Sports
NBA's Top Five Most Overrated Teams Entering 2024-25 Season
Mar 14, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) shoots the ball over Phoenix Suns center Bol Bol (11) during the first half at TD Garden. credits: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports It wasn’t long ago that someone suggested commissioner David Stern get rid of the two-conference setup in the NBA.
When Stern retired 10 years ago, the Western Conference was dominating the East. In the post-Michael Jordan/Bulls era, Western teams captured 11 of 16 titles, leading into the end of Stern’s run.
What Stern was presiding over was getting embarrassing. If you didn’t have LeBron James, you had no chance in the East.
Twice within six years, the Suns won at least 46 games in the West and didn’t make the playoffs. Meanwhile, between 2004 and 2011, the East sent three teams forward with 37 or fewer wins.
Not only was it not fair that vastly superior Western teams were being denied shots at the crown, but with teams playing a majority of their games within their own conference, it was much more difficult just to reach .500 in the West than in the East.
Stern handed the problem to Adam Silver, who, like his predecessor, insisted the balance of power was cyclical. And sure enough, he’s been proven right.
In fact, it might not be long before analysts start complaining about the WEAKNESS of the West.
In compiling a list of the NBA’s Five Most Overrated Teams, it would be easy to list all Western teams.
Some have gotten old, yet nobody seems to have noticed. Some have made playoff runs that belie their regular-season mediocrity, which has led to bloated expectations.
And one, well, has LeBron, which makes them an automatic choice as a contender, even when recently history has strongly indicated otherwise.
In the end, you could argue more than half of the West’s 15 teams are overrated.
Meanwhile, the Eastern order of finish is about as predictable as college football. For the most part, it’s the same teams every year.
Missing by a couple of places in a projected order of finish in the East is inevitable. But on the overrated scale, that doesn’t compare to the West, where you have a projected finalist that’ll be lucky to survive the first round of the 2025 playoffs and a division favorite that’s more likely to finish last than first.
As the sun sets on a handful of franchises in the West, here are my Five Most Overrated Teams for the 2024-25 NBA season:
1. Phoenix Suns
Dec 15, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) reacts after scoring against the New York Knicks in the first half at Footprint Center. credits: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports Someone thought it would be a good idea to add a third “superstar” to the Kevin Durant/Devin Booker dynamic. He was wrong. Bradley Beal is your classic great scorer on a bad team. The fact that he’s never played an ounce of defense in his life wasn’t important on a perennial loser like the Wizards.
The Suns lacked depth in their thoroughly disappointing 2024 season; that was due in part to getting nothing out of Beal. Now someone has decided to run it back, with minimal additions, and oddsmakers are buying into the second-chance thing, making the Suns the favorites in the Pacific Division. Remember you heard it here first: The Kings are a lock to win the Pacific. If not for the mess known as the Clippers, the Suns would be a nice bet to finish last.
2. Dallas Mavericks
Oct 10, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic reacts on the bench during the first half against the Utah Jazz at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images They were no better than the fifth-best team in the West last season, the beneficiary of lackluster competition in a run to the Finals. To get there—where they were shellacked by the Celtics—they took advantage of a reeling Clippers team, a not-ready-for-prime-time Thunder squad, and a favorable matchup against an oversized Timberwolves roster.
The Mavericks would like to think they’re better this season, but let’s be honest about the acquisition of Klay Thompson. He still thinks he warrants 10 3-pointers a night, but at his age, his vision seems to have become impaired, while his ability to play defense has disappeared. It’s a toss-up who complains first about a lack of shooting opportunities—Thompson or Kyrie Irving—and that should open the door for the Pelicans and Grizzlies both to pass the Mavs in the Southwest Division.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
May 11, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts in the fourth quarter of game three of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports OK, we’ve got to throw an Eastern team in here, so here goes. The East has four tiers: The Elite (Celtics), The Only Teams With A Remote Chance of Unseating The Elite (Knicks, 76ers, Bucks), The First-Round Playoff Fodder (Magic, Pacers, Heat, Bulls, Hawks) and The Cooper Flagg Hopefuls (Hornets, Pistons, Raptors, Nets, Wizards). All very predictable.
Uh, forgetting one? Yep, the Cavaliers, who would like to believe they belong in Category II. In fact, that’s where they landed last year… by one game over the Magic, Pacers and 76ers. All three of them figure to be better this year, while the Cavs apparently think they were good enough last year. Perhaps disappointing is a better label than overrated, but they usually both land you in the same place.
