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August 20, 2008 4:12:37 PM CDT

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Is the NBA Nearing a Tipping Point?

Posted Jan 3, 08 10:00 AM CST in Sports 

(Newser) – The team model that has won the San Antonio Spurs four championships in nine years—a focus on  chemistry, strong character, and salary cap flexibility—is starting to crop up elsewhere in the NBA, ESPN columnist Bill Simmons thinks. He's coined a word for it  "chemacterility."  It means eschewing bad guys—even the talented ones—and bad contracts, and it's now being tried out from Boston to Portland.

The revamped Celtics hang out together, joke around, and hug before games in the spirit of "ubuntu," or team unity, and so far it's netted them a dominant .900 record. The Trail Blazers also put together a group of unselfish, high-character players, and won 13 in a row. Meanwhile, disjointed teams like the Heat and character minefields like the Knicks are hurting big.

Source ESPN

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Portland Trail Blazers, from left, center Joel Przybilla (10), guard Martell Webster, guard Jarrett Jack, forward LaMarcus Aldridge, and guard Brandon Roy (7) wait for play to resume during a timeout...   (Associated Press)
San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan, left and Spurs' Tony Parker, from France, celebrate with the championship trophy and the MVP trophy after Game 4 of the NBA basketball finals Thursday, June 14, 2007, in...   (Associated Press)
Boston Celtics' Paul Pierce (34) puts his arm around Kevin Garnett (5) after lifting Garnett out of the crowd in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Friday, Nov....   (Associated Press)
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basketball  • NBA  • Boston Celtics  • San Antonio Spurs  • Portland Trail Blazers  • team chemistry


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