X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

3 NBA Contenders Who Could Bust In The Playoffs

Aidin Ebrahim lays out the reasons why these three powerhouse teams could stumble in the NBA playoffs despite the perception they should title contenders.

At the start of every NBA season, most teams (with the exception of tanking teams), have the same dream; lifting the Larry O'Brien trophy by the end of the season. Of course, winning an NBA championship depends on many factors, most of which are outside the players, coaches, and owner's control.

Assembling the most talented and star-studded teams does not always equate to winning the championship in June, as many franchises, like the Brooklyn Nets, have found that out the hard way.

With that in mind, this article will focus on three top-heavy teams who, despite all their talent, might struggle come playoff time and ultimately fall short in their quest for an NBA championship.

Featured Promo: Get any Props Premium Pass for 50% off using code SUMMER. Win more with our two new Props Optimizer tools -- one for PrizePicks Props, and one for Sportsbook Betting Props. Find optimal prop bets and get our recommended picks daily! Go Premium, Win More!

 

1. The Philadelphia 76ers (43-22): 3rd in East

Last season, Philadelphia's solid defense struggled due to the absence and eventual departure of their former number-one overall pick, Ben Simmons. In Simmons' final two seasons with Philadelphia, he paired up with Matisse Thybulle to create a fearsome defensive duo. Simmons and Thybulle combined for a defensive box plus/minus of 5.4 in 2019-20, and 6.7 in 2020-21.

This season, the Sixers added De'Anthony Melton to their side, and Melton and Thybulle combined for a DBPM of 5.1 before the trade deadline. That number could have been even higher had Doc Rivers not limited Thybulle's playing time. Philadelphia eventually traded the former Washington Husky to the Trail Blazers, in a move where Philly received Jalen McDaniels.

The move has proved to be a flop so far, as Thybulle is flourishing in Portland, while McDaniels has been solid, but unspectacular in his new team. McDaniels has been struggling on the defensive end ever since moving to "The City of Brotherly Love", as he's currently averaging a putrid -0.9 DBPM.  This means that the team now has to rely on Melton and an almost 38-year-old P.J. Tucker to be their main perimeter defenders. Tucker still occasionally produces moments of defensive brilliance, but those moments are becoming fewer and fewer.

Essentially, this is still last season's Sixers team with Joel Embiid, James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, and Tobias Harris, without their best defender. And they're coached by Doc Rivers, a man who has been cursed ever since leading the 2008 Celtics to an NBA championship. Even if they stay completely healthy (which is a big "if", due to the injury history of players like Embiid), winning the championship, or even making it to the NBA Finals, looks unlikely.

 

2. The Sacramento Kings (38-26): 2nd in West

We all know that the Kings have not made the Playoffs since 2006, and barring any significant injuries, they'll almost certainly make the Playoffs this season. The Kings are now just two wins away from getting their first 40-win season since 2005-2006. Between the 2006-07 and 2021-22 seasons, The Sacramento Kings have had a record of 467-809, an average of 30 wins in an 82-game season. While there are still many doubts about this team, optimism is at an all-time high in Sacramento. The biggest doubt with this team is their overall lack of experience in the postseason. Of the 10 Kings players currently averaging more than 10 minutes per game, only five have ever appeared in the Playoffs.

Among these players, Trey Lyles only played in five games, Terence Davis only played in six, and Domantas Sabonis had played in nine Playoff games before 2019. His first real test came against Boston in the 2019 Playoffs, as he was tasked with leading his team without Victor Oladipo. Sabonis shrunk under the bright lights of the postseason, only averaging 8.5 points per game in that series, with his Field Goal% going down by 17.6% from the regular season. Kevin Huerter has played in 23 Playoff games and contributed to his team's success in the 2021 Playoffs. Still, that run is mainly remembered due to Trae Young, and Huerter only ranked 7th in his squad in Playoff PER and Playoff Win Shares per 48 among the Hawks' main Playoff contributors in 2021.

That leaves Harrison Barnes as Sacramento's player with the most Playoff experience, with 64 Playoff games played. Barnes does have an NBA championship on his resume, however, he hasn't played a Playoff game since game seven of the 2016 NBA Finals, where he averaged 5 points on 5-32 shooting in games 5 through 7, allowing the Cavaliers to complete their historic comeback. I could see De'Aaron Fox having a great Playoff debut, While Sabonis and Barnes certainly have the talent to redeem themselves in the postseason. They could even win a series or two. But their overall lack of experience is concerning, and it can stop them from making it out of the West.

