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NBA Playoffs 2017: 5 players facing the most pressure

By Cody Williams

Mar 1, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; LA Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) reaches for the ball against Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) during the first half of a NBA basketball game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 1, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; LA Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) reaches for the ball against Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) during the first half of a NBA basketball game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 22, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) looks on against the Orlando Magic during the second quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 22, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) looks on against the Orlando Magic during the second quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Kevin Durant — Golden State Warriors

Just because its obvious doesn’t make it any less true. Kevin Durant may have just returned from injury a week prior to the start of the 2017 NBA Playoffs, but every eye will be honed in on him in the postseason. It’s pressure that he ultimately brought on himself in free agency by electing to sign with the Golden State Warriors. Whatever the reason why he’s under such pressure, though, no one will be facing more from April-to-June.

Whether or not Durant arrived in Golden State or not, the Warriors would’ve been the favorites to emerge from the Western Conference and likely to win the title as well. But with the Warriors addition of the perennial All-NBA forward, they were considered a shoe-in for a championship. It’s hard to imagine expectations for a team that won 73 games in the 2015-16 regular season to increase, but they did because of Durant. And that puts his performance in the playoffs under intense scrutiny.

Simply going out and playing well isn’t going to get people off of Durant’s case—even coming off of the injury. Durant has to play every bit like a superstar and MVP-caliber player in the playoffs. The level of difficulty for doing so is increased when playing alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, but it’s the bed he made for himself. Anything less than utter dominance is going to be panned by fans.

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What’s more, the backlash against Durant is going to be monstrous if the Warriors don’t hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy come June. Obviously he could play fantastically and Golden State could still lose, but that doesn’t matter. That will only cause fans to start the “Durant broke the Warriors” narrative. With such tremendous expectations for him individually and his team, no one will feel the heat more than Kevin Durant in the 2017 NBA Playoffs.