NBA 2011-12: 5 Most Disappointing Teams so Far This Season

It's easy to let the regular season come and go, especially with a shortened season such as this one, without really stopping to evaluate the progress of different teams in relation to where they should be.

Several teams have started off better than expected, but that comes at a price, as several others are struggling much more than most thought they would be.

Here are the five teams that have had the most unexpectedly disappointing starts to the 2011-12 NBA season: New York, Boston, Washington, Golden State and Dallas.

5. Washington Wizards

No one was really expecting a whole lot from the Washington Wizards this season. But no one really thought they were going to be the worst team in the league either.

Most people expected that Flip Saunders would be able to do more with this group, but after going 2-14 so far, including zero wins on the road, something needs to change.

The Wizards are primarily a selfish group, ranking 29th in the league in assists per game. Also, John Wall and some of the other young players have not progressed as expected. The schedule is only going to get more difficult for them going forward, making things even worse than they seem.

The young corps of this team should be contending for a playoff spot, not fighting to get out of the Eastern Conference cellar.

4. Golden State Warriors

Golden State is another team that wasn't expected to contend for anything major, but with the acquisition of new coach Mark Jackson, most had them pegged at least as a fringe playoff contender.

Instead, the Warriors look about the same as they do every year. Too bad to fight their way into the playoffs, but too good actually have a shot at a top pick in the lottery at the end of the season. This team is playing decently on offense, but that's not good enough when you are allowing almost 100 points per game on defense.

Stephen Curry's ankle problems certainly haven't helped things, but at some point, the Warriors may need to think about swinging a big trade and starting over with a new group.

3. Dallas Mavericks

This might be a little bit harsh to place the Dallas Mavericks on this list, but they're the defending champs, so a lot was expected of them going into this season. They are currently sitting at a respectable 10-7, but have shown some surprising problems which could put a damper on their ability to repeat this season.

They have struggled somewhat with injury issues, and Dirk Nowitzki will miss the next few games because of it. They rank in the bottom half of the league in points, rebounds and assists per game with a very good defense being the only thing keeping them in the playoff race so far.

One has to wonder how much longer their defense will hold up, with age, injuries and the loss of key players from last season all expected to play a role going forward. They are okay right now, but a lot more should be expected of the defending NBA champs, who were essentially gift-wrapped the reigning sixth man of the year during the offseason.

2. Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are in bad shape right now; there's really no other way to say it. They are currently dealing with multiple injuries to key players, averaging fewer than 90 points per game on offense.

In addition, they are currently sitting at three games under .500 in a very weak division. That record looks even worse when you consider that half of their wins have come against the Washington Wizards, who currently sport the worst record in the league.

No one would say the Celtics are out of it completely, since they have a way of hanging around and then coming back when you least expect it. But right now, this season has to be considered a disappointment.

1. New York Knicks

Not that this will come as a surprise to Knicks fans, but so far I have to put New York as the most disappointing team in the NBA. Right now they are 6-10, a half-game behind divisional rival Boston, in a season where they were supposed to not only surpass the Celtics, but also contend for an NBA title.

Nothing seems to have worked out for the Knicks lately. After missing out on LeBron James, they finally landed a couple stars (albeit overrated ones, in my opinion) in Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. In addition, the acquired Tyson Chandler during the offseason, forming what some were calling the NBA's next "Big Three." 

However, as it turns out, you can't really gut your whole team for superstars and then contend for an NBA title, unless they really are superstars. Miami has two, and Chris Bosh is good enough to carry the team on some nights as well, but New York's stars aren't good enough to carry a team by themselves. 

They gave up too much to get the big name players, and as a result, the Knicks still don't have enough depth or talent to be considered a top team. It's a shame, especially for how long New York fans waited through the most recent rebuilding process, but right now, the results indicate failure.

Can they turn it around? Yes.

Will they? Only if Anthony and Stoudemire start playing like the superstars they were supposed to be when the Knicks acquired them.