The NBA season is a third of the way complete. And while some teams have performed well up to this point, others would rather forget the last couple of months and focus on improving at the start of the new year.
So, with 2016 coming to a close in a little over a week, let’s take a look at some of the teams that have struggled but should improve in 2017.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers, who made it all the way to the Western Conference semifinals last season, have lost eight of their last nine games. They are currently occupying the eighth seed in the Western Conference, but several teams are hot on their trail. And while Portland is one of the highest-scoring teams in the NBA, the Trail Blazers are struggling defensively, allowing the third-most points per game (112.8).
But you should know better than to count out Damian Lillard.
“Our team has faith,” Lillard told the Associated Press after losing a 96-95 decision at home against the lowly Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night. “The best thing is we know we haven’t shown our best.”
The best is yet to come for the Trail Blazers, who will try to turn things around in 2017.
Dallas Mavericks
At 8-21, the Mavericks are tied with the Phoenix Suns for the second-worst record in the NBA, this coming from a team that has made the playoffs the past three seasons. The reason for Dallas’ struggles early on is quite simple. Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks’ star player and all-time leading scorer, has been limited to only five games this season because of an Achilles injury.
But Nowitzki is close to returning. The 18-year veteran recently resumed practicing and said he expects to play at some point in December. It’s tough to say if the Mavericks will be a playoff team after getting off to such a poor start, but they will definitely improve in 2017 if Nowitzki can stay healthy.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans began the season without starting point guard Jrue Holiday, who missed the first 12 games to care for his wife, after she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. New Orleans lost 10 games during that 12-game stretch, but won four straight games upon Holiday’s return. And while the Pelicans have played better with Holiday back in the lineup, they understand time is running out to figure out their identity.
“We don’t have that much time. We’re trying to catch up. We’ve got to do whatever we’re going to do as fast as possible,” Pelicans star Anthony Davis told ESPN.com.
Despite their 10-21 record, the Pelicans are just three games behind Portland for the eighth seed. If they can figure out what type of team they are, the Pelicans might just make the playoffs.
Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers are dead last in the league standings at 7-21, but they have yet to be fully healthy. Joel Embiid (foot) is still playing with a minutes restriction, Nerlens Noel (knee) is getting back into shape and Ben Simmons (foot) has yet to make his NBA debut.
When the 76ers manage to get healthy, though, watch out. They probably won’t be a playoff team this year, but they will definitely be fun to watch with all that talent playing together.
Washington Wizards
The Wizards were supposed to be better for hiring ex-Thunder coach Scott Brooks, but they stumbled out of the gate, losing nine of their first 12 games. For a moment, it appeared the Wizards would be doomed to miss the playoffs for a second straight year, but they have suddenly turned it around in the month of December. Washington has won seven of its last 10 games, and the backcourt duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal has been nothing short of impressive.
Wall is averaging 25.2 points and 10.1 assists per game this month, while Beal is averaging 24.0 points per game and shooting 40.7 percent from deep in December. Washington’s bench has played poorly this season, but the Wizards appear to be trending upward after beating the Clippers, Hornets and Bulls this month.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves have too much talent on their roster and too good of a coach to have only nine wins through the first 28 games of the season, but that is where Minnesota stands heading into the holiday weekend. Despite hiring a defensive-minded coach in Tom Thibodeau, the Timberwolves are allowing a little more than 106 points per game and opponents are shooting 46.5 percent against them. Likewise, Minnesota has three players averaging 20-plus points per game, and yet the Timberwolves rank in the bottom half of the league in scoring.
But things are looking up for Minnesota after the Timberwolves won for the third time in four games Wednesday in Atlanta.
“We just feel more confident in ourselves,” Karl-Anthony Towns told the Minneapolis Star Tribune after a 92-84 victory over the Hawks. “I told you after we won in Chicago, we have a different swagger, a different walk, a different talk. That’s a sign we’re growing.”
We should see a much-improved Timberwolves team in 2017.
Chicago Bulls
Although Chicago has not dipped below .500 this season, the Bulls are in a little bit of funk, having lost seven of their last 10 games, and they are struggling to close out games. Chicago is averaging a league-worst 22.5 points in the fourth quarter and shooting 37.2 percent in the final 12 minutes, which is also a league-worst, according to ESPN.com. And while Chicago is top-five in points allowed per game, the Bulls aren’t getting it done on offense. They average a little over 101 points per game and shoot a league-worst 30.7 percent from beyond the arc.
But this is the same Bulls team that defeated Cleveland and San Antonio earlier this season, which has been difficult for other teams to accomplish. The Los Angeles Clippers are the only other team to have beaten both the Cavaliers and Spurs this season, so the Bulls must be doing something right. They just need to be more consistent.
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks, like the Bulls and Trail Blazers, are struggling despite occupying a playoff spot. Atlanta, which was tied for the East lead at 9-2 in mid-November, imploded soon after, losing seven straight games, and the Hawks have become wildly inconsistent. After beating Oklahoma City on the road Monday, the Hawks lost to an inferior Timberwolves team at home Wednesday night.
“That’s life in the NBA,” Millsap told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “You win an emotional game on the road, a big-time game, and then you come home, play a team that you are supposed to beat and you lose. It’s the NBA. Every night you have to bring that same intensity.”
The Hawks had better bring that same intensity into 2017 or they won’t be making the playoffs for the first time since 2006-07.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets are nipping at the heels of the Trail Blazers for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. They’ve won four of their last six games, including double-digit wins at home against Portland, New York and Dallas. Wilson Chandler is having a career year after missing the entire 2015-16 season following hip surgery. The 29-year-old forward is leading the team in scoring with 16.8 points per game. The Nuggets also have one of the top benches in the league, ranking third in points behind only the Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Lakers.
The big question is: Will Denver trade away Will Barton? The 25-year-old guard is having another solid year, but there have been rumors that other teams are interested in acquiring him. The Nuggets are a better team with him in the lineup, but who knows what they’ll do at the trade deadline.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks are still rebuilding but have shown flashes of being a playoff team this season. They beat the Bulls twice last week and played two hard-fought games against the Cavaliers in back-to-back nights this week. Although Milwaukee is a young team, the Bucks are capable of pushing the best teams in the league to their limits. It starts with Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is leading the team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals. Jabari Parker is also playing well. The former No. 2 overall pick is averaging a career-high 20.1 points per game.
The Bucks are a lot like the Timberwolves with the young talent they have. At some point, it has to pay off. This might be the year that it does.
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