NBA Playoffs: Late-Game Misses Prove Heartbreak Before Titles for Rose & Durant

In pivotal Game Fours for both Kevin Durant's Oklahoma City Thunder and Derrick Rose's Chicago Bulls, both young superstars had the ball in their hands with just seconds remaining in regulation.

With the game tied 101-101 in OKC and the Thunder collapsing under a 17-2 Dallas run over the final five minutes of the fourth quarter, Kevin Durant had a chance to even the series at two games apiece with a bucket with six seconds left on the clock.

In what seemed like an unprepared frenzy, Durant found himself with the ball 40 feet from the basket with precious time slipping away. Durant then took one dibble to his right and prepared to loft a 35-footer at the buzzer. Durant's heave was swatted away by Shawn Marion.

The game then went on to overtime, where the Thunder continued to fold under pressure and surrender a commanding 3-1 series advantage to the Dallas Mavericks, 112-105.

Similarly, in Chicago's Game Four in Miami, Derrick Rose was presented with a similar opportunity.

In a back and fourth final quarter, Derrick Rose was sent to the line down one with just over a minute remaining in regulation. With a chance to take the lead with two made free throws, Rose missed the first, but then drained the second to at least tie the game.

And then, the 2011 MVP got another chance for redemption.

With eight seconds left, the Chicago Bulls in-bounded the ball to Rose with the game knotted up at 85. Rose hesitated and made a quick move to his right. Instead of continuing towards the bucket with LeBron James covering him, Rose decided to step back and take a contested off-balance jumper that rimmed out.

Like his counterpart in OKC, Rose was unable to bring the Bulls to victory in overtime as the Bulls lost Game Four in Miami 101-93.

Critics of both Rose and Durant reigned down upon their respective shoulders as if they didn't have enough that they were carrying on their back. Twitter blew up with comments about how terrible both Rose's and Durant's shots were, and how "overrated" they were for "not coming through in the clutch" for their team.

Amidst these criticisms, it becomes lost in the shuffle that both Rose and Durant are just a mere 22 years of age.

And even for players as talented as Rose and Durant, heartbreak precedes success in the NBA Playoffs.

Michael Jordan needed seven seasons before he earned his first title. He had more than his fair share of losses at the hands of the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons during the 1980s.

It took Wilt Chamberlain eight seasons to win a championship. It took Jerry "The Logo" West 12 years to win with the Los Angeles Lakers. Isiah Thomas and Shaquille O'Neal both took eight years in the league before they won the NBA Finals.

The NBA has and always will be cruel to young players that are the leaders of their respective teams.

Unlike the NHL, MLB, and NFL, the NBA Playoffs are largely determined by each team's go to player. In the fourth quarter of many tight playoffs games, teams' top players go on isolation plays were the entire team, franchise, and fan base are all expecting a positive outcome.

So, as Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant have the ball with under 10 seconds to play next season and beyond, their experiences (both positive and negative) from previous situations will give them the confidence to perform under the pressure and scrutiny of the NBA Playoffs.

And for both of these young stars, success is clearly on the horizon.

As fans, there is no reason to get all hot and sweaty over Durant's, Rose's or any other emerging star's early playoff struggles.

It happens to almost everyone. And that's just how life in the NBA Playoffs will stay.

Josh Rosenblat is a high school student from Chicago looking to find a way to break into sports journalism. He often writes about the NBA (primarily the Chicago Bulls), as well as the MLB, College Basketball, and the NFL. You can email him at [e-mail] or follow him on twitter @JMRosenblat. Feel free to send him comments.