NBA Team Chemistry Rankings: 2010-2011 Closeout

In sports, analysts and media outlets across the country regularly post power rankings. Likewise, analysts and media outlets also post preseason capsules to predict teams' regular season records. For the most part, these rankings are based on past and recent wins and losses, various statistics, and other subjective observations. Team chemistry is occasionally mentioned but oftentimes is completely excluded from these official ranking processes.

This season, I have decided to start posting periodic rankings of team chemistry across the NBA. This should give an additional perspective in regards to evaluating how well teams are developing, how well players are getting along, how well players function together within each team, and how much injuries and roster transactions affect teamwork. Isolating team chemistry as a separate evaluation tool may suggest how well teams are prepared to handle the challenges of playoff basketball. There is no standard statistical process for ranking the teams--like power rankings, my team chemistry rankings will consider past and recent wins and losses, various statistics, and other subjective observations.

To start, here is a closeout of the 2010-2011 season. In winning the NBA Championship as underdogs throughout the playoffs, the Dallas Mavericks claimed the top spot. While the Miami Heat were the runners-up, my observation was that there were several other teams in the NBA that had better balance and better on-court chemistry than the Heat. Please note that playoff teams are marked with an asterisk (*).

Dallas Mavericks*
Oklahoma City Thunder*
Memphis Grizzlies*
Boston Celtics*
San Antonio Spurs*
Portland Trail Blazers*
Indiana Pacers*
Phoenix Suns
Chicago Bulls*
Atlanta Hawks*
Los Angeles Lakers*
Miami Heat*
Houston Rockets
Philadelphia 76ers*
New Orleans Hornets*
Milwaukee Bucks
Golden State Warriors
Los Angeles Clippers
Sacramento Kings
New Jersey Nets
Utah Jazz
Charlotte Bobcats
Orlando Magic*
New York Knicks*
Denver Nuggets*
Cleveland Cavaliers
Detroit Pistons
Washington Wizards
Toronto Raptors
Minnesota Timberwolves

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