Are modern day, millennial NBA Stars mentally-weak front-runners?

[bdreason]

I've been trying to wrap my head ahead around why we've see so many blowouts, and such a discrepancy in home-away performances. One common factor I've seen in most of these games is that the Star players aren't showing up when their teams need them most. When you're on the road, and losing by double-digits, it's not your role-players that are supposed to pull you out, it's your Star players that need to perform. Throughout these playoffs, what I've seen is Star players consistently NOT show up when their team needs them most. I'm not talking about having a bad game. I'm talking about the Star players on their teams mentally checking out when their team is down big, or on the road.

I've been coaching HS basketball for around 6 years now, and one thing I've noticed about modern athletes is they tend to focus on way too many things outside of the game. Many of my players play scared. One of my main goals in coaching has been to teach my players to HATE losing, but never to FEAR losing. Now obviously HS athletes aren't Professional athletes... but I feel like the modern NBA Star FEARS losing more than they HATE losing. Too many NBA Stars are worried about what the media is going to say after the game. Too many NBA Stars are worried about what the stat sheet is going look like after the game. Maybe I'm reaching, but when I'm watching these blowout games, and poor road performances by NBA Stars, I'm not seeing a guy having a bad night... I'm seeing a guy who is giving up when the odds are against them.


It makes me wonder if the modern NBA Star isn't lacking in mental fortitude. Especially when you see such a vast improvement when these Star players are playing at home, or are ahead or behind by insurmountable odds. This isn't just about LeBron and Curry, although I think last nights game is a good example of my point. I've seen these kind of non-performances throughout these playoffs, from pretty much all the Star players, including; Harden, Aldridge, Leonard, Durant, Irving, Curry, LeBron, Lowry, DeRozan, etc.. In fact, the only two guys I think have really played consistently, regardless of game situation, have been Klay Thompson and Russell Westbrook. I'm not saying these guys haven't had bad games, I'm just saying I haven't seen these guys mentally give up.


So, what do you guys think? Are modern NBA players mentally weak, and more susceptible to off-the-court influences? Are these Star players playing like they HATE losing, or like they FEAR losing?

[FreezingTsmoove]

2005 finals had 4 straight blowouts too with weak performances by the losing teams star players

[Sarcastic]

That's part of it.

But it's also the 3 point game has taken too much of hold on the game. When you are on with your 3 point shot, you blow teams out. When you're off, you get blown out. That's why there are so many blowouts this entire playoffs. The 3 point shot was not meant to have this drastic an impact on the game. It was mostly created as a gimmick shot, that would be there to help you in dire needs of a comeback. Instead it's been taken over as the main scoring method for so many teams.

[STATUTORY]

fatherless ones most definitely

[miggyme1]

2005 finals had 4 straight blowouts too with weak performances by the losing teams star players

I don't call billups,hamilton, star players. The best player on that pistons team was rasheed and he was beyond his star years by then. idk..

[bdreason]

That's part of it.

But it's also the 3 point game has taken too much of hold on the game. When you are on with your 3 point shot, you blow teams out. When you're off, you get blown out. That's why there are so many blowouts this entire playoffs. The 3 point shot was not meant to have this drastic an impact on the game. It was mostly created as a gimmick shot, that would be there to help you in dire needs of a comeback. Instead it's been taken over as the main scoring method for so many teams.

I definitely see how the 3-point shot is attributing to blowouts. I don't think it explains how poorly NBA Stars are performing both on the road and against the odds.