5 NBA Teams with Biggest Chemistry Hurdles to Clear in Training Camp

Chemistry makes the world go round in the NBA.

We saw its importance in the 2011 NBA Finals when the Dallas Mavericks took down the newly created big three of the Miami Heat by overpowering star power with established chemistry.

There are a number of teams with newly acquired talent that, on paper, makes them elite teams—like the New York Knicks, L.A. Lakers and Boston Celtics. Without chemistry, though, those teams will struggle.

If these teams don't clear the "chemistry hurdle" in training camp, their 2012-13 regular season will get off to a rough start. 

L.A. Lakers

New Additions: Steve Nash, Dwight Howard, Jodie Meeks, Antawn Jamison, Darius Johnson-Odom, Robert Sacre, Chris Duhon

The Lakers are going to be good. There's no doubt about that. The only question is just how good they will be next season.

Barely making the playoffs or hovering around the fourth or fifth spot in the Western Conference won't cut it for the Lake Show this year. Not with all the talent they have on their roster.

Their success, or lack thereof, is all going to depend on the chemistry that is established amongst their depth—specifically between Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Dwight Howard.

There's really no question, though, if Nash and Howard can succeed together. Nash did it in Phoenix with Amar'e Stoudemire in the pick-and-roll, when he averaged 17.0 points and 10.9 assists per game, all while shooting 51 percent from the field.

The problem pops up when you throw Kobe Bryant into the mix. He's not used to sharing the ball with a legitimate point guard, and that's going to mean for the Lakers to succeed, he'll need to take at least a small step back in the offense.

If Phil Jackson were still coaching the Lakers, chemistry wouldn't be an issue. But with Mike Brown at the helm, developing chemistry is going to be a bigger issue. If Kobe can truly step back and let Nash control the Lakers' offense, the Lakers can be the best team in the NBA.

If he can't, though, they are going to be in for a roller coaster of a season. 

Philadelphia 76ers

New Additions: Andrew Bynum, Kwame Brown, Nick Young, Jason Richardson, Arnett Moultrie, Royal Ivey

To compete with the best of the best in the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia 76ers are going to need to have some semblance of chemistry between their hodgepodge of players and talent.

Whether he wants it or not, Andrew Bynum has a lot of pressure on him this season. Not only will he be a free agent at the end of the season. He's also tasked with replacing the 76ers' biggest on-court leader—Andre Iguodala.

Bynum can prove that he's deserving of a max contract at the end of this season, and the only way he is going to do that is by helping the 76ers establish chemistry early on. With a young roster and a bunch of players who excel in isolation situations, the 76ers need Bynum to assert himself as a leader on the court.

That might sound impossible, but with some guidance and coaching from the 76ers' cagey head coach, Doug Collins,  Bynum could see the transformation in his mentality that he needs.

Without chemistry, players like Nick Young and Jrue Holiday will be jacking up low-percentage shots just for the sake of shooting. The 76ers have a lot of potential to be a dangerous team with the depth on their roster. But that depth will mean nothing if they don't have chemistry. 

Dallas Mavericks

New Additions: Darren Collison, O.J. Mayo, Chris Kaman, Elton Brand, Jared Cunningham, Jae Crowder, Bernard James

The Dallas Mavericks are going to look like a completely different team during the 2012-13 season. Without their pair of Jasons—Jason Terry and Jason Kidd—the Mavericks will have a new-look backcourt. 

While having Darren Collison, O.J. Mayo and Jared Cunningham isn't exactly an upgrade, it does give the Mavericks a bit more youth and potential explosive offensive production at positions where they struggled at times last year.

Unfortunately, the lack of chemistry that Mayo failed to develop with his teammates in Memphis could be something that holds him back in Dallas if he doesn't become a player who leads rather than follows.

In addition to their backcourt additions, the Mavs also have serious frontcourt depth, which is something they certainly didn't have last season. Chris Kaman and Elton Brand are veteran players who shouldn't have any problem bringing leadership to the Mavs this year.

It will be interesting to see how the Mavs' new talent meshes together. If they can figure out how to play together instead of trying to flourish on an individual level, the Mavericks can make some noise in the West—winning 50-plus games.

If they don't find chemistry early on though, the rebuilding process in Dallas could begin sooner rather than later, and that's not what Mavs' fans want to hear. 

Houston Rockets

New Additions: Jeremy Lin, Shaun Livingston, Carlos Delfino, Omer Asik, Jeremy Lamb, Terrence Jones, Royce White

The Houston Rockets went "all in" for Dwight Howard this past offseason and failed. Now they are faced with a roster full of talented players who either haven't played in the NBA before or have never established their stardom—I'm looking at you Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik.

The Rockets aren't going to be a playoff team this year, but their season could be a major disaster if they don't build chemistry over the next few weeks during training camp.

Chemistry is always a huge part of rookie's development, and the Rockets have plenty of rookies who are going to get significant time this season.

With Lin and Asik—two unproven players— being the de facto leaders of a young Rockets' team, chemistry is all that will save their team this year. Without chemistry, the Rockets will just be a bunch of individually talented players who can't figure out how to put it all together.

With chemistry the Rockets could end up with between 30 and 35 wins this season. Without chemistry, they could struggle to win 15-plus games. Whichever direction their season goes, we'll all see the importance of chemistry this season, courtesy of the new-look, youthful Rockets.

The Rockets don't have true, veteran experience at any position. That will be put on display without any semblance of chemistry this year.  

New York Knicks

New Additions: Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd, Marcus Camby, Kurt Thomas

The Knicks might only have four new players on their roster, but they need chemistry more than any other team in the NBA. 

The reason is because they didn't have chemistry at all last year. With Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire leading the way, the Knicks were like a chicken with its head cut off. They had life, but they had absolutely no direction.

The Knicks hope that bringing in veteran leadership at the point with Jason Kidd will take the need for leadership away from 'Melo, freeing him up to be the effective offensive player he consistently is. More importantly, the Knicks hope that Kidd, and even Raymond Felton, can bring some chemistry to the court with Stoudemire.

Last season there was a major disconnect between the Knicks' frontcourt and backcourt play, and to compete in the East this year, that absolutely must change.

On offense, Kurt Thomas and Marcus Camby won't have much of an impact. But they will add depth in the paint on defense, and that will hopefully help the Knicks be an even more formidable defensive team this year.

'Melo has had enough time to become the leader of the Knicks. He clearly hasn't, and that's why the Knicks parted ways with Jeremy Lin, in favor of a more veteran talent in Kidd. 

Chemistry will make or break the Knicks this year, like it did last season. If they fail to work together this season, it will signify the beginning of what will be a serious rebuilding process, and that's something that Knicks' fans wouldn't be thrilled about.