NBA legend Brian Scalabrine believes that the way a team plays is a good indication of its chemistry. Scal says in his article for NBC Sports Boston that if the Boston Celtics are attacking the basket instead of settling for pull-up jumpers, then that's a good sign that their chemistry is good.

I don't believe in chemistry. I believe in fit. I believe in basketball being played a certain way. When you play that way, everyone thinks you have great chemistry. This team can love each other, they can have S’mores, singing “Kumbaya” with guitars out there. If they don't get to the restricted area and they don't get to the free-throw line, especially with this defensive frontcourt they have, this team is not going to be that good.

Now, if the C's can attack the restricted area — and I look a lot at Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward — if those guys are attacking the restricted area and getting to the free-throw line, that’s a good sign. A lot of times they want to attack and they want to swing out, which is fine. I don't have a problem with that. But I want to look at the numbers in the restricted area. When the ball hits the restricted area, whether it's a shot or a free throw or a kick out, what are the points per possession? When that stuff happens, I think chemistry is good. When that doesn't happen, and you're not getting to the free-throw line, and you're taking pull up jump shots, I think people will point to chemistry, but it's just because it's not good basketball.

Scalabrine may be on to something here.

Boston underperformed as a team last season due to season-long chemistry issues. Coincidentally, as Scalabrine alluded to, the Celtics often settled with taking inefficient mid-range jumpers. And former All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving often took those kinds of shots for them.

Likewise, Jayson Tatum usually settles for those shots as well, instead of driving it all the way to the bucket. This has been the knock on the former no. 3 pick so far.

However, with a changing of the guard, perhaps Boston can have much better chemistry and play for each other more. Perhaps one indication of that is if they get to the cup more often and look to make plays from those drives.

Celtics fans certainly hope they can have a much better campaign this time around with Irving gone.