Most talented teams to greatly underachieve

[perks-a-beast]

Also, I can’t believe I forgot to mention the 12-13 Lakers. It was so satisfying watching them fail. Also, the 2010-11 Lakers who got pulverized by Dirk and JTerry.

Most satisfying Lakers failure has to be 2003-04, surely?

2011 was the sweetest, for me, because the Lakers had just beaten the Celtics the summer prior and i was still salty (still am).

[GreenEnvy]

To challenge your assumption, are we really that talented right now?

We have one guy playing at an all-star level. Nobody else is playing as well as, say, Kris Middleton.

The projection that we’d win the Conference was based on the hope that Hayward would return at his prior level, that Horford would play like last year, that Tatum and Brown would take a leap. None of that happened.

At our current level, we’ve got a top-15 player and a bunch of top-50 to top-100 players.

Not sure what this really has to do with talent.

Sure they aren’t playing well, but that doesn’t mean these guys aren’t talented.

Harden went 1-17 from deep a few games ago. Was it apt to say “the talent just wasn’t there tonight” for him? We know what he’s capable of. We know what these individual players are capable of (no precedence of the Hayward injury ruining his career, at his age.... nor should Horford fall off a cliff when his game is no predicated on athleticism).

The young ones struggling, it’s a matter of role and fit and confidence more than not being as talented as we thought.

[celts10]

The 2003-04 and 2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers immediately come to my mind.

A "lesser" talented team would be the 2013-14 Brooklyn Nets. Lots of preseason hype with them, too, with everyone thinking they'd be able to give the Heat a run for their money and maybe even come out of the East. The Nets underperformed all year and barely got out of the first round against Toronto before getting smacked by the Heat. That was the year when KG fell off a cliff and finally looked his age.

[PhoSita]

Well, this team already came within minutes of a trip to the Finals last year while missing their best player, so most of your comparisons seem off.

How many of the teams mentioned in this thread ever made the conference finals, let alone reached a game seven?

[Roy H.]

To challenge your assumption, are we really that talented right now?

We have one guy playing at an all-star level. Nobody else is playing as well as, say, Kris Middleton.

The projection that we’d win the Conference was based on the hope that Hayward would return at his prior level, that Horford would play like last year, that Tatum and Brown would take a leap. None of that happened.

At our current level, we’ve got a top-15 player and a bunch of top-50 to top-100 players.

Not sure what this really has to do with talent.

Sure they aren’t playing well, but that doesn’t mean these guys aren’t talented.

Harden went 1-17 from deep a few games ago. Was it apt to say “the talent just wasn’t there tonight” for him? We know what he’s capable of. We know what these individual players are capable of (no precedence of the Hayward injury ruining his career, at his age.... nor should Horford fall off a cliff when his game is no predicated on athleticism).

The young ones struggling, it’s a matter of role and fit and confidence more than not being as talented as we thought.

Hayward isn’t himself. Horford isn’t himself. Their current talent level isn’t the same as their reputation.

Those guys aren’t underachieving, they’re hurt and/or rusty and/or old.  They’re playing up to their current capacity.  Hayward isn’t capable of more right now. Horford isn’t, either.

Maybe this team is exactly where it should be. Again, as of right now, they’ve got one all-star and a bunch of good players with high ceilings. 

[playdream]

Last year Rozier and Brown followed Bard's lead and overachieved greatly, then they became self-entitled and spoiled, complain about their roles and didn't follow the coaching so they came back to who they really are

Danny need to make a move sooner rather than later or this year is finished