Five NBA teams under most pressure in 2024-25 

A new season means a renewed sense of optimism and excitement. But for several NBA teams, the start of the 2024-25 season also means they are back under the microspore and facing pressure to succeed. Here are the five NBA teams under the most pressure to succeed in 2024-25.

Philadelphia 76ers 

The mix of a historic franchise with a hungry fanbase and another big offseason has expectations for the 76ers at an all-time high. The franchise has been embracing high expectations in recent years, but no matter how many individual accolades Joel Embiid acquires, Philadelphia has been unable to experience a deep run in the playoffs. 

This year, it's not even just about waiting for the postseason to see if the 76ers can reach their first Eastern Conference Finals since their last NBA Finals appearance in 2001. This season is also about building chemistry with Paul George as Embiid's latest running mate. 

Embiid and George have a combined 16 All-Star selections, but neither has been able to get to the point of playing for an NBA title. Factor in the ascension of Tyrese Maxey and the 76ers have one of the few "Big Three's" in the league. 

It didn't work with Ben Simmons. It didn't work with James Harden. It now has to work with George or the 76ers may waste the career of a future Hall of Famer in Embiid. 

New York Knicks 

New York is to the point where the franchise is disappointed about failing to reach the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks squandered a 3-2 series lead and lost to the rival Indiana Pacers in the second round in May. 

On one hand, that shows how far from the franchise has come from a miserable period not too long ago. But on the other hand, it also shows the pressure now on this iteration of the Knicks to reach an even greater level this season. 

In an attempt to get over the hump, the Knicks tinkered with their roster throughout the offseason. Just ahead of the season, they traded for four-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns. To make that trade happen, New York had to ship out Julius Randle, fan favorite Donte DiVincenzo and a protected first-round pick. They also added Mikal Bridges in a separate move. 

The Jalen Brunson-led Knicks are now expecting to contend with the defending champion Boston Celtics to come out of the East. 

Dallas Mavericks 

Dallas might be coming off an NBA Finals appearance, but a disappointing effort against the Celtics leaves fans wanting more. The Mavericks now have four-time champion Klay Thompson, who is on a mission to prove the Warriors gave up on him too soon. 

Whenever a team gets close with generational talents like Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the pressure builds to finish the job. 

Los Angeles Lakers 

Any team with LeBron James is going to endure scrutiny and pressure, but firing Darvin Ham for JJ Redick only intensifies matters. While most don't expect the Lakers to win the title in Redick's first year on the job, fans always demand a winner, especially for a team that has James and Anthony Davis leading the way. 

The attention will be magnified whenever James' son Bronny is on the court with his dad, too. 

Cleveland Cavaliers 

Cleveland will be dealing with the most pressure any Cavaliers team has faced since the LeBron Era. 

When many thought he would look to move on, Donovan Mitchell signed a three-year contract extension with the Cavaliers in July. But like is common in the NBA, retaining a superstar creates a sense of urgency to win and take advantage of having him for as long as possible.