The 2022-23 NBA season is halfway complete.
For this article, we will look at the flip side of teams surprising fans in a good way this year.
Typically, for one team to exceed expectations, there must be a team that falls short.
The latter is the case for these two teams this year.
Injuries have played a part to be sure.
But these teams simply have yet to live up to preseason billing.
1. Golden State Warriors
This spot could have just as easily gone to the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Miami Heat.
But not everybody was sold on the Timberwolves’ roster construction before the season and the Heat did very little to replace talent lost from last year’s roster.
The Golden State Warriors did not have serious concerns on either of those fronts.
Losing Otto Porter Jr., Damion Lee, and Gary Payton II was sure to sting after last year’s title run.
But the core remained intact and the Warriors’ youth was set to step up.
That has not been the case.
Golden State is just 20-21, well off the pace for their preseason win total of 52.5.
Curry, Thompson, Wiggins, Green, Looney and Poole, the Warriors’ top 6 — all have slipped on defense so far this year. It’s why their 26th in points allowed. And it’s big difference from season ago.
— Matt Steinmetz (@SteinmetzNBA) January 11, 2023
Yes, Stephen Curry has missed 14 games, but the Warriors were not world-beaters when he was playing.
Golden State is 6-8 without Curry and just 14-13 with him.
They have a bottom-five scoring defense and a -1.0 net rating.
A far cry from the team that won 53 games a year ago.
2. Phoenix Suns
While many predicted a step back from last year’s 64-win team, nobody expected this from the Phoenix Suns.
Phoenix is just 21-22 on the season, good for seventh place in the Western Conference.
Similar to the Warriors, the Suns’ star has missed time due to injury.
Devin Booker has missed nine straight games and 14 of the past 17 due to a groin injury.
Unlike the Warriors, Phoenix could point to Booker’s absence as part of the reason for their poor first half.
With Booker in the lineup, the Suns are 18-11.
Without Booker’s presence, they are 3-11.
INJURY UPDATE: Further evaluation has confirmed that Devin Booker has sustained a left groin strain. He will be re-evaluated in four weeks.
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) December 28, 2022
However, Booker is out for at least another two weeks so the Suns will need to figure it out in the meantime.
Otherwise, Booker’s return could be too late to save Phoenix’s season.
NEXT: Damian Lillard Looks Like His Old Self Again