrook combined for 4-for-19 in the three games and that led to three losses for the Thunder.

#1 Stephen Curry - Golden State Warriors

Stephen Curry struggled shooting this week

If you look at the points scored, you might feel like I am being too harsh on Stephen Curry but it is more than that. Look at his shooting percentages and it will give you the bigger picture. Curry started the week scoring just 16 points on 5-for-18 shooting against the Charlotte Hornets. This includes his 4-for-14 from downtown.

He then followed it with another horrible shooting night where he managed to score 24 points but struggled from the field, going 9-for-20 from the field, including yet another 4-for-14 from the distance.

Against the Magic, Curry took as many as 33 shots but only connected on 12 of them, including only 5-for-17 from the three-point line. He ended the week with yet another disappointing game against the Philadelphia 76ers, scoring 28 points on 10-for-23 shooting, including 5-for-15 from the long range.

For the Warriors to three-peat, they would need Steph to be at his usual self and we all know that one good game can help Curry regain his mojo and turn the tables.

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