Pick a year. Any year.
Always, there is a sure-bet playoff team in October that flops, falls on its face and, assuming it owns its pick, shows up at the lottery carrying a horseshoe or wearing lucky socks. Conversely, every year there is a team given last rites in October that somehow prints playoff tickets in April.
Look at last season. No one expected the Hornets in the East’s round of eight, especially not ahead of the Knicks, who were coming off 54 wins. Oops.
This season is no different. One major surprise has been Indiana’s resiliency. The Pacers are trying to keep their playoff perch after losing Paul George to that horrific leg injury with Team USA over the summer. Indiana was a team that figured to be on the outside in April. No guarantee the Pacers make it, but given how they’ve played and George gearing up for a return, Indy should be a surprise playoff entry.
But not nearly as big a surprise as Milwaukee. No one forecast Jason Kidd’s young Bucks being a playoff-caliber team. As one opposing exec said: “I wonder how many games it will be before Jason Kidd thinks, ‘This was a terrible idea.’”
So if Milwaukee is the surprise, who is the disappointment? Well, if they fail to make the postseason, it has to be the Nets. No one anywhere thought the Knicks would be such a colossal train wreck, but many projected them as losers. In the West, the Suns loomed as a team to break through after a 48-win season fell short of the playoffs last year. But the Suns are in the wrong conference. Three games behind the eighth spot in the West, they would be a seven seed in the East.
The Heat figured to be playoff caliber, even after losing LeBron James. Not home-court caliber, but good all the same. Injuries impacted big time.
So that brings it back to the Nets with 21 more games to avoid the handle of “Biggest Bust of the Year, Team Category.” With a healthy Brook Lopez back, the Nets looked destined to improved on last year’s second-round playoff showing. On Monday, some Nets bemoaned what has been a downright baffling season.
“We thought we had a good team,” Deron Williams said, stressing there is still time to squeeze into the playoffs and possibly make noise.
“We’re right there. But we’ve got some work to do. It’s not like we can just win a couple games and expect to be there. We’re going to have to win a lot of these ball games in the last 21.”
This week’s Post power rankings:
1. Golden State Warriors (50-12) (Last week: 2)
First to 50 in the West — and the fastest to 50 in team history. The Warriors are now nine games behind the franchise record for wins. Figure they’ll need until about Thursday to establish a new mark.
2. Atlanta Hawks (50-13) (1)
First to 50 in the East — and first to 50 overall by a couple hours. The Hawks obliterated the Kings on Monday with a season-high 130 points. Kyle Korver, who was 17-of-54 on 3s since the All-Star break, responded to a weekend off by drilling 6-of-8 from behind the arc.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (40-25) (5)
Intriguing game of the week: Cavs on Thursday visit San Antonio, which was a house of horrors for LeBron James last June. Figure Spurs will turn off the air conditioning for old times’ sake.
4. Houston Rockets (43-20) (3)
Dwight Howard has begun on-court activity and conditioning as he tries strengthening the right knee that has kept him out since Jan. 23. Figure he’ll return just in time to say how much he loves Brooklyn.
5. Memphis Grizzlies (45-18) (4)
Marc Gasol had a big night Monday against brother Pau, scoring 15 of his 23 points in the third quarter. The Grizzlies needed it with a struggling offense that scored 90 points or fewer in five of the previous eight games.
6. San Antonio Spurs (39-23) (9)
Suddenly, the champs look like champs again, even when Tim Duncan has a game Sunday when he doesn’t score a field goal for the first time ever. No worries. Spurs have won five straight and Tony Parker has averaged 25.0 in last three.
7. Portland Trail Blazers (41-20) (7)
Took a major gut punch when they lost Wesley Matthews to a torn Achilles. The presence of deadline acquisition Arron Afflalo eases the damage somewhat.
8. Los Angeles Clippers (41-23) (6)
DeAndre Jordan continued his ridiculous rebounding in Monday’s win over Minnesota. In 13 games without Blake Griffin (staph infection), Jordan has averaged 14.6 points and 18.6 rebounds. He only had 17 Monday.
9. Oklahoma City Thunder (35-28) (12)
In his last 15 games, Russell Westbrook has averaged 33.1 points, 10.5 assists and 9.6 rebounds. Kevin Durant’s foot is expected to be re-examined this week. Good luck with this No. 8 seed.
10. Dallas Mavericks (41-24) (8)
Their health has been an issue for some time. Devin Harris (hand) is now out, but Chandler Parsons (ankle) returned Sunday after seven-game ankle absence.
