Blog: The Worst NBA teams of the Decade

You saw their best… but what about their worst?

From the stats I gathered to make the Top 10 teams of the 2004-05 season to 2013-14 season, here are the teams that need to inject life into their campaigns. Gone are the days where the Los Angeles Clippers are the laughing stock of the league because thanks to Chris Paul and pretty much Blake Griffin (the driving force behind the team's ascent), they have changed the way we think of the Lakers’ allegedly weak Staples Center roomie.

As always, there is a formula: 

Won an NBA Title = 10 points

Reached the NBA Finals = 8 points

Reached the Eastern/Western Conference Finals = 6 points

Reached the Eastern/Western Conference Semifinals = 4 points

Reached the Eastern/Western Conference First Round = 2 points

Out of the Playoffs = -2 points

I bet you’re thinking how the Philadelphia 76ers will fare on this list. While the Sixers have The Answer’s number hanging in their rafters, the answer to this inquiry is a resounding no. Even if Philly botched their last two campaigns, they were able to enter the Eastern semis in 2012 (I guess this factoid is the reason why we hate their organization for trading away their players for untested cannon fodders).

But who made the list?

Game starts now!

Toronto Raptors

Championships: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Finals: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Conference Finals: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Conference Semifinals: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Conference Quarterfinals: 3

Out of Playoffs: 7

Current Playoff Streak: +1

I actually feel bad for writing down the Raptors. While most teams have a thing for constant rebuilding, one main factor for their inability to obtain a consistent title hungry squad is their geography. Yes, Toronto is the only NBA team outside of the United States and for some insane reason, players hate playing in Canada. You’ve witnessed how the Vancouver Grizzlies relocated to Memphis because players like Steve Francis would rather sit out his rookie year than play for the city and for Toronto – that thing when Hedo Turkoglu stated he would rather retire than play for Canada. But while the Vince Carter, Chris Bosh, and Euroleague experiments bogged down, the future looks nice for the Raps with Kyle Lowry and Demar Derozan leading the way.

Milwaukee Bucks

Championships: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Finals: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Conference Finals: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Conference Semifinals: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Conference Quarterfinals: 3

Out of Playoffs: 7

Current Playoff Streak: -1

The Bucks went from contender to cellar dweller when they traded off Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis for virtually nothing in return (although they got Jabari Parker in the process). However, Beer Town’s case isn’t of recent memory – as their woes started when the Bucks broke up The Big Three that comprised of Glenn Robinson, Sam Cassell, and Ray Allen. The Bucks would then lean on the heroics of Redeem Team member Michael Redd as well as former top pick Andrew Bogut and Turkish sensation Ersan Ilyasova but in vain. With the entry of Jabari as well as the improved gameplay of Giannis Antetokoumnpo, that “Fear the Deer” slogan could make the other teams shiver anew.

Charlotte Bobcats

Championships: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Finals: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Conference Finals: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Conference Semifinals: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Conference Quarterfinals: 2

Out of Playoffs: 8

Current Playoff Streak: +1

As a player, we know Michael Jordan as a five-time MVP and winner of six NBA titles. As a general manager however… he’s the one that wasted his top pick on Kwame Brown. While he got the boot off Washington because of that and a few more travesties… how can the Bobcats boot off their owner? Under his watch, the Bobcats were able to obtain Adam Morrison, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, DJ Augustin, Bismack Biyombo, and most recently Cody Zeller. However, Jordan also helped bargain for the talents of Kemba Walker, Gerald Henderson, Lance Stephenson, and Al Jefferson. While the team headlined by Gerald Wallace, Raymond Felton, and Emeka Okafor was weak at best, the Bobcats (or should I say the newly-christened Charlotte Hornets) are bound to surprise fans this season.

Sacramento Kings

Championships: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Finals: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Conference Finals: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Conference Semifinals: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Conference Quarterfinals: 2

Out of Playoffs: 8

Current Playoff Streak: -8 

Remember when Arco Arena was home of the league’s loudest fans? Well, I bet they still are… at times… because the Kings replaced Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, Mike Bibby, Doug Christie, and Peja Stojakovic for the likes of Ron Artest (Peja’s replacement), Shareef Abdur-Rahim (free agent),  Shelden Williams (part of the Bibby trade to Atlanta), Kenny Thomas (part of the Webber trade to Philadelphia), and Cuttino Mobley (Christie’s replacement). While the team had a semblance of hope in Kevin Martin sometime ago and currently with DeMarcus Cousins, the team has yet to reclaim their playoff spot. Looking back at their history however, the winning seasons have been scarce ever since the Kings took residency in Sac-Town.   

Minnesota Timberwolves

Championships: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Finals: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Conference Finals: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Conference Semifinals: 0

Lasted up to the NBA Conference Quarterfinals: 0

Out of Playoffs: 10

Current Playoff Streak: -10

No wonder Kevin Love desperately wants to bolt out of the franchise. Not even the entry of Love, ex-Sacramento coach Rick Adelman, and their Euroleague fetish could save the Timberwolves from failing to reach the playoffs in 10 consecutive seasons. But what’s funny is that a season before their first year of drought, Minnesota was on top of the Western Conference. The Wolves headlined by Kevin Garnett, seconded by Sam Cassell, Latrell Sprewell, and Wally Szczerbiak, and coached by Flip Saunders were just two games shy of claiming a finals seat… had not for the Los Angeles Lakers. The departures of Garnett and Saunders led to the team’s current hole. And while the Wolves tried their best to climb out of their predicament with the core of Love, Nikola Pekovic, Andrei Kirilenko and Ricky Rubio, the team just couldn’t connect with the wins because of the injuries. The future of the Wolves could be bright though… with the entry of Andrew Wiggins and the re-hiring of Saunders.

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Anyway, you can check out my blog at www.sydrified.org!

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Syd Salazar is a blogger for NBA.com Philippines. His views are purely his own.