NBA 2020-21: 5 Most disappointing teams so far this season
The 2020-21 NBA season is about to close out the first month of competition. Despite the struggle with the current COVID-19 situation, the campaign has been fun. Some of the top contenders have fulfilled expectations and are positioned to make deep playoff runs during the year. However, some other teams have struggled. On that note, we give you the five most disappointing teams so far in the NBA.
NBA 2020-21: 5 Most disappointing teams of the first month of action
Teams such as the reigning champions LA Lakers and the LA Clippers have kept maintained last season's high level in the Western Conference. In the East, the Philadelphia 76ers have been great under new coach Doc Rivers, and the Brad Stevens-led Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks remain competitive.
On the other side of the coin, some teams expected to be in the playoff picture have fallen behind with losing records early in the season and have struggled with consistency so far.
Here are the five most disappointing teams after the first month of the 2020-21 NBA season.
#5 Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks were the standout team of the 2020 NBA Free Agency. Atlanta made all kinds of noise after getting Danilo Gallinari, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Rajon Rondo, and some other key players during free agency.
Alongside Trae Young and John Collins, the new players formed a team with NBA Playoffs aspirations in the Eastern Conference. At the start of the year, the Hawks look precisely like the team many were hoping to see.
The Hawks got off to a 4-1 start, which included a great away win over the Brooklyn Nets, but they have been struggling massively since then.
The Hawks can turn it around in the long run, as most of their new assets have been sidelined. Bogdanovic, Gallinari, Rondo, and defensive specialist Kris Dunn have not been available every night for the Hawks, and the team have struggled without them.
Even though they have been disappointing, some circumstances have not been ideal for them. The first couple of weeks suggest this is a team that can make it into the NBA Playoffs if they can play at full strength.
#4 Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets were one of the biggest stories of the 2020 NBA Playoffs, and they have been a solid team in a stacked Western Conference in recent years. Nikola Jokic might be the best candidate for the 2020-21 NBA MVP. However, the Nuggets have struggled so far.
Denver's situation can be compared to the one in Atlanta, as one of their main players, Michael Porter Jr., has played only four games due to the NBA's health and safety protocols. The young scorer was gaining in confidence after earning a starting role.
Even though Jokic and Jamal Murray have been available for the entire NBA season, Denver is just 6-7 and positioned at 11th place in the West.
Denver's offense has been terrific so far (third-best in the NBA), and Jokic is the main reason for that. However, they are ranked 26th in Defensive Rating and that's the area coach Michael Malone needs to address.
Denver are also suffering from Jerami Grant's departure to the Detroit Pistons, but they still should do a better job than that on defense.