{"id":13825,"date":"2018-03-20T23:24:07","date_gmt":"2018-03-21T03:24:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonnba.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=13825"},"modified":"2018-03-22T08:16:52","modified_gmt":"2018-03-22T12:16:52","slug":"six-players-prove-2018-nba-playoffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2018\/03\/20\/six-players-prove-2018-nba-playoffs\/","title":{"rendered":"Six Players With the Most to Prove in the 2018 NBA Playoffs"},"content":{"rendered":"

In less than a month, the 2018 NBA Playoffs will begin. Though the regular season is important, it is in the postseason when history is written and legacies are solidified. Playoff success fundamentally alters the way we see players. Would Karl Malone<\/a><\/strong> be regarded as the greatest power forward of all time, had Tim Duncan<\/a><\/strong> not been so unstoppable in the postseason? If Kobe Bryant<\/a><\/strong> hadn’t won a championship without Shaquille O’Neal<\/a><\/strong>, would he still be regarded as one of the greatest players of all time?<\/p>\n

As Jordan’s Bulls used to say, “It don’t mean a thing without the ring.” No matter how good a player is, he simply cannot enter that top tier of greats without postseason success. This year, there are many guys whose have the chance to make or break their legacies. Here are the six players who have the most to prove in the 2018 NBA Playoffs.<\/p>\n

Six\u00a0Players With the Most to Prove in the 2018 NBA Playoffs<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Russell Westbrook<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Russell Westbrook<\/a> <\/strong>proved a lot of people wrong last year. His MVP season was explosive, record-shattering, and undeniably unforgettable. After his superb performance, there’s simply no way to deny that he is a historic individual talent.<\/p>\n

And yet, his superlative season ended on a sour note. The Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a> <\/strong>were bounced in the first round in just five games by the Houston Rockets<\/a><\/strong>. Westbrook played his heart out in the series, but he was incredibly inefficient and had many costly turnovers.<\/p>\n

This was Westbrook’s first postseason performance without Kevin Durant<\/a><\/strong>, and it certainly wasn’t a good look. It leaves us to question whether Westbrook’s highlight reel plays and insane numbers can actually translate to wins for the Thunder.<\/p>\n

The stakes are even higher this year. If the Thunder do not make it out of the first or second round, it’s likely that Paul George<\/a><\/strong> will leave in free agency.<\/p>\n

Westbrook is the heart of this team. Without stellar performances from him, they have little chance of surviving in the loaded Western Conference. Can Russell Westbrook\u00a0prove that his career is more than empty numbers?<\/p>\n

Kyle Lowry\/DeMar DeRozan<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Kyle Lowry<\/a><\/strong> and DeMar DeRozan<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>are\u00a0lumped\u00a0together\u00a0because as teammates, their\u00a0success and\u00a0failures in the playoffs\u00a0have been linked. They have gained the majority of their postseason experience playing side by side.<\/p>\n

The Toronto Raptors<\/a>‘<\/strong> guards have had some success in the playoffs, like their Eastern Conference Finals appearance. In that six-game series, the Raptors put up a fierce fight against the eventual NBA Champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a><\/strong>. And yet, there has always been the sense that this team and its All-Star guards have not lived up to their potential.<\/p>\n

Despite their successful regular seasons, the Raptors have never been able to make it to the NBA Finals. DeRozan and Lowry have been unable to perform at a consistently\u00a0high level during the postseason, leading to multiple early exits. In addition, these guards have a penchant for playing ineffective isolation basketball\u00a0during crunch time, and the team has suffered as a result.<\/p>\n

This season looks\u00a0like it could be the year the\u00a0Toronto\u00a0Raptors\u00a0finally make it to the\u00a0NBA Finals. They\u00a0are\u00a0rolling over nearly every team they face, and\u00a0DeRozan\u00a0is\u00a0having\u00a0his\u00a0best season\u00a0yet. They have diminished the toxic isolation ball that has caused them so many problems. Perhaps even more importantly, LeBron James’<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0Cavaliers are struggling, opening the door for other Eastern Conference teams to shine.<\/p>\n

If the Raptors are going to make it to the Finals, this is the year to\u00a0do it. Can Lowry and DeRozan prove that they are real threats to win in the East?<\/p>\n

Chris Paul<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If Chris Paul<\/a><\/strong> retired tomorrow, he would have a pretty solid legacy. The Point God is a nine-time All-Star and is already a lock to make the Hall of Fame. He is the greatest point guard of his generation and one of the best playmakers that this league has ever seen.<\/p>\n

And yet, history will most likely forget him in a decade or two. The unfortunate fact of the matter is that Chris Paul has done everything, except the one thing that he really needs to be unforgettable: win in the Playoffs.<\/p>\n

It’s not completely his fault, of course. Paul’s\u00a0Los Angeles Clippers<\/a><\/strong> were plagued by injuries and unfortunate circumstances that prevented them from ever making it to a Conference Finals. Lob City will go down as one of the greatest disappointments in the history of the league.<\/p>\n

\n

Chris Paul has played in 76 career playoff games, the most all-time by a player without a Conference Finals appearance.<\/p>\n

(Via: @EliasSports<\/a>)<\/p>\n

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 30, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n