25. New Orleans Hornets (28): It’s too bad that the Hornets didn’t start this season off as well as they’ve been playing lately. They might have been in the playoff race. Instead, they were one of the first teams to be mathematically eliminated.
24. Toronto Raptors (26): The Raptors reflected a glimmer of hope with a three-game winning streak, and followed it with two straight losses. It’s a good thing that Canada has hockey to fall back on.
23. Detroit Pistons (23): Considering how awful the beginning of their season was, it’s promising to see that they’re only eight games behind the eighth seed in the East. Too little, too late, though.
22. Golden State Warriors (22): David Lee and Klay Thompson are carrying the Warriors down the home stretch, but wins are still rare. Stephen Curry’s health issues took a huge toll on this team and it’s showing in their 22-33 record.
21. New Jersey Nets (27): Since the emergence of Gerald Green, the Nets have been playing like a completely different team. The playoffs aren’t technically out of reach, but Deron Williams’ “checked-out” status doesn’t help.
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