NBA Schedule 2016-17: 5 toughest schedules

By John Buhler | Aug 12, 2016

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 08: Brook Lopez #11 of the Brooklyn Nets in action against the Denver Nuggets at the Barclays Center on February 8, 2016 in Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Nets defeated the Nuggets 105-104. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

6 of 6

Mar 29, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) drives to the basket as Orlando Magic center Dewayne Dedmon (3) defends during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

player. 147. . East. Atlantic. Brooklyn Nets. 1

With the Philadelphia 76ers almost certainly going to be better than the 10-win club they were last year, the lowly Brooklyn Nets are an easy pick to be not only the worst team in the Eastern Conference, but probably the worst team in basketball in 2016-17.

The new head coach/general manager pairing of Kenny Atkinson and Sean Marks seem like good long-term fits for Brooklyn, but it will be years before the Nets are anything more than an Eastern Conference doormat in the NBA. Outside of Jeremy Lin and Brook Lopez, where is the Nets’ star power entering this season.

They’ll have a hard time winning games in an Atlantic Division with an elite Eastern Conference team in the Toronto Raptors, a perennial playoff team in the Boston Celtics, and a much-improved New York Knicks team. Brooklyn’s best bet to not finish in the cellar is to top Philadelphia, but even now that feels like a stretch.

Out of the Southeast Division, the Nets will face the Atlanta Hawks four times and the Charlotte Hornets four times. It may be a down year for the Southeast Division with the Miami Heat presumably taking a big step back in 2016-17, but Atlanta and Charlotte should be the two most likely teams competing for a division crown. Sadly for Brooklyn fans, they’ll get both playoff caliber teams the maximum number of times.

Next: Toughest NBA Teams Of All-Time

The Central Division might be the deepest division in the entire NBA. The Cleveland Cavaliers are almost a lock to make the NBA Finals with LeBron James still in the last few years of his prime. No team in the NBA improved more this offseason than the Indiana Pacers, now probably the second best team in the East. The Detroit Pistons are playoff caliber and both the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bulls will be interesting to watch at the very least.

If any team in the NBA is guaranteed to win fewer than 20 games this upcoming season, it has to be the Nets. The Eastern Conference is getting better and the Nets have crippled their present and future with so many bad front office moves from years past.

Home/NBA