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Ranking The 5 Most Disappointing Teams In The NBA

By Gerald Bourguet

November 7, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) moves the ball against Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
November 7, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) moves the ball against Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 25, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) reacts against the Phoenix Suns in the second half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Pelicans defeated the Suns 120-114. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

3. New Orleans Pelicans

If this list were determined by record alone, the New Orleans Pelicans would easily be the most disappointing team of the bunch. At 4-11, they may have already doomed their hopes of building on last year’s playoff appearance, digging a hole that’s too big to climb out of.

Then again, the Pellies have won three straight games — against two very good teams — and are only three games behind the Suns for the seventh spot in the Western standings. There are plenty of reasons to feel optimistic about this team that’s finally building momentum, especially with Tyreke Evans on the verge of returning.

It won’t be easy, with the Pelicans’ upcoming schedule doing them exactly ZERO favors:

But the Pelicans are trending in the right direction, and the playoffs aren’t that far out of reach.

Ish Smith has been a God-send, Ryan Anderson‘s hands might actually be flamethrowers, and despite their appalling start to the Alvin Gentry era, it’s worth remembering that New Orleans has a top-5 player capable of taking over a game on any given night. That alone gives them a fighting chance with the West showing major, random signs of regression.

The Pellies still need major work on the defensive end as the league’s 29th ranked defense, but that should improve now that Omer Asik is back and it’ll get even better once Evans returns. To this point they’ve largely underwhelmed, but the reason they don’t top the list is there’s light at the end of this tunnel.

Next: No. 2