2010-11 NBA Season: Checklist for a Succesful Team

With the NBA season just days from tip-off, many fans are contemplating the potential success of their favorite teams. Will the hyped rookie pan out? Will the aging star remain productive? Will someone step up in the absence of a key player?

Various components are needed for a team to be successful. Most teams have a few of them, the best teams have all of them.

Talent and great coaching are only part of the mix. Here are the other key ingredients:

Go-To Guy

This is pretty straightforward. For your team to be successful they'll need a player they have confidence in during decisive moments. Whether it's taking the last shot or stopping the bleeding when the opposing team goes on a run, the outcome of the game will often be decided by this player.  

Leader 

He doesn't have to be the coach or the best player, just someone the team respects and trusts. Leadership may come in the form of a pep talk, a glare or a gentle pat on the shoulder, but it should be something the players respond to.   

Chemistry

Players must check their egos at the door. A me-first attitude irritates teammates and erodes credibility. Understanding and bonding with the other players will eliminate anxiety in games, so the only thing players have to worry about is the other team.

Unpredictability

If you want your team to win, they're going to have to figure out different ways to do it. Even though the Cav's were very successful in the regular season the past few years, their achievements didn't translate well to the postseason because they were one-dimensional. Having a game plan with options is crucial.     

Fight

There are always those teams who don't jump out on paper, but succeed anyway. The magic ingredient in that anomaly is effort. Hustling for loose balls, getting in position for rebounds and never taking a possession off don't show up in the stat sheet, but they do in the win column.  

Big Three

Look at the most successful teams in recent years and you'll notice a major trend: they each have at least three all-star caliber players. The Lakers have Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. The Celtics have Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. San Antonio has Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan. It's not a mathematical formula for winning, but it doesn't hurt your team's chances.

Depth

Having stars is important, however, if role players can't hold a lead while they're resting, your teams in trouble. Some nights the best players will be off their game and they'll need their teammates to pick them up. A second unit that can step in and energize or change the pace of the game takes weight off the stars shoulders.

Defense and Offense

Defense doesn't win championships. Defense and offense win championships. With the amount of competition in the league today, your team can't afford to focus on one or the other. The best squads have a healthy balance of both.

Aura

Every team needs a distinguishing element. It bands them together, creates an identity and gives the fan base something to get riled up about. The "Showtime" Lakers and "Bad Boy" Pistons had it. Does your team?

Belief

It sounds corny, but it's true. If a team doesn't think they have what it takes, they're setting themselves up for failure. Anything can happen in the NBA. The first step is believing that it can. Like Kevin Garnett said: "Anything is possible."