We all know how Larry Brown, coach of the Charlotte Bobcats, preaches of playing the right way. We know the coach currently leading the New York Knicks uses the SSL (Seven Seconds or Less) offense. Yet we do not clearly see what makes a team fun to watch and what makes it a drag to sleep next to.

It must be a combination of team chemistry, playing style, team make-up, the assortment of superstars within the roster. Somehow everything molds into a “product” you either want to catch on your television at all costs or one that you might think about avoiding.

 Without further ado here is my personal list of most and least watchable teams in the NBA this season:

 Five least watchable:

5 - Utah Jazz: Something has gone wrong in Salt Lake City. Constant injuries and a sudden lack of on-court cohesion has resulted in some sloppy play. Even when the Jazz are playing well, they move into that San Antonio Spurs category of being efficient, but not being too much fun to watch. It’s too bad, as a player like Deron Williams should be enough to keep a team off this list.

I guess the fact that he is not happy with his team currently is affecting his on-court persona. There are probably a few teams that are less fun to watch, but the sheer disappointment of Utah’s current play has pretty much made it a must to have them in the bottom five. 

4 - Chicago Bulls: Speaking of dysfunctional . . . Derrick Rose and Co. are making a case for themselves to be included here. In all fairness this has nothing to do with Rose, who is probably the lone bright spot for this team right now, as far as entertainment value is concerned. Coach Vinnie Del Negro has not succeeded in erasing last year’s bad locker room vibe.

The frontcourt players are a bunch of prima donnas without the game to match. The backcourt players behave as if they are on a 50 win team, and poor Derrick Rose has to endure this on a daily basis in his rookie season. Whatever this is it sure does not result in enjoyable basketball.

3 - Memphis Grizzlies: Another team with a few promising youngsters in the line-up. The trio of OJ Mayo, Marc Gasol and Rudy Gay should be fun to watch, yet they are anything but. Here the young rookie, Mayo, has more to do with it than it seems. OJ is relying heavily on long range jumpshots, which can be pretty to watch if they fall, but his shooting has been dipping every month, since teams have realised that you do not need to defend against forays into the lane when he has the ball.

Gasol’s hustle and the developing talents of Rudy Gay are great entertainment, but everything else that is here is broken. It will take some major fixing before it will be fun again.

2 - Sacramento Kings: Now we’ve reached the teams that are downright painful to watch. The Kings earn this spot by managing to present the worst examples of teamwork. Look at this roster: they have some nice pieces, but there is no main attraction. Kevin Martin disguises himself as the head honcho of this bunch, but it is getting pretty clear he is more suited to be a second or maybe even third banana.

Beno Udrih can bean effective point man when surrounded by enough talent, which is not the case in Sacramento. Unless you actually like watching a team struggle constantly for 48 minutes, you better steer clear of any Kings games.

1 - Toronto Raptors: I thought the Jermaine O’Neil trade was a lose-lose trade for the Raptors and the Pacers. I thought Raptors fans were way overboard when they predicted their team would challenge Boston for the Atlantic crowd. Yet even I could not foresee the doom and gloom that beset Toronto. The O’Neil Chris Bosh high-post, low-post tandem was supposed to be a thing of beauty, but it is actually painful to watch.

This team is not clicking at all. It seems as if even the mere thought of cohesion is being waved far away from the Air Canada Center. Their last game (a 78-70 loss against the Grizzlies) should be considered offensive, that is how bad it was. I can’t even give you a silver lining as Chris Bosh, who at least has looked even better than last season, is rumored to be leaving.

Five most watchable:

5 - Orlando Magic: They should be higher on this list, but the Jameer Nelson injury changes things a little. Coach Stan Van Gundy has once again managed to extract scintillating, fun basketball from his crew. Dwight Howard is a ticket drawing star in his own right, but with the free flowing, open offense being applied by the Magic, the whole team is a joy to watch.

You really get a full package with Orlando - the three pointers, the massive dunks, the forays into the paint, the blocked shots, the overpowering inside player… The list goes on and on. Plus, they give you an extra intrigue in the battle for top spot in the East.

4 - Denver Nuggets: In the past two seasons I was constantly thinking about how great the Nuggets could be, if only Allen Iverson would share the wealth. I wrote a piece a year ago about the ten best current NBA players where I did not mention AI, suddenly many comments came about how it is a sin to omit him from such a list.

I always made the simple notion that if you would replace AI with a point guard who understood why you pass the ball, Denver would be better off. Nobody backed my stance. Now I can finally say: I TOLD YOU SO! With the Chauncey Billups for AI trade the Nuggets started playing team ball. A team with such an abundance of offensive talent will always be fun to watch, at least if the first person to touch the ball is not a complete ballhog. Denver’s fast paced, high scoring style definitely is a joy to look at.

3 - New York Knicks: Is it a coincidence that once coach Mike D’Antoni leaves the Phoenix Suns to coach the Knicks the Suns turn into a mediocre team that is OK to watch, but one that you do not rave about, whilst Knicks games turn into the equivalent of a Wild West shootout? Is it really? Mike D came into town, adapted his “seven seconds or less” mantra and the Knicks instantly become one of the top teams to watch.

They are currently the most fun team to watch from the pack of squads with losing records (the Indiana Pacers are a close second due to almost always having close endgame situations). The Knicks run and gun their way into your heart. They will probably lose more than they’ll win, but the main thing is that the Garden has been re-energized and the team is relevant once again. Plus, you have to see David Lee live to truly enjoy his talents.

2 - Cleveland Cavaliers: Any team that has LeBron James is an instant must watch. This Cavs team has been molded to give James his best shot at a title. The arrival of Mo Williams has given them another dangerous weapon, and one that brings versatility. Then you get the added bonus of seeing Zydrunas Ilgauskas play. The giant towers over almost everyone in the NBA, yet he feels more comfortable shooting 12-15 foot jumpers. High comedy at its best. Add a bunch of three-point marksmen and you have the makings of an electrifying team.

1 - Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe and Co. are probably the most popular show on the NBA stage. Starring the assassin (Kobe), the goofy Spaniard (Pau Gasol), the lovable multi-talented big guy (Lamar Odom) and the high drama of the oft-injured young talent (Andrew Bynum). You get everything you wanted and more from the men in purple and gold.

They are dominant, they are graceful and they kick butt. The Lakers are the action movie of the NBA. The high value, big special FX, grit your teeth till the end kind of show that will leave you ooh-ing and aaah-ing and begging for more. (Heck, all those who watched last night’s game against the Cavs know just how great a show these guys put up).

As for the omissions: I couldn’t bring myself to include the Boston Celtics as a top five "must watch" team. The arrogance, trash-talking and disrespect of the defending champions is something that is hard to recommend to anyone who is not a Boston fan.

I imagine some will be asking to include San Antonio in the top five, some in the bottom five. Even I cannot make my mind up. The Spurs can look extremely fun one night and a total bore the next. So, they’ll be missed from both lists.

Last year the New Orleans Hornets would have surely made my top 5, but this season they have been mediocre. The one constant is Chris Paul. That guy puts on a show every night.