Which teams failed and suprized the most this year?

[SpreeS]

Season isn't over, but still at this stage the most surprising team in good and bad ways. Two options (Good and bad) per user

[Special_Puppy]

Oklahoma and Orlando have easily been the biggest surprises. Memphis was by far the biggest disappointment although that’s due to an insane amount of injuries

[doogie_hauser]

Milwaukee have been the biggest disappointment this season, granted brutal (and probable) late season ending to Giannis notwithstanding.

[Loneshot]

Biggest surprise is the Lakers making the playoffs. Biggest failure is the Suns being swept by the TWolves.

[PierceFan4ever]

Milwaukee is the biggest disappointment, they were like co favorites with the Celtics before the season started. Even without injuries they were underperforming big time during the regular season to what was projected. However the core of Giannis, Middleton, Lopez, and Portis got a ring not too long ago even though they’re done a whole lot of nothing before and after the title but a title is a title so it’s not as bad as…

The suns and clippers. Both franchises have a bleak future especially Phoenix not having a round 1 pick till like 2031 which is a nightmare. Durant is no longer in his prime and has looked his age for awhile at times, Beal is cooked and on a disgusting contract, Booker is still a good piece to have but you’re not going anywhere with him as your #1 option imo.

[Tottery]

Team that failed is the Suns. I knew the synergy was wrong when they got Beal, but I thought KD and Booker could at least get them 1 game against the Wolves. I'd put the Bucks right behind them. The talent couldn't even do that well in the rs.

The team that surprised me is the Lakers. Legit thought they'd be the ones to get swept. Legit surprised they won 1 game against the Nuggets. Wasn't sure they'd even make the playoffs.

[My Main Man]

Bucks get a slight break imo. If Giannis and Dame are both healthy, this first round series would look a lot different. I was kind of banking on them gelling a bit in the playoffs and turning it up a notch. Bummer that it's looking like that won't be happening.

Warriors and Suns were both more disappointing than I thought they'd be. I assumed the Warriors weren't going to win a title or anything, but to not even make the playoffs is wild. Probably different if CP3 was healthy all year, but with Steph, you still expect at least a a playoff bid.

I didn't really watch the Suns much this year outside of when the Wolves played them. I was convinced the Suns would win in 4 or 5 games after what they did to the Wolves in the regular season. Still completely shocked that they got swept.

All of the teams you listed in the surprise column are legit surprising.
-Orlando seems like they're having one of those seasons where they're turning into a capital T Team. Paolo looking like a star with everyone stepping up where and when they need to. This season feels like the part in a documentary about a team where they start realizing how good they could be and their confidence levels start to jump. I'd be shocked if this core doesn't get a finals at some point in the next 5-7 years.
-Shai is incredible so I guess they were expected to be good but the completely earned and deserved number 1 seed is still pretty unexpected.
-Any time the Wolves are good, it's always going to feel like a surprise. I've been a Wolves fan since the inaugural season and this is the first Wolves team where I've been able to see them down at the half and still be confident that they'll be able to come back and win. When interviewers have asked Ant about the historically bad Wolves, I've heard him say "I don't know. I wasn't on those teams. I'm on this one."
-And as far as the Knicks go, I owe Brunson an apology. I was a Brunson doubter. I had no idea and I was wrong.

[NZB2323]

I think Memphis failed the most and Houston was the most surprising.

[CraftylikeaFox]

Biggest surprise is the Lakers making the playoffs. Biggest failure is the Suns being swept by the TWolves.

Ya it's wild that a team with Lebron and Anthony Davis made the playoffs

[shrink]

I think with the Wolves front-running for so long, many people have changed their memories of what they thought of the Wolves pre-season. Most thought they were a play in team, and some (I have a bitter mental list in my head of the national guys!) even thought they wouldn’t even make the play in. People would repeat those deeply held myths of “Towns and Gobert can’t play together,” “a smallball line up plays Gobert off the floor” and “they are just too dumb.” The team has quietly dispelled those myths, and many think, “Well, I always liked Ant, so I’m sure I thought they would advance in the playoffs.”

[Flash4thewin]

Miami should be on the list

[UcanUwill]

Minny definitely surprised me the most. Others could say OKC, but this was comingbfor OKC, maybe not this soon, jump from failed play in to number 1 seed, but I am more surprised by Wolves and that their twin tower line up actually works now. Last year people hated Gobert, now hes a darling again.

[ChiTownHero1992]

Phoenix or Milwaukee as a toss up for failed

OKC easily overperformed way higher than I expected

[shi-woo]

For me only 2 teams really stand out, and that's MIL and GSW. People will say the Suns because they HATE! KD, but in reality that team was so unbalaned and had clear issues that it was always going to be a battle for them against new era teams. This isn't 2002, every team has about 8-10 guys that could come out and play, that your roster needs that balance. That's why I voted for GSW and the Bucks.

MIL was the biggest disappointment, even without the Giannis injury. They made the Dame trade which was actually solid, and I think we'll see it next year actually play out better. All the "Giannis is leaving!" nonsense wasn't there. They brought in a new young coach who was a person of color (something very important in the nba and with the players) and had a team that should have been contending.

Instead what we got was Drama from Day 1, a lethargic Dame, mentally exhausted Giannis, another coach fired midway, and the brining in of a bunch of old veterans that just made the weaknesses of the team more apparent. People said things like "this teams too old" all year, when in reality this Bucks team only had Lopez as an old man to start the year, and every single rotation player they had was in their prime. They didn't give any young guys burn, they started Dame and Beasley all year essentially conceeding any type of perimeter defense,, and just overall mismanaged their entire roster.

