The NBA’s Biggest Disappointments So Far
By Peter Hong
As the first quarter of the NBA comes to a halt, regular season play has not disappointed many critics and fans. The Los Angeles Lakers are looking sharper than ever, especially due to the help of two MVP caliber players, LeBron James and Anthony Davis; the 1st place Lakers look to secure their 8th consecutive win against the Indiana Pacers tomorrow. In the Eastern Conference, the Milwaukee Bucks are dominating their opponents, and they currently hold a 24 to 3 record that puts them at the top of their conference. Many superstar duos are also drawing massive attention as they keep fans on their heels with their energetic and exciting play. However, the season has not been 100% perfect, as many hyped-up players and teams have not yet fulfilled their season’s expectations.
Once a NBA powerhouse, the Golden State Warriors look to rebuild their team this season following the departure of all-star Kevin Durant and the injuries of Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry. As the last seed in the Western Conference, the Warriors have already been deemed irrelevant in this year’s playoff picture. Rookie play has been subpar as well, as many rookies are battling gruesome injuries. Zion Williamson, the former number one overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, is expected to miss several weeks of play after an injury that turned out to be much more than “right knee soreness.” The 10th overall pick, Cam Reddish, has also disappointed many NBA fanatics as well. His poor shooting and lack of consistency has deemed him to be a borderline starter on the struggling Atlanta Hawks team led by Trae Young. Rookie De’Andre Hunter has seen his production levels slump as well, and the expectations for the Atlanta Hawks has dipped as a result. In Salt Lake City, Utah, the Jazz also fail to live up to preseason expectations. With the additions of Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdonavic, the Utah Jazz were expected to be able to compete with the top tier teams in the Western Conference. Finally, the Portland Trail Blazers have been mediocre this season even after the signing of free agent Carmelo Anthony. They are currently the 12th seed in the Western Conference, but still have hopes in making playoff contention.
