NBA Disappearing Acts: 20 Players That Need to Break Out of Their Slumps ASAP
What is going on with guys like Andre Iguodala and Chris Bosh? Weren't some of us talking about J.J. Redick and Danilo Gallinari breaking out?
This young NBA season has given us plenty of pleasant surprises, but there have also been some disappointments.
These four, and several other players, are in some unexpected slumps. If they want to help their teams contend for anything, they need to break out as soon as possible.
20: Tim Duncan
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You could make the argument that Tim Duncan doesn't belong on this list, even though he's averaging just 13.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. Perhaps he's just filling a different role than we're used to seeing him in?
However, I believe that if the Spurs are going to be legitimate NBA title contenders, Duncan's going to have to get his production up a little closer to where it's been in years past.
19: C.J. Miles
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What C.J. Miles really needs to do is just shoot less. He's fourth on the team in field goal attempts ahead of Andrei Kirilenko, Raja Bell and Gordon Hayward. He's averaging almost 11 attempts per game and shooting 38 percent from the field.
He's trying to score too much out of isolation situations like Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade or other elite shooting guards.
If he wants to improve his efficiency, he should rely more on his great playmaking point guard, Deron Williams.
18: Antawn Jamison
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Jamison doesn't really deserve much of the blame for his huge dip in production this year. He's averaging under 24 minutes per game, compared to his career average of nearly 37 minutes per game.
Still, if Cleveland is going to compete for a playoff spot, Jamison will probably have to put up a little more. He's averaging just 11.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
17: Brook Lopez
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Brook Lopez may be leading his team in scoring at 18 points per game, but he desperately needs to break out of a slump in some other key areas.
At 42 percent, his field goal accuracy is terrible for a big man. A bigger problem, however, is his rebounding. A 22 -year-old, 7-foot man who averages 34 minutes per game should be pulling down more than 5.6 rebounds per game.
The Nets are already much better than they were last year, but if they want to take the next step, Lopez has to become more reliable in these areas.
16: Darko Milicic
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The mere mention of this player nearly brings me to laughter every time. I don't know if he can even be considered to be in a slump since his season averages are actually slightly higher than his career averages.
However, his 31 percent shooting is 14 points below his career percentage, and he needs to improve in every area of his game if he wants his coach and general manager to stop looking like two of the biggest fools in the league.
15: Danilo Gallinari
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Gallinari has to be more effective if the Knicks are going to break back into the playoffs this year. They need someone other than Amare Stoudemire to step up and provide consistent scoring.
Last season, Galinari averaged 15.1 points per game on 42 percent shooting from the field and 38 percent from three-point range. This year, each one of those statistics is down. He's averaging 13.2 points on 37 percent from the field and 33 percent from three-point range.
At 6'10", he should also be able to average more than 4.4 rebounds per game.
14: James Harden
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Harden had a solid rookie season last year. He averaged 9.9 points per game on 40 percent shooting from the field and 38 percent from three-point range. This year, he's down to 6.9 points on 37 percent from the field and 31 percent from three-point range.
He needs to produce more efficiently from the wing if the Thunder are going to reach the next level.
13: Jamal Crawford
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Crawford is the reigning Sixth Man of the Year Award winner. He was a huge part of Atlanta's success last season, but this year he's struggling a bit.
His scoring average is down about five points per game while he's shooting 43 percent from the field and 30 percent from three-point range. His rebounding and assists are down too.
12: David Lee
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Lee was the Warriors' biggest signing this offseason. An inside presence is something Golden State has been lacking for years, and Lee was supposed to fill that hole.
His scoring average is down almost six points per game from last year. That could be largely due to the fact that he plays with a backcourt of Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis, who dominate the ball for most of the game.
However, he could still improve on his 46 percent shooting.
11: Caron Butler
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If the Mavericks are going to reach the next level, they need more than two players who can consistently score. Right now, they can only rely on Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry.
Caron Butler has to improve on offense.
