Fansided

5 biggest disappointments of the 2016-17 NBA season

By Dre Elder

Jan 18, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) reacts as fans chant his name after a score against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 18, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) reacts as fans chant his name after a score against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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The playoffs are fast approaching, so let’s take a look back at the five biggest disappointments from the 2016-17 NBA season.

Yes, the forthcoming slideshow will outline the five biggest disappointments of the 2016-17 NBA season. But this season offered much more.

We saw the Golden State Warriors plus Kevin Durant. We saw Russell Westbrook’s unrelenting aggression produce one of the greatest individual seasons in history. And James Harden’s wizardry coupled with the Houston Rockets’ success, has him in MVP contention again.

Yet, the disappointments still managed to stand out. There were teams who could not get out of their own way, a forgettable draft class, a player who’s brilliance left us clamoring for more, and duds for days during All-Star Weekend.

5

New York Knicks

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A lot has transpired for the Knicks since Derrick Rose proclaimed them a “super team” last August. Phil Jackson sparked a national conversation on race with his “posse” comments in reference to LeBron James’ business partners. The Knicks tried their damnedest to trade Carmelo Anthony before ultimately benching him.

And they secured their third straight season with 50 or more losses.The Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas set the Knicks’ over/under win total at 40, so congrats to those who took the under.

Though rising star Kristaps Porzingis improved on his rookie numbers, his play was inconsistent and underwhelming. The aforementioned Carmelo Anthony performed near his career averages, but his contributions were largely insignificant.

On Dec. 11, the Knicks defeated the Lakers 118-112 to notch their sixth win in seven games. The win brought their record to 14-10, giving them their highest win percentage (.583) since the 2012-13 season. Then, the wheels started to come off. The Knicks lost seven of their last nine games to close out December. Since Jan. 1, the Knicks have a winning percentage of .298 and have recently opted to play their younger players.

Their season has been a melodrama of sorts, but Spanish rookie Willy Hernangomez has been one of few bright spots for the Knicks. Hernangomez has nearly averaged a double-double over the last two months. He tied a career-high by scoring 24 points and snagged 11 rebounds in Sunday’s loss to the Raptors.

In the end, the Knicks somehow figured out how to be disappointing even in the absence of real expectations. But the only person that should be surprised by this is Derrick Rose. The Knicks are who we thought they were.

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