With the 1st quarter of the regular season just about over, it is time to re-evaluate comparative team chemistry across the NBA. There still appear to be three tiers of team chemistry: the best (1st thru 10th), the next best (11th thru 23rd), and the rest (24th thru 30th). It should be noted that the Washington Wizards were an easy pick for 30th, as they entered Tuesday night with a 1-12 record and are getting outscored by 11.9 points per game.
Here are the updated team chemistry rankings (preseason rankings are in parentheses; end of last season rankings are in brackets). Further explanations are listed below the rankings.
The Oklahoma City Thunder remain the top-ranked NBA team in regards to team chemistry. Aside from a minor dispute regarding star point guard Russell Westbrook, they have a strong rotation with strong balance on the court and get along pretty well. Other teams continuing to play well together and win games are the San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, and Atlanta Hawks.
Despite mediocre records, the Memphis Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns get along as well as any teams in the NBA. The Grizzlies' blowout loss to the Bulls was more a fluke than anything; they continue to play competitively despite the loss of power forward Zach Randolph. In the Suns' case, they shot poorly to start the season but continue to move the ball around and play respectable team defense. As the shots fall, the Suns' record will improve.
The Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, and Cleveland Cavaliers all made substantial jumps in the rankings as they have proven to play well together and get along. While the Trail Blazers have made a smooth transition to faster play with Raymond Felton at point guard, the 76ers play strong defense, share the ball, and stay competitive in all games. In fact, the 76ers have lost their 3 losses by a total of 13 points. The Nuggets have done well since trading Carmelo Anthony, while the Jazz and Cavaliers have done a good job mixing young players with veterans.
On the other hand, the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, and Dallas Mavericks have all dropped in the rankings. The Heat remain vulnerable due to the offensive similarities of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, inconsistent low post play, and the lack of a veteran point guard. Meanwhile, the Celtics have lost too much youth over the past year. Their starting lineup especially lacks speed, with teams running on Kevin Garnett and Jermaine O'Neal. Regarding the Mavericks, they have made a number of changes to their rotation due to free agency and trades. It will take some time for the Mavericks to play well together consistently, but it is also possible that a large portion of this year's roster will not be with the team next year.
The Golden State Warriors are in an interesting situation. They have some players that play well together, but they are going through a bit of an identity crisis with new coach Mark Jackson. With Jackson's emphasis on halfcourt defense, they have cut back on fastbreak scoring and overall pace. In the long run, it is quite possible that Jackson will speed the pace back up while still emphasizing better all-around defense. With a 'best of both worlds' approach, the Warriors could become a playoff team this year.
While the Orlando Magic remain held down by Dwight Howard's uncertain contract/trade status, the Los Angeles Clippers lack balance in their lineup, including a lack of true low post play on offense (Blake Griffin plays like a shooting guard in a power forward's body) and an unsettled bench. The Toronto Raptors should get more comfortable in their new system as the season goes on, but coach Dwane Casey will probably need some additional roster moves to help improve the team's chemistry. The New York Knicks might not have quite as much hope, as they are riding individual talent and isolation-minded stars, which does not mesh well with coach Mike D'Antoni's offense.
While a large number of trades have left the Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, and New Orleans Hornets in transition, youth movements need more time for chemistry building for the Charlotte Bobcats, Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons, New Jersey Nets, and Washington Wizards. A youth movement is going pretty well for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are playing steady, competitive team basketball under coach Rick Adelman with rookies Ricky Rubio and Derrick Williams fitting in very well. Lastly, the Los Angeles Lakers are in transition. They could go up or down in the rankings depending on how well coach Mike Brown can mold the team together.
Here are the updated team chemistry rankings (preseason rankings are in parentheses; end of last season rankings are in brackets). Further explanations are listed below the rankings.
