6 NBA Teams Destined for Heartbreak Again Next Season

The NBA doesn't hand out trophies for participation, and therefore, many hopeful franchises walked away crestfallen and empty-handed as the Miami Heat were crowned 2012 Finals champions.

The Houston Rockets were a pair of road wins away from making the playoffs.

The Boston Celtics were one game away from sending King James packing.

The Chicago Bulls were poised for postseason glory, but Derrick Rose's ACL didn't cooperate.

These are just a couple of the teams that experienced heartbreak last season, succumbing to the harsh reality that only one team can win it all. Which squads will feel the pain again this year?

Chicago Bulls

Even if the Chicago Bulls piece together a solid regular season and a healthy record, they won't be making a championship run next spring.

They might struggle to get a high seed to begin with, especially with Derrick Rose out for half the season recovering from his ACL injury. Also, Joakim Noah's ankle and overall health is something for Bulls fans to keep an eye on.

Injuries are manageable, but the main reason Chicago won't get over the hump in 2012-13 is their lack of shot creators on the perimeter.

Aside from Rose, the Bulls' guard depth isn't going to scare anyone, nor will it match up with the talent of teams like Miami, New York and Philadelphia.

Defensively, this team has the potential to be just as good as the 2011-12 squad, but don't expect them to contend deep into May.

Houston Rockets

Houston fell just a couple games shy of the postseason last summer, barely missing out on the 2012 NBA playoff party. This year, the Rockets' quest to make the playoffs for the first time since 2009 will once again fall short.

General manager Daryl Morey made a ton of moves to reshape the roster, but anyone who thinks the addition of Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik will take the franchise upward is sorely mistaken.

The loss of the amnestied Luis Scola hurts the most, as the high-scoring forward spearheaded Houston's frontcourt offense with his exceptional fundamentals and touch.

Young draftees Royce White and Jeremy Lamb will be fun to watch, but ultimately the Rockets will only be good enough to barely miss the postseason again. There are other teams (like Portland and Minnesota) more qualified to make the jump to the playoffs.

Daryl Morey's long-term plan had better materialize, because the short term won't be too successful.

New York Knicks

There's reason for optimism surrounding the New York Knicks, but that optimism should be moderate.

Unfortunately, the nature of the city and the amount of talent on the squad gives fans a championship thirst that won't be quenched.

Star Power? Check.

Depth? Check.

Team Chemistry? To be determined.

Killer Instinct? Inferior to Miami's and Boston's.

Mike Woodson's squad will improve on its 2011-12 seventh-place Eastern Conference finish and first-round exit. But those wishing for anything more than a No. 4 or No. 5 seed are in for a letdown.

Memphis Grizzlies

In one of the most grueling first-round playoff series in recent memory, the Memphis Grizzlies succumbed to the Los Angeles Clippers. They exited the 2012 playoffs with a loss on their home floor in Game 7.

Their season might not end so dramatically in 2012-13, but it will end with the same result: an early exit in the playoffs.

Memphis will struggle with a lack of firepower on the perimeter, as it did last year with the 20th-ranked offense in the NBA.

Their only significant loss this offseason was O.J. Mayo, and that wouldn't be a big deal if they brought in a significant upgrade. But they didn't, because Jerryd Bayless is hardly the type of piece that's going to get them to the next level.

Milwaukee Bucks

Ninth in the Eastern Conference is a lonely place to be, and that's where the Milwaukee Bucks ended up in 2012. They'll reach a similar destination next spring because they didn't do enough to improve on both ends of the floor.

The 2011-12 version of the Bucks had trouble stopping opponents, but they could fill up the hoop with ease.

This year, they will be marginally better defensively, but they'll take a step backward offensively. None of the centers on the roster are offensively adept, and the result will be a lack of paint production and undue pressure on the guards to score.

Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis and Ersan Ilyasova form a nice trio, but the Bucks will continue to miss Andrew Bogut as they fail to secure a playoff spot.

San Antonio Spurs

Two games into the 2012 Western Conference finals, Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs were well on their way to a fifth title. They were firing on all cylinders and seemingly unstoppable.

Then the young guns from Oklahoma City cruised through the series, and Gregg Popovich and company were left wondering what happened.

Will the Big Three bounce back and make one more run in 2012-13? Don't count on it. Last year's Spurs machine was a best-case scenario, with all the major pieces healthy and clicking with the role players.

Even if San Antonio does duplicate its 2011-12 chemistry, they won't have the firepower to get past the Thunder or Lakers.

Spurs fans banking on being on top of the NBA will be dismayed to find them third or fourth in the West.

Follow Daniel on Twitter: @Danielobleacher