Breaking News:

In Phoenix, Arizona, Devin Booker has been pronounced inactive for a week with a left ankle sprain, an injury that has already hurt the Suns’ matches, as shown by their recent two game losing streak. In Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo is out for four to six weeks with a right calf strain, a recurring injury which caused him to miss 8 games earlier in the season. Lastly, Ja Morant, a potential trade target for many teams, is out for three weeks with a UCL sprain. Fans of these teams should expect minor losing streaks for the duration of these injuries.

Three Biggest Fallers

Pacers:

Wow. The amount of damage one ACL tear can wreak on a franchise is unimaginable. The Pacers, the team that steamrolled through the Bucks, the Cavs, and the Knicks, and brought the title favorites to a game seven, are now the second-to-last seed in the Eastern Conference. In the year before that, the Pacers beat the Bucks and the Knicks, making it to the Eastern Conference Finals. However, despite making it far in the playoffs for the past two seasons, Indiana has always been an underdog in the brackets, finishing as the sixth seed in ’23-’24 and as the fourth seed in ’24-’25. It was this reputation (combined with a little bit of devil magic) that fueled each of their runs, both of which were led by their All-Star PG Tyrese Haliburton.

Haliburton averaged 18.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, and 8.2 apg in his ’23-’24 run, stats that he continued in his ’24-’25 run, in which he averaged 17.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and 8.6 apg. Hali had several notorious plays in his 2025 run, most notably “the dagger” he hit against New York, in which he hit the infamous “choke” celebration to send the game to overtime. All of the Pacers’ devil magic, however, seemed to run out in game seven of the NBA Finals, in which Haliburton tore his ACL, an injury that has sidelined him for the entirety of the ’25-’26 season.

Bucks:

Well, we’ve got to talk about it: the Giannis situation. Antetokounmpo has been proven to be one of the most finicky superstars in recent NBA history, with his public statements about his future changing on a whim. In the early part of the season, Giannis trade rumors were everywhere, with possible destinations including the Knicks, Warriors, and Spurs. What’s worse, as of 1/28, Antetokounmpo has officially requested a trade, with his top destinations being New York and Miami.

This turmoil between the Bucks and Antetokounmpo, which, when coupled with numerous injury reports, has led to Milwaukee being the 11th seed in the East, a deep drop from their previous standings. In the ’23-’24 season, the Bucks finished as the third seed and dropped to the fifth seed the following season, with first-round playoff exits happening in both seasons. Needless to say, this present Milwaukee Bucks team is a far cry from the team that won the chip in 2021, with possibilities of dropping further rising as a Giannis trade becomes imminent.

Mavericks:

Nico Harrison, huh? The effects of the most unexpected blockbuster trades in NBA history are still showing nearly a year after it was finalized. Prior to the Luka Doncic trade, the Mavericks held a 26-23 record, placing them in the eighth seed of the Western Conference, which then dropped to the 10th seed with a 39-43 record. What’s more, Dallas had reached the NBA Finals to face the Boston Celtics, a series which they lost 4-1 after sporting the fifth seed in the West. 

During that season, Doncic led the team in points, rebounds, and assists, averaging 33.9 ppg, 9.2 rpg, and 9.8 apg (almost a triple-double)! This season’s Mavericks have fared much worse than last season, as they are holding on to the 11th seed with a 19-27 record. Even with the acquisition of Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks have been horrible, with the rookie having to anchor both the defense and the offense. Until their stars come back, Dallas will most likely remain a bottom feeder in the West, fighting tooth and nail to make the Play-In tournament.

Conclusion

Each of these teams has faced a diminished record, injured superstars, and playoff success blown off like it was nothing. Cities bathe in the success of their teams, drown in the tides of harrowing defeat, yet they persevere to cheer once again. The time for Indiana, Milwaukee, and Dallas to rise will come again, all we have to do is wait. You know what they say; once you’ve reached rock bottom, the only way forward is back up.