CHICAGO - As some of the performances straddled the lines between unbelievable and miraculous, watching these 2021 NBA playoffs has been a religious experience.
By averaging 35.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists through seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks, Kevin Durant proved that there is life after what is deemed to be a certain career death following a torn Achilles injury.
Out there in Atlanta, the messiah is barely an adult at age 22. Deceptively fragile at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, he plies his trade wearing Adidas sneakers, not sandals.
Trae Young doesn't levitate but the graceful elan of his floaters plus the 29.1 points and 10.6 dimes he averages have taken the Hawks to the East finals for only the second time in five decades.
A generational talent doing generational things.
After two prior seasons of disappointment, the Milwaukee Bucks are poised to win it all. Giannis Antetokounmpo is still a freak, always has been, the difference this time around is that the help he's getting, especially from Jrue Holiday and P.J. Tucker has made the previously soft pretenders into gritty contenders.
In the West where thoroughbreds reign, the Paul George playoff transformation is complete. Once doubtful, he has shown to be forceful in his attempt to drag the L.A. Clippers to the NBA Finals without Kawhi Leonard.
And in an age where the 3-point shot is the king, Devin Booker and those fearless Suns with their quick hands and happy feet, have once again weaponized the mid-range jumper.
BUT LIKE MANY OTHER SPORTING TALES, AGONY FOLLOWS THE ECSTACY.
As it turned out, whether he is garbed in Rockets gear or draped in Nets apparel, James Harden is the same guy who doesn't show up in big games.
Notorious for his 12-for-29 shooting, including just 2-for-13 from 3 in a Game 7 home loss to the Warriors in the 2018 West finals, Harden replicated the tragedy when the Nets got buried on Sunday.
In that fateful Game 7, Harden missed 12 of 17 field goals and was only 2-of-13 from 3. He also had four turnovers.
His apologists say Harden was compromised with a hamstring injury. I say he was well enough to play for 53 minutes.
Since misery loves a teammate, Joe Harris merrily went with Harden in the hall of shame.
Harris was the No.1 three-point shooter in the NBA during the 2020-21 regular season. He canned 211 of 444 tries, an amazing 47.5 percent clip.
But in the Bucks series, his accuracy dipped to 32.7 percent, making just 16 of 49 tries including a wide-open look with the score tied at 111 and only 58 seconds remaining in Game 7.
If pressure reveals character, these NBA playoffs exposed Harris, along with Harden, as allergic to the bright lights.
And then there was Ben Simmons. He shrank like overcooked bacon in a microwave.
Oh my, oh my, where do I even begin?
Let's start at the free throw line and cry from there.
In seven games against the Hawks, Simmons missed 30 of 45 freebies. He played a total of 242 minutes in seven games and shot 60 percent from the field. Problem is, he fired only 45 field goals and did not attempt a single 3.
So basically, the Sixers played only four guys on offense and allowed Atlanta to throw extra bodies on a hobbled, overworked Joel Embiid.
Simmons is signed to a five-year $169.6 million contract that will pay him $38.6 million in the fifth and final year. Sadly, his value right now is 30 cents to a dollar.
What crazy team trades for this kind of broken asset?
I don't know which is the greater pain for these forlorn Sixers: Eliminated in the second round or being stuck with Ben Simmons until 2025.
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