The NBA is officially back with gameplay this season, and a number of teams are still vying for a chance to compete in the playoffs this year, with hopes of caping off a tumultuous season with a championship to their name. In response to the dreaded spreading of COVID-19 that continues to plague the very outlook of our nation, the NBA has instituted a complete over hall into the league, by allowing competitive regular-season play within the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex inside the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. A total of 22 of 32 League teams would be invited to the bubble for competition, in which teams play an 8 game schedule to decipher the seeding for the 2020 playoffs this season. Going into the playoff, here is a list of the top 3 players under the most pressure to win the NBA Finals for this season.
James Harden
To top off this list off, the first name we shall pull out of our hats is non-other than James Harden. Ever since arriving in Houston back in 2012, the current eight-time All Star has established himself as one of the premier players in all of basketball, and has expanded the outlook of his career much further than just a good backup role as he played with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Well Known for his prolific scoring within the regular season, Harden’s regular season heroics has become ultimately overshadowed by his post-season woes, and his frequent flameouts in big moments. So far in his career, Harden has been an 8x All-Star, 5x All-NBA First Team, and finally achieving MVP Honors back in 2019, the only thing missing to his resume is a championship ring, which would in turn cap-off his illustrious career and fully cement his name with other NBA Greats. Another primary factor into this equation, one that applies to all professional athletes, is none other than father time. James Harden is currently 30 years of age, has played 11 years in the NBA, and has yet to sniff another finals appearance since 2012 with the Oklahoma City Thunder. With the competition within the Western Conference bulking since the rise of LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard, time is ticking for Harden to ultimately catch the elusive trophy he so desperately needs to add to his resume, and Solidify his name within the NBA ranks.
Russel Westbrook
Second on our list, is Houston Rockets All-star Point Guard Russell Westbrook. Ironically the running mate of our leading candidate, Westbrook tends to fall under the same umbrella as James Harden does, and quite possibly could be further under that umbrella than his partner in crime as well. Just like Harden, Russell Westbrook has achieved a level of regular season success that no other point guard in NBA history as ever achieved. Such achievements range from averaging a triple-double for three seasons in a row, multiple Allstar honors, and a regular season MVP back in 2017, but like Harden, his profound individual achievements have been overlooked by his rather egregious playoff flameouts. Ever since the debacle that took place between Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, Westbrook has had his fare-share of unsuccessful first-round exists in the playoffs, losing back-to-back-to-back playoff rounds. In those same playoff rounds, Westbrook has averaged an abysmal 27.6 Points Per Game, while shooting 38 percent from the floor. Not only does Russel Westbrook desperately need a ring to fully finalize his career, but also given the fact that his old running mate in Kevin Durant, who widely believe was ran out of Oklahoma City due to Westbrook's ball hoggish tendencies and selfish streaks, has added to two rings to his legacy since joining Golden State, while Russell has struggled to even get out of the first round. Not to mention, Westbrook is currently 31 years of age this season, and with the west beginning to bulk up in terms of completion, Westbrook is also a time table of his own to finally having a winning season of his own.
LeBron James
Depending on who you are and how you feel, the placement of the King on this list may coming as a bit of a surprise, given how often the “ Greatest of all time “ debates rise up in such debates, one would be inclined to believe LeBron has the highest expectations in comparison to anyone in the game of basketball. Yet, the logic behind LeBron's ranking based on the idea that the two names above him are older players (not as old as LeBron, but still fresh into their 30s ), who both have achieved a level of individual success unrivaled by anyone of this generation, yet have fallen short of their championship aspirations. This issue does not apply to the resume of one LeBron James, as he boasts 3 Finals Championships along with 3 Finals MVPs. yet despite his greatness as a player, the arrival at Los Angles has added new levels of pressure that the King himself has yet to endure. The thing is, the Lakers have a history of winning championships. Fans within basketball in Los Angeles hold deep to that heritage, and attached to that winning culture are all time great players that have brought those championships to city. Players such George Mikan, Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabar, and the late Kobe Bryant all have brought championships to the Los Angeles Lakers. To sum it up: Every all-time great player who played for the Lakers brought a championship to the Lakers, and the pressure is on LeBron James to continue such tradition. Will LeBron James bring a title to the Los Angeles Lakers, or will he be in a lone-category of Lakers superstar players to not hold up the trophy?