4. Los Angeles Lakers
Nov 19, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shakes hands with his son Bronny James during the second half against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Having LeBron on your team gives you a chance. At least in the minds of some. Not mine. The Lakers made the playoffs through the play-in the last two seasons and are only likely to find themselves in the same situation this year because teams ahead of them have fallen while they’ve stood still.
Can LeBron and Anthony Davis still lift them to second place in the Pacific? Sure, but that only adds to their overratedness. As the Warriors have flamed out, the Clippers have floundered worse than ever, and the Suns have self-destructed, the Pacific has quietly become one of the NBA’s weakest divisions. And it’s getting worse. The good news for the Lakers, who are nowhere near a Top Four team in the West: When LeBron retires, they won’t be overrated anymore.
5. Boston Celtics
Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla holds up the trophy as he celebrates after winning the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports Bet you weren’t expecting this one. But overrated comes in many shapes and sizes, and often doesn’t mean: Bad team. Nobody would call the Mavericks and Cavaliers bad teams. Just ones that won’t meet expectations.
Nobody has higher expectations than the Celtics. Heck, there’s already talk of another dynasty. And, yes, the 2024 run was a dominant one—one equally the result of the best six-man foundation in basketball and a cupcake-lined red carpet being rolled out in front of them. They wouldn’t have beaten the Nuggets in the Finals last season, and they won’t this year, either. And that’s how you go from dynasty dreams to overrated reality. Dynasty, indeed.
Sports
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
Oct 1, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) and New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) during game two of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images LAS VEGAS — Entering her eighth season in the WNBA, Las Vegas Aces superstar A’ja Wilson is poised to build on what was arguably the most dominant individual campaign in league history.
Wilson joined Cynthia Cooper (1997) as the second player in league history to win a unanimous MVP award and joined an exclusive club as the fourth player to win the award three times. She averaged 26.9 points and 11.9 rebounds per game last season and set the all-time single-season mark for points (1,021) and rebounds (451).
Unfortunately for Las Vegas, injuries and fatigue from their two previous championship runs mounted and resulted in the team’s worst regular-season record (27-13) since 2019. The Aces’ three-peat hopes ended with a 76-62 home loss to the New York Liberty to drop their semifinal series 3-1.
It’s that loss on her home floor that served as Wilson’s motivation this offseason.
“Losing sucks, especially on your home court,” Wilson said “It still kind of burns a little bit, but I’ve used that as fuel to help my teammates understand how hard it is to win in this league. Yes, we can celebrate the two championships. They were great. But for us to move forward, we have to understand how hard this league is and value the basketball and the little things. I think that’s what we lacked last season, so we’re going to make sure that we can show up better than we did.”
While the Aces appeared to be on top of the world heading into their potential three-peat campaign in 2024, the reality inside the locker room was that both the internal and external pressure to win another championship had become suffocating. A common theme across media day was the fact that the team feels less pressure entering the 2025 season, a sentiment Wilson shared as the unquestioned leader of the team.
“(Three-peat talks) obviously impacted us, because it’s like, y’all think we don’t want to win? We’re trying as well,” Wilson said.
“I would definitely say it’s refreshing this year. I feel like this is one of my only years where it feels like there’s no weight. There’s a lot of weight to be defending champs. It’s a lot of weight to be trying to win one. We don’t have that. We actually have a clean slate to really dial into getting back to who we are culturally, like, in our system and everything.”
Leading the Aces back to the top of the mountain for a third time in four years is one of a few historically significant achievements Wilson can collect this upcoming season. Wilson could also become the first four-time MVP in league history, though the meaning of that is something she hasn’t quite allowed herself to ponder yet.
“I haven’t given it much thought, but it would be a blessing to have my name in that conversation,” Wilson said. “Every year, I try to be better than I was the year before just to give myself a chance in this league. Because the league is getting better. We’re growing. At this point, you just want to maintain your stamina. You want to maintain your mental, all of that, because the season gets hard. I can’t think too much about that just yet, but I’m definitely going to try to be better than I was last year.”
As Aces coach Becky Hammon put it, fans can expect to see an even better version of Wilson this season.
“What I see is, she went and got better,” Hammon said. “Which is hard to do when you’re already the best, but it speaks to her work ethic, her desire and her mindset this whole offseason. We talked a lot this offseason. She’s a busy lady, but I can tell you what she always does is her workouts. She’s always getting her workouts in. That comes first and foremost, she never gets her priorities jumbled up.”
When Hammon was asked what a player like Wilson would possibly need to improve after last season’s campaign, the coach did not feel like revealing too much.
“There was (something for Wilson to improve), and she did,” Hammon said. “I’m not going to tell you what it was. Actually, there were two things.”
