Only one of NBA's top-15 paid players remains in playoffs

Both the top player on the list (Stephen Curry) and the 12th member of the group (Klay Thompson) technically failed to make the playoffs, as the Golden State Warriors lost their lone play-in tournament contest to the Sacramento Kings.

Houston Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet (14th highest paid) also missed the postseason altogether, as his team finished 11th in the Western Conference at 41-41.

The other 11 players on the list have all surprisingly been eliminated in the first two rounds.

In the Western Conference, LeBron James (third) and Anthony Davis (15th) of the Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Denver Nuggets in the first round in five games. Gobert's Timberwolves swept Bradley Beal (fifth), Kevin Durant (sixth) and the Phoenix Suns in the opening round, while Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving led the Dallas Mavericks past Kawhi Leonard (ninth), Paul George (10th) and the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round as well.

The Eastern Conference first-round results saw the Boston Celtics knock out Jimmy Butler's (11th) Miami Heat, the Indiana Pacers eliminate both Damian Lillard (seventh) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (eighth) of the Milwaukee Bucks and the New York Knicks defeat Joel Embiid's (second) Philadelphia 76ers.