An NBA player’s first time in the playoffs is always a special one. Broadly speaking, making it to the postseason is not a huge deal in the NBA, where more than half of the league’s teams qualify for the field every season. But there’s nothing quite like the debut and getting thrown into the deep end and told to sink or swim.
Some manage to thrive off the bat. Derrick Rose stands out as a prime example, dropping 36 points and 11 assists in his first-ever playoff game against the defending champion Boston Celtics in 2009. Or LeBron James, who recorded a triple double in typical “Chosen One” fashion during his playoff debut in ’06. Others struggle—even the very best. Steph Curry, the greatest shooter of all time, went 7-of-20 from the field the first time he stepped foot on the court for postseason play.
