With the Orlando bubble filled with the top NBA clubs, the best players are expected to shine starting on July 31, and the daunting task of winning the championship under these abnormal circumstances should spice things up for our SBOBET basketball fans.
So the pressure is on for these athletes to be at their best, especially since the playoffs is always the perfect time to establish yourself as a big-time performer in this league.
That’s why for today, we feature some of the league’s top players who are most likely facing a ton of pressure in the upcoming Orlando bubble.
Ben Simmons
The Philadelphia Sixers are often seen as a club that is talented yet underachieving this season. Prior to the coronavirus-mandated break, the Brett Brown-coached squad were invincible at home but vulnerable on the road.
Now that they’re in neutral territory, it remains to be seen on how the Sixers will respond.
Leading the way for them is the deadly duo of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid – who are two of the league’s brightest young stars.
But the ball is often at the hands of Simmons since he serves as their primary facilitator. And given the league’s ethos of pace and space, the young Australian’s lack of outside shooting will always be a huge question mark.
His weakness tends to ravel especially in the playoffs where defences are generally better. When teams leave him out wide to dare him to shoot, this limits the Sixers’ offence in terms of spacing.
In order to alleviate such concerns, the team elected to list him as their power forward to maximise his effectiveness inside.
Given the overall quality of the team which includes a bonafide co-star in Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons will have a chance to prove doubters wrong in this year’s playoffs.
Paul George
When the Clippers swooped up Paul George and Kawhi Leonard last summer, the Steve Ballmer-bankrolled club were instantly dubbed as title contenders, as per our NBA 2020 odds.
While we all know what Kawhi Leonard is capable of especially after last year’s playoffs, the same can’t be said for Paul George who has yet to win a playoff series in over six seasons.
The lanky forward has all the tools he needs to perform at the big stage with his versatility on both ends of the floor. However, his big playoff moments have only come few and far between.
Now that he is 100-percent healthy, he will need to unleash his full arsenal in order to cement his legacy as a big-time performer in the postseason.
James Harden
The common theme for James Harden in recent years is that he performs well in the regular season but he shrinks in the playoffs due to built up fatigue.
And while this has been true given his gargantuan task of leading the Rockets every game, there will be no excuses this time given the rest he’s had during the mandated hiatus.
During the break, The Beard trimmed down his weight significantly which should spell bad news for the opposing teams. He looks leaner and fitter right now and that should help him immensely for the upcoming playoff grind.
James Harden has been a sight to see on the offencive end. But this time around, he needs to prove himself more on the other side of the floor.
Anthony Davis
The Lakers gave up a lot for Anthony Davis and the upcoming playoffs should be a personal showcase for him to show the world why doing so is the right decision.
Now that he’s playing with a stacked Lakers roster that includes the evergreen LeBron James, suddenly, he’s on his way to possibly win his first-ever championship after having only won one playoff series so far in his career.
Davis and James have clicked from the get-go with the former being on the receiving end of so many dimes from the latter, creating numerous NBA 2020 highlights.
With the table all set for the Lakers, now is the time for The Brow to establish himself as one of the league’s all-time greats.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
The current league MVP has a lot to prove in this upcoming playoffs, especially after being humiliated one year ago by the Kawhi Leonard-led Toronto Raptors.
At the time, the Bucks were on their way to make it to the Finals with a 2-0 series lead, only to lose four straight times in the end.
Fast forward to today, his game is on a whole new level and his outside stroke has improved by a mile, making him even more dangerous for the opposing teams.
Milwaukee have the tools to possibly win this year’s title. They have the bench, the outside shooting, the length, and the best player in the league.
Which is why they should make it at least to the Finals this year, because if they don’t, the rumours of Giannis Antetokounmpo leaving the Bucks may loom large in the offseason.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE BASKETBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
