NBA Tank Rankings: All-Star Weekend edition
By Brad Rowland
NBA All-Star Weekend is rightly focused on the best of the best and, to be candid, most of the teams on this list don’t employ a single player that is relevant on the grand stage this season. If you haven’t noticed, we’re here to talk about tanking.
Not every member of this quintet is actively trying to lose basketball games, but some of them certainly are and all five are definitely suffering in the standings. In this space each week, we discuss the worst of the worst in ranking form, and that won’t change while the league is focused on the stars of past and present. Now, let’s get to the list before anyone notices that we aren’t talking about LeBron or Steph.
(23-32). Previous: . New York Knicks. 5. team. 27. <p>Okay, this is a little bit harsh.</p> <p>The Knicks haven’t “earned” this nod based on their full-season results, but things are obscenely ugly in Manhattan right now. Derek Fisher was let go by the organization this week in a move that stunned much of the league, and on the court, the team is really scuffling on the heels of six straight losses.</p> <p>It should be noted that New York’s early success likely raised expectations to unsustainable levels, but at the same time, Fisher’s performance was seen as bad enough to be fired midseason. Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis are both quite good, but aside from a few additional veterans, this isn’t the best roster.</p> <p>The Knicks shouldn’t be in the bottom five for long, but the dysfunction in the ranks and their recent skid provide the rationale for inclusion this time.</p>
Next: Nets and Sixers