What is the most overrated team in the NBA this year?

[Donoghus]

Lakers: Not bc I think they are below a championship caliber team, but bc the hype in LA is ridiculous and they played NOBODY.   Right now talk radio in LA is saying that Lamar Odoms is the 2010 MVP bc he dropped 25 on the Kings...OK

The Lakers are SO over hyped right now.

As a fantasy owner of Lamar Odom in 2 fantasy leagues, I can tell you I'm extremely happy with his start to the season. 

[housecall]

Lakers: Not bc I think they are below a championship caliber team, but bc the hype in LA is ridiculous and they played NOBODY.   Right now talk radio in LA is saying that Lamar Odoms is the 2010 MVP bc he dropped 25 on the Kings...OK

The Lakers are SO over hyped right now.

TP,I agree with your post and have wondered who are the Lakers paying off for the last couple seasons with the lightweight scheduling they get to start the seasons off with...also they have the fewest amount of back to backs scheduled this season...also disagree with the OP of the thread about the Jazz.I don't feel they are as bad as he is saying.I watched them and Big Al is starting to fit in just fine.I disagree that its this big dropoff from Boozer to Jefferson.

[CelticG1]

I don't know why the Jazz are in this discussion. Do people think they are going to be the same or better than last year? I think most people see them taking a decent step down this year.

I think they could end up being very good if AJ and AK47 have break out/comeback years

[Who]

Nobody really stands out as over-rated to me.

The standard view on the Western Conference is that LA is the only sure fire contender and then there are a huge range of views on who the next 3-4 teams are and how much of a threat they really are to LA. That sounds about right. Only the odd mention of Utah or Phoenix being in that group seems off ... but five other teams (HOU, POR, DAL, SAS, OKC) are arguable. Plus, that they have good depth and lots of competition for the final couple of playoff spots. 

In the East, it's generally agreed that three best teams are Miami, Boston and Orlando. Chicago are the fourth best. Atlanta and Milwaukee will be jostling for fifth and sixth positions. And then that the final two playoff spots are fairly open and could be just about anyone.

That seems about right to me.

[Fafnir]

Lakers: Not bc I think they are below a championship caliber team, but bc the hype in LA is ridiculous and they played NOBODY.   Right now talk radio in LA is saying that Lamar Odoms is the 2010 MVP bc he dropped 25 on the Kings...OK

The Lakers are SO over hyped right now.

As a fantasy owner of Lamar Odom in 2 fantasy leagues, I can tell you I'm extremely happy with his start to the season. 

Odom will fall back to earth once Bynum comes back, he's far more productive in a starting role with more offensive responsibility.

[Donoghus]

Lakers: Not bc I think they are below a championship caliber team, but bc the hype in LA is ridiculous and they played NOBODY.   Right now talk radio in LA is saying that Lamar Odoms is the 2010 MVP bc he dropped 25 on the Kings...OK

The Lakers are SO over hyped right now.

As a fantasy owner of Lamar Odom in 2 fantasy leagues, I can tell you I'm extremely happy with his start to the season. 

Odom will fall back to earth once Bynum comes back, he's far more productive in a starting role with more offensive responsibility.

Well, I'll take the stats as I can get them.  Especially from a guy who I nabbed in the latter rounds. (9th in one league, 10th in the other).  Pleasant surprise.

[xmuscularghandix]

The Thunder.

[Celtics17]

Until Miami actually does something I am going with them. Teh odds makers already have them as the favs. to win the title. I am not saying they won't but if we are talking about overhype they get my award for it, at least until they prove they can at least get to the Eastern conference Finals.

[screwedupmaniac]

I'm gonna go with...the Mavericks. Cuz they're overrated every year, and no one ever learns their lesson to not trust Dallas.

[guava_wrench]

The Thunder.

I might go with them too.

Durant is great, but they may have over-performed last season. They have become such darlings that it is easy to overvalue them.

[moiso]

The Thunder have been overrated but they still have enough talent to do some damage.

The Bucks are overrated by many(not me) because they overachieved last year.  They don't have a very talented team but they played over their heads last year.  The roster just isn't very good.  Their additions were also highly overrated by some.  Maggette and Gooden put up numbers but are career losers and have never really made teams better.  So my vote is the Bucks.

[Mike-Dub]

The NO Hornets and the Houston Rockets are currently in the running for the "Mutt and Jeff" award going to the most overrated and underrated teams.

Hornets at 4-0 are going to hit the ceiling, then the floor.

The Rockets (0-4) with a pretty good Yao Ming, Dampier, and Brad Miller rotation are going to do stuff. And we're going to watch.

Exactly how I feel IP.  The Hornets are flawed and Chris Paul makes up for it in the regular season.  The Rockets IMO are going to be serious contenders later on during the season.

And if Yao is healthy by the end of the year and is playing back to his '08-'09 form watch out they can challenge the Lakers because IMO the Rockets would have beaten the Lakers in 0-09 had Yao not gotten injured, but the Lakers are better now so that's why I say can challenge and not beat yet.

[PosImpos]

Bulls.

They're not a contender.  Rose still has a ways to go, Boozer is not great on defense or on the boards and he's injury prone, and as a team they really lack outside shooting.

I would also say the Lakers, just because people talk about them as if they are even better than last year and a shoe-in for the Finals.  I just don't think it's that simple. 

[guava_wrench]

Bulls.

They're not a contender.  Rose still has a ways to go, Boozer is not great on defense or on the boards and he's injury prone, and as a team they really lack outside shooting.

I would also say the Lakers, just because people talk about them as if they are even better than last year and a shoe-in for the Finals.  I just don't think it's that simple. 

I'm not sure expectations are that high until Boozer gets back.

They could use some 3pt shooters though.

[guava_wrench]

I don't know why the Jazz are in this discussion. Do people think they are going to be the same or better than last year? I think most people see them taking a decent step down this year.

I think they could end up being very good if AJ and AK47 have break out/comeback years

Agreed.