NBA’s Top Five Most Overrated Teams Entering 2024-25 Season

It wasn’t way back that somebody prompt commissioner David Stern do away with the two-conference setup within the NBA.

When Stern retired 10 years in the past, the Western Convention was dominating the East. Within the post-Michael Jordan/Bulls period, Western groups captured 11 of 16 titles, main into the top of Stern’s run.

What Stern was presiding over was getting embarrassing. When you didn’t have LeBron James, you had no probability within the East.

Twice inside six years, the Suns gained a minimum of 46 video games within the West and didn’t make the playoffs. In the meantime, between 2004 and 2011, the East despatched three groups ahead with 37 or fewer wins.

Not solely was it not honest that vastly superior Western groups had been being denied pictures on the crown, however with groups enjoying a majority of their video games inside their very own convention, it was rather more troublesome simply to achieve .500 within the West than within the East.

Stern handed the issue to Adam Silver, who, like his predecessor, insisted the stability of energy was cyclical. And certain sufficient, he’s been confirmed proper.

Actually, it may not be lengthy earlier than analysts begin complaining concerning the WEAKNESS of the West.

In compiling an inventory of the NBA’s 5 Most Overrated Groups, it could be simple to record all Western groups.

Some have gotten previous, but no one appears to have seen. Some have made playoff runs that belie their regular-season mediocrity, which has led to bloated expectations.

And one, nicely, has LeBron, which makes them an computerized alternative as a contender, even when just lately historical past has strongly indicated in any other case.

Ultimately, you would argue greater than half of the West’s 15 groups are overrated.

In the meantime, the Jap order of end is about as predictable as school soccer. For essentially the most half, it’s the identical groups yearly.

Lacking by a few locations in a projected order of end within the East is inevitable. However on the overrated scale, that doesn’t examine to the West, the place you will have a projected finalist that’ll be fortunate to outlive the primary spherical of the 2025 playoffs and a division favourite that’s extra more likely to end final than first.

Because the solar units on a handful of franchises within the West, listed here are my 5 Most Overrated Groups for the 2024-25 NBA season:

1. Phoenix Suns

Somebody thought it could be a good suggestion so as to add a 3rd “celebrity” to the Kevin Durant/Devin Booker dynamic. He was improper. Bradley Beal is your basic nice scorer on a nasty crew. The truth that he’s by no means performed an oz. of protection in his life wasn’t necessary on a perennial loser just like the Wizards.

The Suns lacked depth of their completely disappointing 2024 season; that was due partially to getting nothing out of Beal. Now somebody has determined to run it again, with minimal additions, and oddsmakers are shopping for into the second-chance factor, making the Suns the favorites within the Pacific Division. Keep in mind you heard it right here first: The Kings are a lock to win the Pacific. If not for the mess often called the Clippers, the Suns would be a nice bet to finish last.

2. Dallas Mavericks

They had been no higher than the fifth-best crew within the West final season, the beneficiary of lackluster competitors in a run to the Finals. To get there—the place they had been shellacked by the Celtics—they took benefit of a reeling Clippers crew, a not-ready-for-prime-time Thunder squad, and a good matchup in opposition to an outsized Timberwolves roster.

The Mavericks wish to assume they’re higher this season, however let’s be honest about the acquisition of Klay Thompson. He nonetheless thinks he warrants 10 3-pointers an evening, however at his age, his imaginative and prescient appears to have turn out to be impaired, whereas his capability to play protection has disappeared. It’s a toss-up who complains first a couple of lack of capturing alternatives—Thompson or Kyrie Irving—and that ought to open the door for the Pelicans and Grizzlies each to move the Mavs within the Southwest Division.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers

OK, we’ve received to throw an Jap crew in right here, so right here goes. The East has 4 tiers: The Elite (Celtics), The Solely Groups With A Distant Likelihood of Unseating The Elite (Knicks, 76ers, Bucks), The First-Spherical Playoff Fodder (Magic, Pacers, Warmth, Bulls, Hawks) and The Cooper Flagg Hopefuls (Hornets, Pistons, Raptors, Nets, Wizards). All very predictable.

Uh, forgetting one? Yep, the Cavaliers, who wish to consider they belong in Class II. Actually, that’s the place they landed final 12 months… by one recreation over the Magic, Pacers and 76ers. All three of them determine to be higher this 12 months, whereas the Cavs apparently assume they had been ok final 12 months. Maybe disappointing is a greater label than overrated, however they often each land you in the identical place.

4. Los Angeles Lakers

Having LeBron in your crew provides you an opportunity. A minimum of within the minds of some. Not mine. The Lakers made the playoffs via the play-in the final two seasons and are solely more likely to discover themselves in the identical state of affairs this 12 months as a result of groups forward of them have fallen whereas they’ve stood nonetheless.

Can LeBron and Anthony Davis nonetheless raise them to second place within the Pacific? Positive, however that solely provides to their overratedness. Because the Warriors have flamed out, the Clippers have floundered worse than ever, and the Suns have self-destructed, the Pacific has quietly turn out to be one of many NBA’s weakest divisions. And it’s getting worse. The excellent news for the Lakers, who’re nowhere close to a High 4 crew within the West: When LeBron retires, they gained’t be overrated anymore.

5. Boston Celtics

Wager you weren’t anticipating this one. However overrated is available in many styles and sizes, and infrequently doesn’t imply: Unhealthy crew. No one would name the Mavericks and Cavaliers dangerous groups. Simply ones that gained’t meet expectations.

No one has larger expectations than the Celtics. Heck, there’s already talk of another dynasty. And, sure, the 2024 run was a dominant one—one equally the results of one of the best six-man basis in basketball and a cupcake-lined crimson carpet being rolled out in entrance of them. They wouldn’t have crushed the Nuggets within the Finals final season, they usually gained’t this 12 months, both. And that’s the way you go from dynasty goals to overrated actuality. Dynasty, certainly.