11. Chicago Bulls (39-26) (10)
Derrick Rose on Monday said: “The way that I’m feeling right now, it’s a good chance that I’ll come back” this season. Rose said there was no certainty, but even a maybe makes the Bulls landscape look a lot better.
12. Indiana Pacers (28-34) (15)
Have won 11 of 13 games — and Paul George is still hoping for a comeback. “Honestly, we’re not even thinking about Paul George right now,” coach Frank Vogel lied.
13. New Orleans Pelicans (35-29) (13)
Pelicans are 6-6 when Anthony Davis sits. They’re 3-1 since his latest return, and routed the Bucks on Monday when he matched career best with 43 points. Your turn, Nets. The Pelicans are in Brooklyn on Tuesday.
14. Toronto Raptors (38-25) (11)
Have tried everything to emerge from 14-17 funk since New Year’s. Next up, they’ll try hitting A-Rod eighth.
15. Milwaukee Bucks (33-30) (14)
Bucks are sliding, losing seven of nine. They haven’t won on the road since Feb. 2, a rut of seven straight.
16. Utah Jazz (26-36) (18)
The Jazz are doing it defensively. They rank 27th in points scored (95.2) but second in points allowed (96.0). Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward, Trey Burke, Dante Exum, et al., are young and gifted.
17. Washington Wizards (36-28) (16)
Got a desperately needed win at Charlotte on Monday. They had lost 13 of 17 games, including nine straight on the road. Still, being in the East, they are the fifth seed.
18. Charlotte Hornets (28-34) (22)
Washington did unto Charlotte what Charlotte did unto the Nets — namely, deliver a humiliation on the loser’s home court. The Hornets’ good vibe over Mo Williams being conference Player of the Week died in a 95-69 drubbing Monday.
19. Boston Celtics (26-36) (20)
Isaiah Thomas outscored Miami’s bench, 25-24, Monday when the Celtics moved to within two games of the eighth spot. In 10 games since coming over from Phoenix, Thomas has averaged 21.4 points.
20. Phoenix Suns (33-32) (19)
Not all the games can be against the Nets. After rallying from 15 down in fourth quarter to win in Brooklyn, the Suns got dumped in Cleveland, then at home against the Warriors. But Suns have eight of next nine at home.
21. Miami Heat (28-35) (21)
The Heat simply cannot get healthy. Major deadline acquisition Goran Dragic has missed the past two games, including Monday’s home loss to Boston, with a lower back strain. He’s day-to-day.
22. Brooklyn Nets (25-36) (17)
After beating Golden State, the Nets have dropped three straight. It is their seventh losing streak of three or more games. Not quite the way to make the playoffs.
23. Detroit Pistons (23-39) (23)
First, Max Scherzer and now Ndamukong Suh. So who is next prominent free agent to bolt Detroit, Greg Monroe? Reggie Jackson (though he’s restricted)?
24. Sacramento Kings (21-41) (24)
Kings are 3-7 under George Karl since the All-Star break. They are 1-4 on their current eight-game road trip, only the third time they have played eight straight on road since moving to Sacramento.
25. Orlando Magic (21-43) (28)
One of the positives among the dredge of the Magic season has been the play of rookie guard Elfrid Payton, whose 5.9 assists rank 17th in the league and first among rookies.
26. Minnesota Timberwolves (14-48) (25)
Ricky Rubio’s run of five straight points-and-assists double-doubles ended Monday against the Clippers. He got the assists — 12 — but he shot 1-of-8 and only scored two.
27. Philadelphia 76ers (14-49) (29)
Second-year guard Isaiah Canaan has started his nine games with Sixers since a deadline trade and has averaged 13.6 points, 3.9 assists and 3.0 rebounds in just under 30 minutes. And the Sixers won two — including a weekend upset of the Hawks.
28. Denver Nuggets (23-41) (30)
The Nuggets were the worst team in the NBA since mid-January, losing 21 of 25. Then the Knicks came calling Monday and everyone saw what bad really means.
29. Los Angeles Lakers (16-46) (26)
Byron Scott won 26 games his first year in New Jersey. He won 18 his first year in New Orleans. He won 19 his first year in Cleveland. He’s at 16 with the Lakers.
30. New York Knicks (12-50) (27)
That’s the New York Knicks, not the Westchester Knicks, though we do understand how you could get the two confused.