Have feedback / suggestions? Let us know!


5 NBA Teams That Will Turn Their Season Around

1 of 6

5 NBA Teams That Will Turn Their Season Around

Eric P. Mull-USA TODAY Sports

If you're a true NBA fan then you have to be excited about the remainder of the 2013-14 season. We're only a few weeks in and there's already been a lot to talk about. There are a decent amount of positive things to go over, but it's the negative that seems to get everyone's attention these days. I guess that's because when a team does well people say that it's expected, but when a team does poorly it's seemingly the end of the world.

I often find myself getting caught up in all of the hype surrounding slumping teams in the NBA, especially if some of those teams were being included in championship conversation prior to the start of the season. It is still early in the year and I know it's not completely fair to start judging teams by their records thus far, but it sure is fun.

So far this year we have seen a lot of ups and downs from even the better teams in the NBA. There are always those teams who are playing above the rest, but there's an alarming number of teams with potential to make the playoffs who've been slacking off here early on.

In this post I'm going to go over five struggling teams who will eventually turn things around for the better. That doesn't mean any of these teams will win a championship, but I'm expecting them to at least finish the season above .500 or with a playoff berth; let the games begin.


2 of 6

5. Sacramento Kings

Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

I have the Kings at No. 5 for a very good reason, and that's because I don't have a whole bunch of faith in them. DeMarcus Cousins has been a beast early on. He's averaging 21.0 points and almost 10 rebounds per game. Isaiah Thomas has been a spark-plug off of the bench adding 18.4 points per night. The rest of the Kings' squad will need more time to come into their own, but they've been showing some improvement. This team started the season 1-5 but have fought back to 4-7 thus far. This team may not make the playoffs, but they could be earning a lot of respect if they can finish off the year on a positive note.

3 of 6

4. Detroit Pistons

Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports

The Pistons have personally disappointed me so far this season. I was very high on this team entering the year, and I'm not going to back off them just yet. When you look at their roster you'll see a young group of players who just need more time to mesh. The Pistons did not make those drastic changes to their roster just to fall back into mediocrity. Even with their 4-7 record they're currently the 8th seed in an underachieving Eastern Conference. I expected this team to make the playoffs before the season started, and I'm sticking with my initial beliefs. All this team needs is more time to get comfortable as a unit and there are more than enough games left for them to do so.

4 of 6

3. Brooklyn Nets

Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

The Nets have been another very disappointing team. They're 3-8, losing three straight games and they can't seem to get healthy. This team had a lot of people fooled when they brought in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry in the offseason. The common belief was that this team would instantly be ready to compete for a NBA championship. That's obviously not the case here early on. What will happen is that team will get better as the season progresses. These savvy vets may not have much left in the tank, but they're smart enough to figure this winning stuff out. If Deron Williams can get healthy and stay healthy then there's no way this team won't find themselves with a head of steam rolling into the playoffs later in the season.

5 of 6

2. New York Knicks

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Things are looking extremely grim in New York as the Knicks have dropped four straight games this season and have a 3-8 record thus far. There have also been numerous trade rumors floating around, most involving Iman Shumpert. Head coach Mike Woodson has taken on most of the blame, but the media and fans have wisely pointed their fingers in several different directions. It's hard to get a feel for where this team is going, but I don't see them missing out on the playoffs, even if they're completely stinking it up at the moment.

6 of 6

1. Los Angeles Lakers

Danny La-USA TODAY Sports

The Lakers came out this year and immediately proved that they won't just be a welcome mat for teams to walk over and wipe their feet on. They are only 5-7, but that's all without the help of Kobe Bryant. It's safe to say that this team has made the best of their first 12 games this season. The gaping hole left by Dwight Howard is shrinking as Jordan Hill continues to prove his value as a big man in the NBA. Bryant has been practicing as of late which means he's almost ready to return to action. I expect him to lead his Lakers to the playoffs, killing all of the drama and doubt that came with the "Dwightmare."