Lakers, Warriors Disappoint in NBA Season- These teams haven’t done as well as expected this year.
Lakers, Warriors Disappoint in NBA Season
As we’re nearing the end of the 2023-24 NBA regular season, it’s important to note that there’s still time for things to change. However, when it comes to the five teams I’ve identified as the most disappointing this season, it’s unlikely that their situations will improve.
The Phoenix Suns might be an exception. If they win more than 50 games despite dealing with injuries, it wouldn’t be seen as a disappointment. However, it’s unlikely. We’ll talk more about the Suns and four other teams that haven’t met expectations this season.
Here we go.
1. Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta’s performance in the league has been a huge letdown. They have a team with real talent, but things haven’t gone as expected. Quin Snyder introduced a faster style of play, focusing on shooting more 3-pointers, to try to improve things, but it hasn’t worked out as planned.
The Hawks were expected to win around 42 games this season, but they’re on track to win only 35. Compared to last year, they’re not doing as well. Their defense is the third worst in the league, and their offense relies too much on players making difficult shots by themselves instead of working together. Trae Young isn’t moving around much without the ball, which is causing some problems too.
The Young/Dejounte Murray combo was expected to make Atlanta a strong team, but it hasn’t worked out that way. When they’re both playing, the team is getting outscored by almost six points for every 100 possessions. Their offense is just okay, ranking in the middle of the pack compared to other teams. But their defense is really weak, and their offense isn’t good enough to make up for it.
Either Young or Murray might be traded soon, maybe even both. If Snyder didn’t have such a good reputation, he probably would’ve been fired already. No matter how you look at it, the team hasn’t improved since Snyder took over, and that’s been true for a while, even before Young got injured. So, you can’t blame the team’s performance on just that.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers were expected to win around 47.5 games this season. However, they’re not doing as well as expected, even though their key players have mostly stayed healthy. Austin Reaves has played every game, while Anthony Davis missed four, D’Angelo Russell missed five, and LeBron James missed nine.
The Lakers signed Gabe Vincent, but it didn’t work out well. Now, Vincent, Christian Wood, and Jarred Vanderbilt are injured for the rest of the season. Even though LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Austin Reaves played a lot of games without getting injured, and Russell Westbrook had a great season, the Lakers are still struggling to make it to the Play-In Tournament. This is disappointing because they expected to do much better with their star players playing so many games.
Despite the challenges they’ve faced, I still think the Lakers could be a threat in the playoffs, assuming they make it there. Back in January, I predicted they’d reach the Western Conference Finals again and face off against the Nuggets. I’m not entirely confident in that prediction now, but I’m sticking with it for now.
3. Golden State Warriors
Golden State was expected to win around 47.5 games this season, but they’re not doing as well as expected. After losing to the Pacers at home, they’re on track to win only in the low 40s. Right now, they’re barely holding onto the last Play-In Tournament spot, and there’s a chance they might even end up in the lottery. The Rockets are close behind them, just two games away in losses. And things might not get easier for the Warriors, as they have seven out of their next eight games away from home.
The Warriors are struggling because their key players are getting older. Klay Thompson now comes off the bench instead of starting. Draymond Green caused problems last season by fighting with Jordan Poole and getting suspended. Andrew Wiggins is playing poorly compared to before. Chris Paul isn’t as impactful in games anymore.
Also Read: Texas Longhorns’ Bijan Robinson Nails Perfect Bracket On Day 1
Stephen Curry seems tired lately, probably because he’s been doing most of the scoring and creating plays all season. In March, he’s only averaging 21 points and shooting 35% from 3-point range, which is lower than usual.
The Golden State team can’t afford to relax anymore. Curry needs to play amazingly well every game, and even then, they can’t afford many mistakes. Their defense isn’t good enough, which puts them in a tough spot. It seems like the Warriors’ winning streak is finished, even if they still believe they can keep up with the top teams.
4. Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks have a good record at 45 wins and 25 losses, making them the second-best team in the Eastern Conference. But even though they’re doing well, some people think they could be doing even better. They made a big change by replacing their coach, Adrian Griffin, when the team had won 30 games and lost 13. Since they hired Doc Rivers as the new coach, the team hasn’t been performing as strongly. Under Rivers, the team’s offense has gotten worse, dropping from being one of the best in the league to just average.
Damian Lillard was expected to make the team really strong, but things haven’t gone as planned. Without Jrue Holiday, the team isn’t as good at defense as before. Also, Lillard hasn’t been shooting as well as he usually does, which hasn’t helped make up for the defensive weakness.
The Milwaukee team is expected to win around 50 games and is seen as a strong contender for the championship, but they haven’t performed as well as expected. They were supposed to be really good, but they haven’t lived up to that expectation.
5. Phoenix Suns
The Suns have played 28 games with their top players, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, all on the court together. They’ve won 17 of those games and lost 11, which averages out to winning about 49 games in a full season. Before the season started, people expected them to win around 52 games. Right now, they’re on track to win about 48 games total for the season. So, even when Durant, Booker, and Beal play together, the team’s winning rate hasn’t been much different compared to when they haven’t all played together.
The Suns have won 19 games and lost 20 against teams with a .500 record or better. When the three main players are playing together, their team’s offense does better than the Celtics, who are currently the best in the league. However, their defense and lack of depth have been problems, as expected. Personally, I’m not a fan of their slow offense, even though they have three top-notch scorers. Their offense ranks ninth, and defense ranks 13th, which isn’t too exciting. Overall, it’s a so-so situation.
On Saturday, the Suns need to win a game to even get a chance to play in the playoffs. If they do, they’ll face the Denver Nuggets in the first round. But if they lose that game, their season will be considered a failure, and they’ll be out of the playoffs early.
Join WhatsApp channel:Â weekly wakeup