- Oklahoma City Thunder (1) [2]
- Portland Trail Blazers (11) [6]
- San Antonio Spurs (3) [5]
- Philadelphia 76ers (13) [14]
- Chicago Bulls (7) [9]
- Indiana Pacers (6) [7]
- Memphis Grizzlies (2) [3]
- Atlanta Hawks (10) [10]
- Denver Nuggets (26) [25]
- Phoenix Suns (4) [8]
- Utah Jazz (27) [21]
- Cleveland Cavaliers (20) [26]
- Orlando Magic (14) [23]
- Los Angeles Clippers (15) [18]
- Miami Heat (8) [12]
- Minnesota Timberwolves (18) [30]
- Los Angeles Lakers (16) [11]
- Dallas Mavericks (5) [1]
- Boston Celtics (9) [4]
- Houston Rockets (19) [13]
- Golden State Warriors (17) [17]
- Milwaukee Bucks (24) [16]
- Charlotte Bobcats (29) [22]
- Toronto Raptors (30) [29]
- New York Knicks (23) [24]
- New Orleans Hornets (28) [15]
- Sacramento Kings (12) [19]
- Detroit Pistons (21) [27]
- New Jersey Nets (25) [20]
- Washington Wizards (22) [28]
The Oklahoma City Thunder remain the top-ranked NBA team in regards to team chemistry. Aside from a minor dispute regarding star point guard Russell Westbrook, they have a strong rotation with strong balance on the court and get along pretty well. Other teams continuing to play well together and win games are the San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, and Atlanta Hawks.
Despite mediocre records, the Memphis Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns get along as well as any teams in the NBA. The Grizzlies' blowout loss to the Bulls was more a fluke than anything; they continue to play competitively despite the loss of power forward Zach Randolph. In the Suns' case, they shot poorly to start the season but continue to move the ball around and play respectable team defense. As the shots fall, the Suns' record will improve.
The Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, and Cleveland Cavaliers all made substantial jumps in the rankings as they have proven to play well together and get along. While the Trail Blazers have made a smooth transition to faster play with Raymond Felton at point guard, the 76ers play strong defense, share the ball, and stay competitive in all games. In fact, the 76ers have lost their 3 losses by a total of 13 points. The Nuggets have done well since trading Carmelo Anthony, while the Jazz and Cavaliers have done a good job mixing young players with veterans.
On the other hand, the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, and Dallas Mavericks have all dropped in the rankings. The Heat remain vulnerable due to the offensive similarities of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, inconsistent low post play, and the lack of a veteran point guard. Meanwhile, the Celtics have lost too much youth over the past year. Their starting lineup especially lacks speed, with teams running on Kevin Garnett and Jermaine O'Neal. Regarding the Mavericks, they have made a number of changes to their rotation due to free agency and trades. It will take some time for the Mavericks to play well together consistently, but it is also possible that a large portion of this year's roster will not be with the team next year.
The Golden State Warriors are in an interesting situation. They have some players that play well together, but they are going through a bit of an identity crisis with new coach Mark Jackson. With Jackson's emphasis on halfcourt defense, they have cut back on fastbreak scoring and overall pace. In the long run, it is quite possible that Jackson will speed the pace back up while still emphasizing better all-around defense. With a 'best of both worlds' approach, the Warriors could become a playoff team this year.
While the Orlando Magic remain held down by Dwight Howard's uncertain contract/trade status, the Los Angeles Clippers lack balance in their lineup, including a lack of true low post play on offense (Blake Griffin plays like a shooting guard in a power forward's body) and an unsettled bench. The Toronto Raptors should get more comfortable in their new system as the season goes on, but coach Dwane Casey will probably need some additional roster moves to help improve the team's chemistry. The New York Knicks might not have quite as much hope, as they are riding individual talent and isolation-minded stars, which does not mesh well with coach Mike D'Antoni's offense.
While a large number of trades have left the Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, and New Orleans Hornets in transition, youth movements need more time for chemistry building for the Charlotte Bobcats, Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons, New Jersey Nets, and Washington Wizards. A youth movement is going pretty well for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are playing steady, competitive team basketball under coach Rick Adelman with rookies Ricky Rubio and Derrick Williams fitting in very well. Lastly, the Los Angeles Lakers are in transition. They could go up or down in the rankings depending on how well coach Mike Brown can mold the team together.