The 2025-26 NBA playoffs have produced unexpected results thus far. While some teams that were anticipated to perform have lived up to expectations, others have tanked badly due to the high-pressure postseason phase. One of the most unexpected performances came from the Eastern Conference’s top seed, the Detroit Pistons, who now trail 1-2 against the Orlando Magic, a play-in team.
While some teams have failed to replicate their regular-season runs in the playoffs, let’s look at five such players who did not perform as expected in the postseason.
#1 Jalen Duren
Jalen Duren got his first NBA All-Star nod this season after a stellar first half of the regular season. However, he failed to replicate that in the playoffs. In the last three games in Round 1, the forward has averaged nine points and 8.3 rebounds, compared to his regular-season average of 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds.
The Orlando Magic has a 2-1 lead in the series after Game 3 ended in a win for them, 113-105. Duren’s former girlfriend, Angel Reese, also joined the force against her ex-boyfriend by sharing a post of her current boyfriend, Wendell Carter Jr., dunking over Duren. The post caught fire on social media, and Duren’s underperformance has only added to the fuel.
#2 Mikal Bridges
The New York Knicks have attracted a lot of flak for their playoff performance against the Atlanta Hawks thus far, even though they have managed to even the series at two games each. However, Mikal Bridges’ production has not improved. After averaging 14.4 points in the regular season, he has just contributed 7.3 points per game in the playoffs.
The Game 3 loss would sting Bridges more, as he could not get on the board, shooting 0-3 from the field. Game 2 also brought a similar fate for Bridges, who failed to drain the game-winner from the baseline. Even though the series is 2-2, unexpectedly, Bridges still has a chance to redeem his postseason.
#3 Brandon Ingram
Brandon Ingram, who came to Toronto before the season began, averaged 21.5 points in the regular season as opposed to the 12 points in the playoffs thus far. Although he managed to make it to the postseason with the Raptors, he did not seem to be in a comfortable spot.
The Raptors are trailing 1-2 in the series against the Cleveland Cavaliers after they won the last game, 126-104. While RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes scored 66 of those points, Ingram was again limited to 12 points and three rebounds.
#4 Christian Braun
The Denver Nuggets have suffered the most unprecedented outcome in this playoff. Christian Braun was a big part of the team’s regular-season success, as he helped space the floor with Nikola Jokic. However, the playoffs have been completely different. He has scored two and eight points, respectively, in Games 2 and 3 and is averaging 9.5 points and 4.5 rebounds.
#5 Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic’s name on such a list is rare in the NBA, but it has been that type of playoffs for the Nuggets in Round 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He is averaging 25 points, 14.5 rebounds, and 7.8 assists in four games thus far. While the numbers are good by any standard in the NBA, Jokic has set a different standard for himself.
The triple-double machine averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists in the regular season, but the Wolves’ defense has kept him in shackles. Even though the Wolves have lost two crucial pieces to injury in Game 4, it seems too late for Joker and Co. However, it’s not done until it’s done. The Nuggets still have a puncher’s chance to make a comeback and defy the odds, and the 3-time NBA MVP has every weapon in his arsenal to pull that off.
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