–Will Despart, Field Level Media
Sports
Jacob Wilson joins Aaron Judge in spotlight for Yankees-A's series
May 5, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson (5) throws to first for an out against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images The top two hitters in the majors square off Friday night when the New York Yankees face the Athletics in the opener of a three-game series in Sacramento, Calif.
It’s no surprise to see Yankees star Aaron Judge off to a superb start after winning American League MVP honors last season. He has a major league-best .400 batting average and entered Thursday’s play tied for the big-league lead with 12 homers and 34 RBIs.
But who had Athletics rookie Jacob Wilson ranking second in the majors at .357 as the season nears the quarter pole? Wilson has played in just 64 career games and quickly has solidified himself as a future All-Star, perhaps even this season.
Sharing the marquee board with Judge seems quite surreal for the 23-year-old shortstop who was the No. 6 overall pick of the 2023 draft.
“It’s a great feeling, for sure,” Wilson said of his name being mentioned with Judge. “Obviously, everybody has seen what he is doing. It’s pretty incredible watching him do his thing on a daily basis. To be up there with him is pretty cool for me.
“I’m excited to play against him this week and see what it looks like in person.”
Wilson had his first career four-hit game during Wednesday’s 6-5 home loss against the Seattle Mariners and has six multi-hit outings in the past eight games. He went 8-for-14 with one game-winning hit in the three-game series against the Mariners and is 16-for-34 (.471) with four walks during the eight-game stretch.
The hot hitting led to Athletics manager Mark Kotsay moving Wilson to the leadoff spot on Wednesday. Kotsay indicated Wilson may be sticking at the top of the lineup.
“I think you’ll see Jacob up there now,” Kotsay said. “Jacob’s earned it. … Jacob has shown enough over the last week. He’s walking and taking pitches, and, obviously, swinging the bat really well.”
Judge arrives in Sacramento in the midst of a four-game funk in which he is 2-for-15.
The two-time MVP just went 1-for-10 in a three-game home series against the San Diego Padres, but the one hit was a homer.
Judge grew up 50 miles south of Sacramento in Linden and starred for Linden High but wasn’t highly sought by major league teams. The then-Oakland Athletics selected him in the 31st round in 2010.
Judge instead went the college route and starred for Fresno State. He was chosen in the first round (32nd overall) by the Yankees in the 2013 draft.
Trent Grisham was one of the heroes of Wednesday’s 4-3, 10-inning win over the Padres. He hit a tying two-run pinch-hit homer in the eighth inning.
Grisham had two homers and five RBIs in the series against the Padres — one of his former teams — and already has 10 long balls in just 89 at-bats. He hit just nine last season in 179 at-bats.
“I’m having fun with the guys, I would say that more than anything,” Grisham said. “The clubhouse is really good in here, led by Cap (Judge). So, I would say the guys have been the most enjoyable part.”
New York is starting right-hander Will Warren (1-2, 5.65 ERA) in Friday’s series opener. Right-hander Osvaldo Bido (2-2, 4.71) will be on the mound for the Athletics.
Warren, 25, struck out a career-high eight in 4 2/3 innings while losing to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. He gave up five runs (three earned) and seven hits. Warren hasn’t previously faced the Athletics.
Bido, 29, received a no-decision against the Miami Marlins last Saturday when he gave up four runs on three hits over five innings. He is winless (0-1) over his last three starts. Bido hasn’t faced the Yankees.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao coming out of retirement
Aug 21, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada; Manny Pacquiao (right) fights Yordenis Ugas in a world welterweight championship bout at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao plans to end his retirement and return to the ring on July 19 against Mario Barrios in Las Vegas, ESPN reported Thursday.
Pacquiao, 46, will be fighting for the first time since losing a unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugas in 2021.
The fight will be for Barrios’ WBC welterweight championship belt. Barrios turns 30 on May 18.
Pacquiao is an eight-division champion who is slated to be inducted into the boxing Hall of Fame in June. He reportedly will formally announce his return to boxing next week. The report stated that Pacquiao has been cleared to compete by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
In recent years, Pacquiao has been focusing on his political career in the Philippines.
The boxer nicknamed “PacMan” has a 62-8-2 record with 39 knockouts during his career. He won his first major title — the WBC flyweight crown — at age 19 in 1998.
Pacquiao was 54-3-2 prior to turning 33 and 8-5 afterward. One of those losses was to Floyd Mayweather Jr. via unanimous decision in 2015, a bout that reportedly drew nearly $400 million in pay-per-view sales.
Barrios (29-2-1, 18 knockouts) fought to a 12-round, split-decision draw against Abel Ramos last November. This will be his third defense since winning the title by beating Ugas in 2023.
–Field Level Media
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
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