 

3. The Phoenix Suns (36-29): 4th in West

As of the time of writing, according to Betway's betting odds, the Suns have the 2nd best odds of winning the NBA championship, with odds of +400. And it's not hard to see why. Their "Big Four" is among the best and most talented "Big Fours" in NBA history. If luck is by their side, they have the best chance to make it out of the West, due to their sheer amount of talent. But recently, we've learned that so-called "Superteams" like this, usually don't end up so well. Just look at what happened to all the 'Superteams" after Durant left Golden State. Durant's Nets had arguably even more talent than the Suns, but crashed and burned due to an unprecedented stroke of bad luck, while the Lakers with LeBron, AD, and Russell Westbrook had a record of 58-80.

With their acquisition of Durant, the Suns also lost a part of their identity; their solid bench unit. Since the beginning of the Chris Paul era in Arizona, the Suns have ranked around the middle of the league in points per game off the bench. They ranked 14th in 2020-21 with 37 points per game off the bench, 18th with 35.4 points per game off the bench in 2021-22, and they were making a big improvement this year, ranking 11th with 35.6 points per game off the bench. Since Durant's debut, that number has dropped to a putrid 26 points per game off the bench, which would rank them 29th in the entire league.

Obviously, star players play more in the Playoffs, so when your starters are so talented, the bench shouldn't be much of a concern, just ask the Durant-era Warriors. However, this team has one major difference from those Warriors teams, and that's age. When the Warriors added Durant in the 2016 offseason, all four of the Warriors stars were 28 or younger, while Phoenix has two players who are 34 or older. And the moment that the Warriors experienced injuries in the postseason (namely the 2019 NBA Finals), they crumbled.  In the past three seasons, KD has missed 87 games, while Devin Booker has missed 46 games, Chris Paul has missed 40, and Deandre Ayton has missed 36. This team, while supremely talented, is injury prone, and with no reliable bench unit to fill the gaps, an injury to one of their stars can potentially shatter their NBA championship hopes.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy basketball mobile app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, lineup notifications & DFS articles. All free!

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jake Meyers

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Calf Strain
Brandon Lowe

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Oblique Tightness
Kodai Senga

Reinstated to Start on Friday
Alex Bregman

Officially Activated and Starting on Friday
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Chicago Bears

Bears Extend General Manager Ryan Poles
Dalton Knecht

Avoids Serious Injury
MarShawn Lloyd

in a "Much Better Spot" Heading Into Training Camp
Javon Small

Signs Two-Way Deal
Dustin Hopkins

Browns Still Counting on Dustin Hopkins
Demarcus Robinson

Sentenced to Three Years of Probation
Jalen Nailor

In Line for WR3 Role in Minnesota
Andrew Thomas

Could Miss Start of 2025 Season
Alex Bregman

Expected to Return on Friday
Julio Rodríguez

Julio Rodriguez Won't Suit Up for Midsummer Classic
Trey Smith

Chiefs, Trey Smith Expected to Work Out Long-Term Extension
Bernhard Raimann

a Candidate for an Extension This Summer
C.J. Stroud

Could Sign Multi-Year Deal Before 2026 Season
Kyle Juszczyk

Says Christian McCaffrey Looks Healthy, Explosive
Kyren Williams

Showing Improved Explosiveness
Christian Barmore

"Dominant" this Spring
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Homers Twice, Drives in Three
Brice Matthews

Joining Astros
MLB

White Sox-Guardians Postponed on Thursday
Brandon Aiyuk

Likely to Begin Season on PUP List, but Not Ruled Out for Week 1
Jameson Williams

Not in the Team's Long-Term Plans?
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Micah Parsons

Plans to be Present for Start of Training Camp
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Ikem Ekwonu

Next Up for Extension in Carolina?
Jalen Thompson

Heading into Last Year With Cardinals?
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Najee Harris

Suffers Eye Injury in Fireworks Mishap
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Alex Bregman

Will Return to Red Sox This Weekend
Chris Sale

Braves Won't Consider Trading Chris Sale
Clarke Schmidt

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery on Friday
Nick Nash

Unlikely to Make Falcons Active Roster
Lane Johnson

in No Rush To Retire
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Blake Corum

has "Gotten His Speed Back"
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF