Teams that have disappointed in the NBA

The Los Angeles Lakers’ struggles are just one of several disappointments around the league as the 2021-22 campaign gets underway.

The Los Angeles Lakers have had a tough time on the court without superstar LeBron James. And even with his return, the team is playing below .500.

With how poorly Frank Vogel’s team is playing, coupled with the age factor? Could it be that James’ window to win his fifth ring has closed?

Also, how far can the Nets go without Kyrie Irving, and do they challenge the Lakers for the early disappointment of the year, considering they were the betting favorites?

Finally, the Milwaukee Bucks are showing signs of life after their slow start to the tournament. But what is the future of Giannis Antetokounmpo?

Our experts answer these and more questions about the disappointments of the early season.

Which team has disappointed the most so far this season?
After the amount of big moves they made in the off-season, the noise of their signings and what was expected, I think the biggest disappointment after 20% of the season has been played is the Los Angeles Lakers.

We all thought that having LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, DeAndre Jordan, Rajon Rondo and Dwight Howard, just to name a few of their big men, would make coach Frank Vogel’s Lakers a powerhouse. And their 8-9 (.471) record, after Friday’s humiliating loss to the Boston Celtics, makes it clear that the Yellow and Purple are going to have to suffer mightily to even stay in the Play-in zone.

So far, there are a couple of factors that are proving right those who criticized these ‘old’ Lakers. The most important one is the injuries that, due to the number of games they have been playing, are affecting the Los Angeles Lakers, who for now it seems that not even the LeBron factor is enough to be among the top four in the West.

The other, and this is probably just speculation, is the atmosphere in the locker room. It must be very complicated for Vogel and his staff to amalgamate so many egos in pursuit of a common goal.

For now I see complicated an improvement in Lakers, but the campaign is young and in spurts, so sooner or later the time may come for them to shut their mouths.

2. LeBron does not win another title in his career. Given how bad these Lakers have looked in 2021-22: fact or fiction?

With how difficult it is to make a long-term prognosis, at this point I’m inclined to think the possibility of being fact is much more concrete than fiction.

While it’s true that these Lakers have had to deal with a lot of injuries, including LeBron James missing nine games, they’ve also had a favorable schedule in which, of the 18 games played, 12 have been on their home floor. However, they have not been able to string together a positive record until today.

What is most surprising is the lack of play, chemistry and identity. Today they are not title contenders for several reasons: they have allowed more points to their opponents than they have scored (in the first 17 games they averaged 113.3 points against and only 109.2 in favor), they also lose with their rivals in the statistics of rebounds, assists, steals and turnovers. Visits to the free throw line are also less than those of their rivals. And in only one game did the defense allow less than 100 points when the Rockets scored just 85 on Oct. 31.

I don’t have the crystal ball to predict how long this bad patch can last, but from what I’ve seen so far and as coach Frank Vogel himself has acknowledged, there are a lot of nuts to tighten with this roster. In any case, I’m inclined to agree that even LeBron won’t be able to lead the Lakers to a coveted 18th championship this season if they can’t find a way to defend effectively and find an identity as a team.

Giannis said his next challenge “might not” be in Milwaukee. Did we see his one championship with the Bucks yet?

If it were just about the first month’s results, yes. But the season is a long one and what we saw in the first 14 games is a mirage that doesn’t reflect what the Bucks can become in May and June.

Milwaukee got off to a 6-8 start, and during that span they’ve had Khris Middleton (8 games out due to COVID-19 protocol) Jrue Holiday (6 games, ankle) and Brook Lopez, who only played the first game of the season due to a back injury. With their entire roster healthy and Giannis playing at his JMV level, Milwaukee is still a title contender.

While it is true that they have more competition with a Kevin Durant-led Nets and a Heat with great potential, it is no less true that the best version of this team can beat anyone and should be in the discussion of the Eastern Conference title.

This is not the first time Giannis has talked about a future outside of Milwaukee, although it is the first since he signed his Super Max extension. The Greek is under contract through the 2024-25 season, and controls a $50 million-plus option for 2025-26. As long as he remains in Milwaukee, the Bucks have a good chance to be a multiple champion. But if management doesn’t keep a stellar core around him, no one should be surprised if he goes elsewhere.