He's averaging just 14.7 points per game on 39 percent shooting. In Washington, he was a 20 point per game guy alongside other big scorers like Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison.
10: Trevor Ariza
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He was the Rockets' biggest signing in the summer of '09. He was the Hornets' biggest acquisition in the summer of '10.
Somehow, I think the Hornets were expecting a little more than 10.6 points per game on 36 percent shooting.
The Hornets are off to a great start at 8-1, but if they want to maintain this level of success they'll need more production from Ariza on offense.
9: Gilbert Arenas
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Arenas will probably never come close to the level he was at prior to his arrest last year, but he's gotta capable of more than this, right?
He's averaging 14.2 points and three assists per game while shooting just 35 percent from the field.
The Wizards should be looking to trade Arenas at this point. If Gilbert wants any contender to come after him, he really needs to improve his production.
8: Baron Davis
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What the Clippers really need to do with Baron Davis is trade him. At this point, there is almost no team in the league that would take that chance.
So, for the time being, Davis needs to pick things up. Right now, the team is blaming his lack of production on an injury, but we all know it's more than that. Davis is out of shape and completely unmotivated to play hard for this team.
He's averaging 8.8 points and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 32 percent from the field.
7: J.R. Smith
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Smith's inconsistency has been his biggest weakness in previous years. Early in this season, that issue has reached a new level.
He's averaging just 9.6 points per game on 37 percent shooting.
6: Kevin Durant
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Most of you may not agree with having the league's leading scorer on this slideshow. While he is still scoring in bunches, he could definitely be doing it in a more efficient manner.
This season, he's shooting 42 percent from the field and 31 percent from three-point range, compared to the percentages of 48 and 37 that he posted last year. His rebounding and assist totals are also down.
A lot of people thought the Thunder might compete with the Lakers this year. If that is going to happen, Durant needs to start shooting better.
5: J.J. Redick
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Redick is coming off signing a three-year extension that a lot of people weren't sure he deserved. Well, he's not doing much to prove his doubters wrong at this point.
He's averaging 4.4 points per game on 27 percent shooting from the field and 12 percent from three-point range.
4: Andre Iguodala
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He may not be with Philadelphia much longer, but he needs to improve his production for a few reasons.
If he wants to get picked up by a contender, if Philly's gonna get full trade value for him or if he wants to avoid being traded at all, he has to improve his performance.
He's shooting 43 percent from the field and 24 percent from three-point range. His 12.8 points per game is about six below his average over the previous four seasons, and his assists and rebounds are slightly down as well.
3: Chauncey Billups
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The Nuggets are at a crossroads. Their biggest star has been the subject of trade rumors for months, and their biggest leader is four years past the wrong side of 30. The team may need to head in a new direction, and fast.
For the time being, Chauncey "Big Shot" Billups needs to improve his production. He's averaging 14.5 points and 4.1 assists per game. He's shooting 34 percent from the field and 30 percent from three-point range.
2: Rashard Lewis
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Rashard Lewis is one of the highest-paid players in the entire NBA. He's set to make nearly 20 million dollars this season alone.
People have been questioning his worth ever since Orlando signed him to this huge deal, but this year those rumblings have grown to a dull roar.
He's averaging 10.3 points per game while shooting 36 percent from the field and 30 percent from three-point range.
If Lewis could manage to play anywhere near the level he was at in Seattle, the Magic could be one of the toughest teams to guard in the league.
1: Chris Bosh
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The Heat have performed well below expectations, and one of the reasons has been Chris Bosh. Of the big three, he's having the most difficult time adjusting to his new role.
He's getting significantly less touches on offense than he's used to, which may account for his dip in scoring, but does not excuse his poor rebounding. He's averaging six boards a game which is three below his career average and nearly five below what he pulled in last year.
He could improve his scoring and rebounding numbers by crashing the offensive glass more. He's averaging just 1.2 offensive boards a game. If he could get some more easy putbacks, he could help himself and his team.
