The NBA postseason serves as the ultimate crucible for players. While some individuals thrive under the heightened pressure, others find their biggest weaknesses glaringly exposed. For Collin Gillespie, it has unfortunately been the latter.
A Steady Decline Through the Season’s Second Half
These difficulties aren’t exclusive to the playoffs. His impressive breakout season has seen a consistent dip in performance over the past several months.
From October through February, Gillespie showcased his emergence in the NBA, averaging 13.5 points with 59.2% true-shooting and 4.7 assists across 59 games, playing 28.7 minutes per contest.
However, his form began to falter significantly in the final two months of the regular season. In March and April, his averages dropped to 10.1 points on 51.3% true-shooting and 4.5 assists in 28 minutes over 21 games. This decline worsened markedly in April, where across five games, he posted averages of just 6.6 points, a team-low 42.2% true-shooting, and 2.2 assists in 23.0 minutes.
Postseason Performance Woes
His difficulties have now extended into the postseason. Through the Suns’ first three playoff games, he’s averaged only 5.0 points with 58.2% true-shooting and 1.3 assists in 20.2 minutes.
This slump comes at a critical juncture, as the Suns are heavily relying on his three-point shooting prowess, especially with Grayson Allen sidelined during these crucial playoff matchups.
Gillespie’s primary contribution to the Suns is expected to be as a “Curry-esque” sharpshooter, capitalizing on even small pockets of space to launch threes from anywhere on the court. This vital skill has been notably absent in his postseason play so far. Without that dynamic shooting, it becomes challenging to justify playing a 6’1″ guard who doesn’t offer other specialized abilities, particularly when facing the formidable size and athleticism of teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Crucial Offseason Decisions Loom
His current struggles carry significant weight, as Gillespie is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. While he has undeniably demonstrated flashes of being an impactful bench player, his recent performances might also reveal the upper bounds of his potential in the NBA.
As he approaches his 27th birthday, it’s reasonable to consider that his development as a player may be nearing its peak.
Despite these recent setbacks, the Suns would likely still prefer to keep him this offseason. However, his performance will undoubtedly serve as a negotiating point in free agency, especially with other key players like Mark Williams and Jordan Goodwin also entering free agency.
While the Suns ideally hope to retain all their free agents, practicalities will likely necessitate prioritizing some over others. Gillespie’s postseason showing could very well be the determining factor in those critical decisions.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow