With the stakes higher than ever in the NBA Playoffs, there’s no question that every player must do their best in order to give their teams a chance at winning the coveted NBA championship. Because of this, superstars carry a major responsibility in doing the heavy lifting in the games that matter the most. Unfortunately, just like any other basketball player, they’re also human. This means that there are moments when basketball superstars simply fail to register a good showing in a playoff game. For this piece, let’s take a look at 10 worst games from star players in NBA playoff history.
10. Shaquille O’Neal: Game Two of 2004 First Round
Stats: 7 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3-9 FGs
Shaquille O’Neal was the centerpiece of the Lakers’ three-peat from 2000 to 2002. But while the Lakers were on a mission to add another trophy to their collection, O’Neal was shut down by the Rockets defense in Game 2 of the first round in the 2004 NBA Playoffs. With Kelvin Cato and Yao Ming taking turns in guarding the three time Finals MVP, the Big Diesel could only get going in the second half. But despite finishing with mediocre numbers, Kobe Bryant and Karl Malone picked up the slack and towed the Lakers to a 98-84 victory. The Lakers would go on to make the NBA Finals that year before losing to the Detroit Pistons in five games.
9. Wilt Chamberlain: Game Two of 1969 NBA Finals
Stats: 4 points, 19 rebounds, 4 assists, 1-6 FGs
In a battle between giants and decorated franchises, the Lakers and Celtics needed everything from their stars during this classic Finals bout that reached seven games. The Celtics would win that series. If Wilt Chamberlain had a better game in Game 2, maybe the Lakers would’ve won this one. For a guy that was capable of dropping 100 points in a single game, finishing with a measly four points on 17% shooting from the field was a far cry from what he can do.
8. Kevin Durant: Game Six of 2011 Western Conference Semifinals
Stats: 11 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3-14 FGs
Kevin Durant is a scoring machine who could typically drop 20 points on a nightly basis. However, in Game 6 of the 2011 Western Conference Semifinals, the Grizzlies pulled out all the stops to keep their season alive by making Durant bleed for his points. Although KD still finished in double figures, Durant missed 11 of his 14 attempts including eight from beyond the arc. Unfortunately for the Grizzlies, Durant and the Thunder bounced back in Game Seven to advance into the Western Conference Finals in the NBA Playoffs.
7. Karl Malone: Game Six of 1999 Western Conference Semifinals
Stats: 8 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3-16 FGs
The Jazz dominated the West multiple times, especially with Karl Malone at the forefront. Although it seemed like the Jazz were going to win it all in the 1999 NBA Playoffs after the disbandment of the legendary Bulls team, Malone and the Jazz simply couldn’t get it done after they failed to get past the Blazers in six games. In the deciding game, Malone was ultimately shut down and failed to score his usual output.
6. Dwyane Wade: Game Three of 2004 First Round
Stats: 2 points, 3 rebounds, 0 assists, 1-8 FGs
Dwyane Wade had one of the most emphatic playoff debuts after sinking a game-winning basket to give the Heat a Game 1 victory. However, it was a different story come Game 3 in the first round of the 2004 Playoffs. With the Hornets showing some sense of urgency and focusing their efforts on defense, Wade was limited to his career-playoff low in scoring while only shooting a paltry 13% from the field overall.
5. James Harden: Game Five of 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals
Stats: 5 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 1-10 FGs
After becoming a MVP in Houston, Harden joining the Nets gave Brooklyn a formidable Big Three of Harden, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving. But despite the star power, the Nets never lived up to expectations. Furthermore, Harden was hardly the same star that he was with the Rockets. In a crucial Game Five against the Bucks, Harden could only make one of his 10 field goal attempts to finish with five points, despite playing 46 minutes in the contest. The Nets would eventually be outlasted by the eventual NBA champions. To make matters worse, their Eastern Conference Semifinals was the deepest playoff run made by the Nets since KD and Irving teamed up.
4. Kobe Bryant: Game Five of 2000 NBA Finals
Stats: 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 4-20 FGs
When it comes to scoring under the bright lights of the NBA Playoffs, there’s no question that Kobe Bryant was one of the best to do it. However, it was clearly a different story when Bryant entered his very first NBA Finals. A young and inexperienced Bryant was ultimately shut down in several games, including a poor outing in Game 5 of the 2000 NBA Finals where he only made 20% of his 20 attempts from the field overall in the 33-point beating by the Pacers.
3. LeBron James: Game Four of 2011 NBA Finals
Stats: 8 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 3-11 FGs
After leaving Cleveland for Miami, it seemed like LeBron James was poised to win his first NBA championship after a dominant first season since the Big Three got together. But despite being heavily favored against Dirk Nowitzki’s Dallas Mavericks, the zone defense was the perfect answer to limit James’ effectiveness on the court. On a rare occasion, James finished with less than double figures and it came at the worst time possible. The Mavericks would pull off the upset and delay what would’ve been James’ first championship victory.
2. Kevin Garnett: Game Five of 1998 First Round
Stats: 7 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1-10 FGs
Kevin Garnett often left his heart on the hardwood, going all out on a nightly basis. However, his days with the Timberwolves had little to NBA Playoffs success. In Garnett arguably had one of the worst playoff performances when the Supersonics clinched a spot in the second round after limiting Garnett to under double figures. Aside from shooting only 10% from the field overall, Garnett also tallied 10 turnovers in the game.
1. Deron Williams: Game Two of 2014 Eastern Conference Semifinals
Stats: 0 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 0-9 FGs
Throughout his career, Deron Williams has starred for the Jazz and the Nets. But while he established himself as a franchise player, he certainly didn’t play like one in Game 2 of the 2014 Eastern Conference Semis when the Nets went up against the back-to-back defending champions in the Heat. In the game, Williams couldn’t even buy a bucket. The five-time All-Star finished scoreless in 36 minutes of action.
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