Is this the largest variance between consecutive playoff series ever?

[Ein Sof]

Jimmy Butler 2020 Finals
26/8/10
3.27 AST/TO
55%FG
89%FT
66%TS
27.7 GmSc
134 ORtg to 114 DRtg

Jimmy Butler 2021 First Round
14.5/7.5/7
3.11 AST/TO
30%FG
73%FT
39%TS
10.9 GmSc
90 ORtg to 116 DRtg

[Colbinii]

Trae Young 2021 ECF: 28/3/7 on 55 TS% against Jrue Holiday and the Bucks

Trae Young 2022 1st round: 15/5/6 on 46 TS%

[Cavsfansince84]

The biggest variance ever is probably James Harden in 2021 though that was also injury related. LeBron from 07 ecf to finals was also huge.

[f4p]

The biggest variance ever is probably James Harden in 2021 though that was also injury related. LeBron from 07 ecf to finals was also huge.

harden's first round was so good (35 PER, 75 TS%, 0.350 WS48, something like 14 BPM) that even playing almost half his playoff minutes on one leg, his overall 2021 playoff TS%, WS48, and BPM are basically the same as 2017 steph curry.


in the positive direction, jerry west somehow, while playing the same mpg, went from:

20.0/4.2/2.6, 44.1 TS% in the 1969 WCF against atlanta (#9 defense)

to

37.9/7.4/4.7, 56.5 TS% in the 1969 Finals against bill russell (#1 defense)

75-85% increase in the main stats with a huge leap in TS%.

[rate_]

Jimmy Butler 2020 Finals
26/8/10
3.27 AST/TO
55%FG
89%FT
66%TS
27.7 GmSc
134 ORtg to 114 DRtg

Jimmy Butler 2021 First Round
14.5/7.5/7
3.11 AST/TO
30%FG
73%FT
39%TS
10.9 GmSc
90 ORtg to 116 DRtg

Jimmy’s 2021 playoffs was an outlier given it was off the shortest offseason in NBA history. You can tell because in his 2022 playoffs he proceeded to put up 27/7/5 on 11.8 BPM, .291 WS/48 & 29.9 PER in 17 games. One of the ATG playoff runs in history.

[capfan33]

The biggest variance ever is probably James Harden in 2021 though that was also injury related. LeBron from 07 ecf to finals was also huge.

harden's first round was so good (35 PER, 75 TS%, 0.350 WS48, something like 14 BPM) that even playing almost half his playoff minutes on one leg, his overall 2021 playoff TS%, WS48, and BPM are basically the same as 2017 steph curry.


in the positive direction, jerry west somehow, while playing the same mpg, went from:

20.0/4.2/2.6, 44.1 TS% in the 1969 WCF against atlanta (#9 defense)

to

37.9/7.4/4.7, 56.5 TS% in the 1969 Finals against bill russell (#1 defense)

75-85% increase in the main stats with a huge leap in TS%.

Another datapoint that shows Jerry West was extremely cracked.

[rk2023]

The biggest variance ever is probably James Harden in 2021 though that was also injury related. LeBron from 07 ecf to finals was also huge.

harden's first round was so good (35 PER, 75 TS%, 0.350 WS48, something like 14 BPM) that even playing almost half his playoff minutes on one leg, his overall 2021 playoff TS%, WS48, and BPM are basically the same as 2017 steph curry.


in the positive direction, jerry west somehow, while playing the same mpg, went from:

20.0/4.2/2.6, 44.1 TS% in the 1969 WCF against atlanta (#9 defense)

to

37.9/7.4/4.7, 56.5 TS% in the 1969 Finals against bill russell (#1 defense)

75-85% increase in the main stats with a huge leap in TS%.

Another datapoint that shows Jerry West was extremely cracked.

That second round series is so weird in the grand scheme, because even his 1st round against the Thurmond Warriors was beyond incredible.

[IdolW0rm]

Most likely no.
There are kind of comparable variances to that even in consecutive series of the same Playoffs.

One that came to mind (though not from a superstar) was this:

Okur 2nd Round 2007: 17 / 10 (65%TS) ; 129 ortg
Okur CF 2007: 7 / 5 (37%TS) ; 90 ortg

[cupcakesnake]

Not sure I get the logic between calling series a year apart "consecutive". I get that this is technically true but it's not exactly mind blowing for a player to perform differently in one year at the end of the playoffs and different the next year at the beginning.

[IdolW0rm]

Not sure I get the logic between calling series a year apart "consecutive". I get that this is technically true but it's not exactly mind blowing for a player to perform differently in one year at the end of the playoffs and different the next year at the beginning.

I also view it that way. I originally thought this thread meant consecutive Playoff series in the same run, which I think would be much more interesting universe of discussion when talking about variance.
For big variances in consecutive Playoff Series, these are pretty good:

Okur 07 2nd Round: 17.4 / 10.5 (.651 TS%) ; 129 ortg
Okur 07 WCF: 7.2 / 4.6 (370 TS%) ; 90 ortg

Marion 05 2nd Round: 23.3 / 12.2 (.573 TS%) ; 124 ortg
Marion 05 WCF: 7.8 / 10.8 (.412 TS%) ; 96 ortg

Elton Brand 06 1st Round: 17.8 / 10.0 (.514 TS%) ; 101 ortg
Elton Brand 06 2nd Round: 30.9 / 10.4 (.628 TS%) ; 134 ortg

Pierce 10 2nd Round: 13.5 / 4.7 / 3.7 (.439 TS%) ; 91 ortg
Pierce 10 ECF: 24.3 / 8.3 / 3.8 (.672 TS%) ; 123 ortg

Tayshaun Prince 1st Round 04: 17.4 / 7.6 (.663 TS%) ; 137 ortg
Tayshaun Prince 2nd Round 04: 8.0 / 5.0 (.410 TS%) ; 90 ortg

[cupcakesnake]

Marion 05 2nd Round: 23.3 / 12.2 (.573 TS%) ; 124 ortg
Marion 05 WCF: 7.8 / 10.8 (.412 TS%) ; 96 ortg

The Marion one makes sense to me. People forget that Suns team played a 6-man rotation in the playoffs, and Marion had just been playing 45mpg and guarding Dirk Nowitzki. He was then asked to alternate between guarding Tony Parker and Tim Duncan. He straight up ran out of gas. People never gave Marion enough credit for the work he had to do as the defensive anchor of a team with Amar'e on it (one of the worst backline defenders to ever play big minutes at center) and Steve Nash, who was weak at the point of attack.

[Owly]

Am sure I had a list of some inconsistent across year playoff performers but can't find it.

But otoh
'90-'91 Ricky Pierce (each single series) PER 22.8 to 8.0; WS/48 .185 to -.054; BPM 4.4 to -5.9
'98-99 Cassell ('98 a tiny sample even within this context)
Mike Bibby jumps around a bit but year-to-year leaps are smaller.

Trae's awful series (the slashlines miss the jarring 27.1 TOV%) might make that gap hard to beat though.

Harder to find/stumble across within year series because all-in-one composites are less easily available at the series level, I think.