25 NBA Superstars Who Choked in Playoffs
25. DeMar DeRozan
In the 2018 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Cavaliers, DeMar DeRozan averaged 16.8 points on 42% shooting. His struggles led to a sweep, cementing his reputation as a player who couldn’t show up for the big moments.
24. Scottie Pippen
Pippen struggled in the 2000 Western Conference Finals, where he averaged just 15.1 points. His most significant mistake came in the decisive Game 7, where he admitted he should have been more assertive as his team blew a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter.
23. Tracy McGrady
In Game 7 of the 2003 Eastern Conference First Round, Tracy McGrady had an iconic choke. He scored only 21 points on an anemic 29.2% shooting as his Magic team blew a 3-1 series lead to the Pistons.
22. Karl Malone
In Game 1 of the 1997 NBA Finals against the Bulls, Karl Malone missed two crucial free throws with just seconds left. Michael Jordan’s psychological mind game led to the miss, which paved the way for Jordan to hit the game-winner, setting the tone for the series.
21. Paul George
Paul George's reputation for playoff struggles culminated in the 2020 NBA bubble. After the Clippers were up 3-1, he had a nightmare Game 7, shooting just 4-for-16 from the field as his team suffered a historic collapse against the Nuggets.
20. Russell Westbrook
Alongside Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook was a key factor in the Thunder's historic 3-1 collapse against the Warriors. In the pivotal Game 6, Westbrook shot an abysmal 10-for-27 from the field and committed four turnovers.
19. Ben Simmons
In one of the most infamous playoff moments of the last decade, Ben Simmons passed on a wide-open layup in Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Hawks. The play, with just minutes left in a crucial game, became the definitive moment of a series where his offensive confidence had completely vanished.
18. Charles Barkley
In Game 5 of the 1995 Western Conference Semifinals, with a three-point lead and a chance to close out the series, Barkley went stone cold silent after halftime. He scored just three points after the break and missed two crucial free throws in an overtime loss that carried over to the next two games, completing the collapse.
17. Tim Duncan
In a rare moment of struggle for "The Big Fundamental," Tim Duncan missed two point-blank layups in the fourth quarter of Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals. Had he made them, he could have tied the game and potentially won the series.
16. Gilbert Arenas
In the series decider against LeBron James and the Cavaliers, Gilbert Arenas missed two crucial free throws after James's trash talk. Despite shooting 82% from the line that season, his misses led to a game-winner by Damon Jones, concluding the series in six games for the Cavs.
15. Patrick Ewing
In a crucial Game 7 of the 1995 playoffs, Patrick Ewing had a clear gimme under the basket off an inbound pass that would have tied the game. Unfortunately, he missed the layup as the Knicks conceded to Reggie Miller and the Pacers.
14. Isiah Thomas
In a crucial Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals, Isiah Thomas coughed up the rock on an inbound pass with five seconds remaining. Larry Bird made the clutch steal to pave the way for a game-winner by Dennis Johnson, giving the Celtics a victory en route to an NBA Finals appearance.
13. J.R. Smith
In Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals, with the game tied and the clock winding down, J.R. Smith grabbed an offensive rebound but surprisingly ran out the clock, mistakenly thinking his team had the lead. The costly mistake led to a blowout in overtime and a series sweep for the Warriors.
12. Magic Johnson
In the 1984 NBA Finals, Magic Johnson, a six-time champion, had a "Game 7 Flop." His series stats were 21.2 PPG, but in the decisive Game 7, he scored only 16 points and committed seven turnovers, contributing to his team’s loss.
11. Larry Bird
In the 1988 Eastern Conference Finals, Larry Bird’s Celtics, as the higher seed, were upset by the Pistons in six games. Bird’s performance was notably subpar, with his scoring average dropping from 29.9 PPG in the regular season to just 19.8 PPG in the series on an abysmal 35.1% shooting from the field.
10. Shaquille O'Neal
In the 1994 Eastern Conference First Round, Shaquille O'Neal, as the star of the higher-seeded Magic team, was swept in three games by the Pacers. His series stats were notably worse than his regular-season average, with his scoring dropping to 20.7 PPG and his free-throw shooting at a brutal 47.1%.
9. Kobe Bryant
In the 2004 NBA Finals, Kobe Bryant's Lakers, favored to win, were upset in five games by the Pistons. Kobe struggled mightily, averaging just 22.6 PPG on a dismal 38.1% shooting from the field, and his 17.4% from three-point range was even worse.
8. Stephen Curry
In the 2016 NBA Finals, Stephen Curry’s Warriors, a 73-9 team, were up 3-1 and were favored to win. However, Curry struggled significantly in the series, averaging 22.6 PPG on 40.3% shooting. His performance was a key factor in the Warriors' historic collapse.
7. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
In the 1973 Western Conference Semifinals, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, as the star of the higher-seeded Bucks, was upset by the Warriors in six games. His shooting percentage dropped from 55.4% in the regular season to 42.8% in the series, a major underperformance.
6. Oscar Robertson
In the 1974 NBA Finals, Oscar Robertson's Bucks were up 3-2 on the Celtics. In the decisive Game 7, Robertson had a "Game 7 Flop," scoring only six points on an abysmal 15.4% shooting from the field as his team lost.
5. Wilt Chamberlain
In the 1969 NBA Finals, Wilt Chamberlain’s Lakers had a better record and were up 3-2 on the Celtics, but lost in seven games. Chamberlain averaged just 11.7 PPG in the series and had a brutal 36.4% free-throw percentage, a major factor in the loss.
4. Dirk Nowitzki
In the 2007 Western Conference First Round, the league MVP Dirk Nowitzki averaged 19.7 points, but only managed to score 8 points on 2-for-13 shooting in a deciding Game 6 that saw the Mavericks become the first-ever number one seed to lose a seven-game series to an eighth seed.
3. LeBron James
In the 2011 NBA Finals, a heavily favored LeBron James averaged a measly 17.2 points per game, including a nightmare eight-point outing in Game 4. His subpar performance was a key factor in the Heat’s collapse against the Mavericks, and it became a defining moment of his career.
2. Kawhi Leonard
In the 2020 Western Conference Semifinals, Kawhi Leonard had a complete no-show in Game 7 as his team blew a 3-1 series lead. Leonard could only muster 14 points on 27% shooting as his Clippers were eliminated from the playoffs early.
1. James Harden
James Harden’s playoff struggles are well-documented, but his worst performance came in Game 5 of the 2013 playoffs. Facing elimination, Harden tallied 13 turnovers while shooting just 18% from the field. This nightmare performance set the playoff record for turnovers and cemented his reputation as a choker.