To give an idea of how poorly they managed this team this year, just compare them to the Celtics (obviously a more tlented team, but still). They didn't use Lopez like Big Al when it's apparent that's the role he needs to play. They didn't give Dame the same respect that the Celtics did White and Porzingus giving him consistent offensive sets and leadership abilities, and they didn't empower the talent they drafted in MarJon and Jackson JR like the Cltics did Hauser and Pritchard.

Just a wasted season by MIL.

Golden State is another team that just let things get away from them for no reason.This team has to be by far the most talented team ever assembled to never make the PO, but the way people on REALGM and in the media would have you believe this team was a bottom feeder. Even with Klay and Wiggins being just Meh this team still had the depth and talent to be at the Top of the West. Kuminga had to beg to get a bigger role, and then made Kerr look dumb by coming out and backing his statements up with incredible play. They never fond a solid rotation even when it became apparent that Podz was a gamer and ready to contribute.

Essentialy they still have no idea how to incorporate the young guys, even though they've had since 2020 to figure it out. They refuse to trade any of these dudes for veteran help, and instead chose to continue wasting the talents of guys like Moody for reasons still unknown to all of us.

This team was essentially the 2011-12 Celtics except they didn't trade Perk, and when the question of starting Ray Allen vs Avery Bradly came up they also fumbled the bag. I wonder if these guys have their own version of "We never lost with our starting 5" like that Celtics team did, which ended up just breaking the team up anyway because Ray was mad. Now Klay is probably going to walk regardless just like Ray did.

I don't understand how a team with so much versatility that went 2-3 deep at every position didn't even make the Big Dance.

Green- Looney- TJD
Kuminga
Klay- Wiggins- GP2
Podz- Moody
Curry- Paul


This was the obvious rotation since the start December, but for some reason Dario Saric was still getting 25-30 minutes a night up till the new year. They had enough talent to stagger these guys, get them rest, and make sure everyone felt included. Instead they burned out, burned bridges, and missed the playoffs. They will now most likely lose Klay, Paul, and Moody, and have no way to replace any of them

Just like the Bucks, instead of staying consistent with the young guys and having them learn on the fly and be ready when it mattered, they chose to not do that and lose out anyways. Really mind boggling stuff from Steve Kerr this year.

[nbafan38]

To be determined stillbut thus far I'd say Minnesota and OKC are biggest positive surprises with Orlando a close 3rd.

Suns are disappointing but I'm also not that surprised. 76ers and Bucks are probably most disappointing relative to expectations although Bucks do have a legit injury excuse.

[JXL]

Team that failed - Phoenix: All that star power and you didn't think about 1) your salary cap is fked; 2) you have no picks for the next half decade; 3) Your team is going to get older (except Booker who is gonna waste his prime being in Phoenix).

Team that surprised - Oklahoma City: This is how you build a good team and have assets up the wazoo to improve. Daginault is the right choice and now he's Coach of the Year. SGA is an MVP candidate and is just scratching the surface of his true potential.

[Jadoogar]

Minnesota is my biggest surprise. I didn't think the 2 center thing was going to work, i was wrong. Their defense is insane

For disappointments, i'm going to exclude teams with injuries (Bucks, Memphis). That's just not fun to talk about.
The biggest disappoints are Phoenix and Golder State. I didn't think the Suns would be a real contender but i did expect them to be a really good regular season team. They didn't gel at all during the season (partly because of injuries, partly because of fit) and got swept in the first round.

Warriors look cooked. Their stars are too old. Even Curry is more of a top 10-15 player now rather than a top 5 and when the rest of supporting cast isn't good, a top 15 player isn't going to be enough to raise the floor.

[dhsilv2]

Can the suns be the answer to BOTH questions? It's a failure because the Beal Trade clearly was intended to be a win now move. It's a success because I didn't think the suns would be anywhere near as good as they were.

[jkvonny]

Odd poll to answer with the extreme spectrums lol.

Anyhow. Phoenix was a big disappointment. Underachieved most of the season. Swept in the first round of the playoffs. Very clunky and inconsistent team. Lack of depth when had injuries, too.
Milwaukee Bucks, too. Old, declining, injured, suspect defense. Unstable FO moves. Lot of it is also self inflicted as well (firing coaches left and right). I don't think a deep playoff run is in their card this season.

I disagree with some of the posters listing Memphis. They had tons of injuries this season and suspension. Played a lot of young players this season. They will be back to being a playoff team next season healthy. Well coached team as well.

Surprising team? I'd say the Eastern playoff teams like Pacers and Orlando Magic. I knew that theyd improve, young and up and coming. Would be a fringe playoff or play in team. But they exceeded those expectations. Well, they did get 5 and 6 seed, but thought theyd be around 7-12 range before the season started.

Knew OKC and Minny would be playoff teams, but they finished Top 3, that's pretty impressive.

[phanman]

I think that Golden State + Phoenix should be runaway leaders for biggest failure and OKC + Minnesota as the biggest surprises.
- The Dubs losing in the play-ins to the Kangs is as disappointing as it gets. Yes, Draymond's transgressions and suspensions derailed the season but they still got 55 games out of him and an All-NBA season 74 game same from Steph.
- Phoenix just got swept in a series where their big 4 was fully healthy. A myriad of issues in the regular season were overlooked based on the post season success of KD and Booker and they pretty much blown out in 3/4 games.

OKC and Minnesota holding onto the #1 seed for long stretches of the regular season was definitely a surprise. They've only continued to double-down on the notion that this is who they are with Minny already waiting for Denver and OKC about to sweep the Pelicans tonight.