FIRST OFF, major props to the entire National Basketball Association for managing to put together and push the league towards the finish line of arguably the most grueling season as of date.
It's an understatement to say it’s been a grind for the NBA, its organizations, and the players, both physically and mentally.
No team was safe from the virus, the injury bug, and the cramped playing schedule this year. But admittedly, some teams were more hard hit than others.
As the NBA’s 75th Season draws to a close with less than a handful of games left, it's time to round up our biggest surprises and disappointments.
The Surprises
1. New York Knicks

If you’ve been watching ESPN lately, you know that Stephen A. Smith is losing his mind knowing that his New York Knicks are guaranteed to finish with a winning record after 7 seasons sitting at the bottom half of the league.
Heading into this season, New York was poised for a more serious rebuild as the organization reshaped its front office, hired Tom Thibodeau as their head coach, and put together a roster with a mix of youth and veteran role players.
But at 37-30 and sitting at 4th place in the East (as of writing), the New York Knicks have caught the league by surprise.
With Thibs manning the sideline, the Knicks have been reminiscent of the tough and gritty 90’s version of the squad. Through 67 games, they have the fourth best Defensive Rating at 108.1, holding opponents FG% and 3FG% to a league best 44.3% and 34%, respectively.
First time All-Star Julius Randle is leading the New York renaissance, averaging 24.1 ppg, 10.2 rpg and 5.9 apg.
With a good season under their belt and the playoffs in sight, the Knicks are relevant once again.
2. Phoenix Suns

After their excellent run in the Bubble, the acquisition of Chris Paul, and some minor tweaks to the roster, pundits expected the Suns to be more competitive and secure a spot in the playoffs in the 2021 season.
But even the most optimistic projections couldn’t have foreseen this: the second-best record in the West and the entire NBA, with the Suns currently holding a 48-19 record.
They have been consistently elite on both ends of the floor as they are top 10 in Offensive Rating (115.9; 7th), Defensive Rating (109.8; 6th) and Net Rating (6.1; 4th) across the league.
It's been a decade since Phoenix had a taste of the playoffs. What they have accomplished up to this point, has been a victory in itself for the franchise.
With what they’ve shown and the playoff picture in the West this season, the Phoenix Suns are title contenders.
3. Utah Jazz

After blowing a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of last year’s playoffs, the Jazz clearly still had a ways to go.
Look how far they’ve come now.
The Utah Jazz came back this year with a vengeance. They are likely to finish the season with the best record, as they sit atop the West at 50-18.
At 100% health, the Jazz have been clicking on all cylinders.
On the offensive end, they are averaging 116.7 ppg (3rd) while converting 47% of their field goals (14th) and 39.1% (3rd) on their 3s. Their defense has been top notch as well, with a 107.6 Defensive Rating (3rd), locking down opponents to only 50.4% (1st) on 2 pa and 34.2% (2nd) on 3 pa.
Consistency through the playoffs and advancing to the Western Conference Finals will be key in proving their doubters wrong.
4. Charlotte Hornets

Charlotte has been a lottery team for the most of the last decade, apart from a couple of first round appearances in the ‘13-14 and ‘15-16 playoffs.
With that said, they’ve built a good crop of young talent in Devonte Graham, Miles Bridges, and PJ Washington.
Charlotte traded for Gordon Hayward in the offseason and drafted LaMelo Ball at #3 in the 2020 Draft. But still, nobody pegged the Hornets to even have a whiff at the play-in tournament. Many expected this season to be another development year for their young core.
And yet, here we are.
A healthy Hayward this season has proven to still be an all-star caliber forward. While the young core already seems to understand their roles, paving way for the team to gel so quickly than anticipated.
While the team is middling around a .500 record at 33-34 and 8th in the East, Charlotte has already performed above expectations. If they manage to bag a W in the play-in tournament, regardless of the outcome in the playoffs, this season has been a success.
5. Washington Wizards

The Wizards started off the season at 3-8 before the team was stricken with the virus. A slew of postponed games followed.
By the end of March, Washington was at the bottom half of the standings with a 17-29 record. While many outlets were writing them off, and their season looking like another scratch, the Wizards somehow scrounged up a little last-minute magic.
Since April 8, the Wizards have racked up a 15-4 record.
In the last month, the 1-2 punch of Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook have carried Washington from the cellars to 9th in the East (32-36), with a good shot at the play-in tournament.
Westbrook has been a triple-double menace (22 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 11.5 apg and 1.3 spg) and Beal continues to be a flamethrower on offense (31.4 ppg on 48.9/35.1/88.9 shooting splits).
With no signs of slowing down, the Wizards will be a tough out for anyone in the playoffs IF they get that far (and we’re betting they will).
Disappointments
1. Boston Celtics

With appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals in three of the last four seasons, the Boston Celtics were already championship contenders as they stood.
But so far, Boston has only been average at best. They are averaging 112.7 ppg (16th) and are allowing teams 111 ppg (11th).
The virus and the injury bug are partly to blame for Boston’s troubles this season. But one could argue that the talent they have on the roster should have been good enough to keep their heads above water as players were in and out of the line-up.
As of writing, Boston is fighting for their playoff lives, with the risk of being in the play-in tournament as they sit at 7th (35-32), just 1 game behind the Miami Heat (6th).
With the Bucks, Nets, and 76ers all taking a step forward this year, the road back to the Eastern Conference Finals will be much harder, especially if they continue to play the way they’ve played all season.
2. Miami Heat

With doubters calling their Finals run a fluke, the reigning Eastern Conference Champions had something to prove.
The Heat started the season on a sour note, affected by a short offseason and players sitting out due to health and safety protocols. In their first 20 games, the Heat dug themselves an early hole with a 7-13 record. The Heat would go on a 15-5 streak to climb their way back above .500 at 22-18 by mid-March.
They would go on and seesaw between losing and winning streaks, keeping them right at the middle of the pack in the East.
Story of the season for the Sunshine State.
Miami continues to pride itself on defense as they keep opponents at an average of 107.6 ppg (4th) on 85.3 fga (2nd) at a 45.6% clip on field-goal attempts (6th).
But what they produce on D, they can’t convert on the offensive end. They have been abysmal all season long, as they rank 25th in ppg at 107.3 ppg, converting on a lowly 46.4% (19th) on 83.7 fga — dead last in the NBA.
While Miami writes its fate between the play-in or a top 6 seed, a Finals repeat is increasingly unlikely.
3. Portland Trail Blazers

After clawing their way to the 8th seed in the Bubble, many expected Portland to get healthy, with a greater eagerness to lock in their spot in the West.
Through 68 games, the Trailblazers is still teetering between the sixth seed and the play-in bracket.
Offensively, they continue to light it up against the best of them, averaging 115.7 ppg (5th), shooting the second most 3s (41 3pa) on the 6th most efficient percentage (38.3%).
Portland’s defensive woes continue to haunt them this season despite beefing up their menu of 3-and-D wings on the team. Opponents are averaging 114.3 ppg (22nd), shooting an efficient 54.1% on 2 pa (23rd) and 37.1% on 3 pa (19th). They are also allowing 22.8 fta per game (24th).
If Dame and company want another chance at the Western Conference Finals, their commitment to defense needs to change.
4. New Orleans Pelicans

Zion Williamson is must-see TV. The 20-year old is averaging 27 ppg (10th) on a highly efficient 61.1%, along with 7.2 rpg and 3.7 apg.
But when the Pelicans (30-37) are 2 games behind the San Antonio Spurs (32-35) for the 10th seed and 5 games left on their schedule, there’s bound to be disappointment.
Apart from the entertainment aspect though, the Pelicans have been competitive for the most part, despite being a very young team. They are 9th in ppg (115 ppg), 10th in fga (88.9 fga) and 7th in fg% (47.9%)
With Stan Van Gundy at the helm, we know defense is instrumental to their game plan. So far, however, they’ve only posted a 113.2 Defensive Rating (22nd), limiting opponents to 46.8% on fga (17th) and allowing 21 fta (11th) per game.
Mathematically, New Orleans still has a chance at the play-in. But with everything needing to go right, seeing the dynamic duo of Zion and Ingram in a playoff bout may still be a season away.
5. Chicago Bulls

Chicago is an up and coming team, headlined by the uber-athletic Zach LaVine who is having an All-Star Season.
LaVine has grown into a three level offensive weapon in Chicago, averaging 27.2 ppg on 50.3/41.4/84.9 shooting splits.
With All-Star center Nikola Vučević slotted into the trade deadline, pundits were excited at the added arsenal to Chicago’s attack. With the playoff race very close in the East, the Bulls had a fighter’s chance.
Unfortunately, since the acquisition, the Bulls have trended the wrong direction, posting a 9-15 record and 28-39 overall. They are currently 3 games behind the 10th seed Indiana Pacers (31-36) for a ticket to the play-in.
While Vučević can fit into almost any offensive system due to his versatility, the Bulls haven’t been able to consistently stop anyone either. Other teams are averaging 112 ppg (15th) on an efficient 47.4% (24th) against them. Opponents are also making a living on the line averaging 22.2 fta (16th) against the Bulls.
An early exit is on the horizon, but don’t be surprised if the Bulls come trampling back next season.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph