-Hawks are only 2-2, but aren't 0-4, and have wins over the Mavs and Suns and nearly beat the Pistons in Detroit. Not a surprise to me, but maybe some. They're going to make some noise this year

-The Celtics are dominating. However, I still want to see them play a real team such as the Suns, Spurs, Pistons, etc. They did gut out a win against the Raptors, but I don't want to get overly excited. Still, they are coming together a lot quicker than I thought they would. Garnett looked reborn last night.

-The Heat are 0-4. I figured there time had passed, but man they looked bad. Of course missing Wade has a lot to do with that, but still...

-Didn't think the Bulls would be this bad, obviously

-Didn't think the Warriors would be this bad either, even though they are the Warriors and putting together back to back winning seasons just isn't something they do

-Very impressed with the Rockets and Adelman's system. This could be the year they break through. Yao is having a great season and their bench looks really strong

-Chris Paul and Chris Kaman are really blowing me away...I knew Paul was great but he is having an unbelievable season so far

-The rookie class seems to be pretty strong with the notable exception so far of Mike Conley who seems to have gotten buried behind Lowry and Stoudemire

Houston is my suprise team to come out of the West. If he stays healthy, I think Yao could be MVP. If he and T-Mac stay healthy, they could dominate in the playoffs like Kobe and Shaq a few years back.

Al Horford is a beast.

I've been saying it, Boston is the best team in the East. The Bulls screwed up not only when they didn't get KG but when they let him go to another Eastern team. The Bulls can't land one allstar. Boston lands two in one offseason and has three on their roster. Plus they still have a few solid young players in Rondo, Tony Allen and Kendrick Perkins.

Good points.

I like Yao but I'm a T-Mac hater so nothing will make me feel better than to see them fall on their faces in the playoffs again. I disagree with Yao winning the MVP though. I don't really see anything stopping KG from taking it, especially if Boston goes deep into the playoffs.

It's sad to think about all the deals the Boo could've made over the last couple of years but didn't. Boston is the truth and it's not just because of the three All-Stars they have. Just look at the way their young guys hustle. I don't know if it's Doc Rivers' coaching or if it's talent (or a combination of both), but Boston seems to have "it."

_________________
Kid Cairo's Boers & Bernstein YouTube Channel

Kid Cairo: 2013 March Madness Tournament Winner!

"Cowabunga? Cowa fucking piece of dog shit! This game is diarrhea coming out of my dick!"

- Heat are a collection of garbage outside of Wade. That team is like the equivalent of the SF Giants - old, crusty veterans on the downside of their career. Of course, Wade could, and probably will, get this team going, and put some of these players into roles.

- Chris Paul has been amazing. 21 assists the other night, and the Hornets are a good team, provided they stay healthy. David West is an underrated big man, but he'll put up 17 and 8 most night. Tyson Chandler is a double-double guy, and Peja Stojakovic is now healthy, and gives solid outside shooting. They finally lost a game last night, but off to a good start. Which Brings up my next point....

- Portland obviously suffered a big loss with their top pick out for the season, but they are still a pesky team, in particular, at home with Aldridge, Roy and a few of their other high school draft picks (Webster, Outlaw). Blake is a decent point guard so this team will pull off some home wins.

- The Bulls will get this turned around. It may not be for awhile though given that the 6 game road trip is upcoming, but they could win tonight and Saturday. We'll see on that though. This team has too much talent, and good players, for this slide to become a bad season.

- ATL is going to be a player this year - they still have their issues - Josh Smith needs to stop taking bad shots, and their point guard position is a work in progress, but talent is everywhere. Horford isn't scoring much yet, but he's a big time rebounder already, and the rest of young talent (Marvin Williams, Smith, Horford, Childress) goes well around Joe Johnson, who's good for 25 PPG.

- Watching the Knicks game vs Denver the other night, and as much of a tool as Zach Randolph is, this guyis an awesome offensive player. He was posting up on the left block, calling for the ball, and then putting it in the basket with Denver doubling on him. Very good post player.

- Anyone else wondering if Gilbert Arenas' knee is going to be an issue all season ? He's had it drained a few times already.

- Chris Kaman was putting up pretty good numbers two years ago, and then signed the big contract, and settled in as a 12 and 7 type center - not bad, but certainly not as good as the Clippers were hoping for, but without Brand in the middle, he has re-emerged as a dominating rebounder down low.

- I think Memphis drafted Mike Conley with the expecation that he wouldn't be ready to play significant minutes. I think, during the 2nd half of the season, he'll get more minutes. Rudy G ay, looks like he's going to break out this season though in Memphis.

- Lamar Odom is expected back this Friday for the Lakers. I don't expect that team to keep winning with the load of crap they are currently using so he'll be a welcome addition.

I respect McGrady, but he plays like an old man with all of his jump shots, not to mention that his back could go at any time.

It depends on which Odom shows up. If he returns with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove, it'll be great for them. If he's the same old Odom who shows flashes of dominance here and there, then not really.

He's the epitome of "potential". I've always thought he had the potential to be a top 5 player in the league but for whatever reason he doesn't always look like he wants it bad enough. Injuries have obviously played a part but just for once I want to see Odom play up to his capabilities.

_________________
Kid Cairo's Boers & Bernstein YouTube Channel

Kid Cairo: 2013 March Madness Tournament Winner!

"Cowabunga? Cowa fucking piece of dog shit! This game is diarrhea coming out of my dick!"

See also: Stromile Swift

Oh yeh, I forgot about KG. Forget my Yao for MVP comments. Yao is a bum.

Houston won't win a championship. Yao is cool, he can be fun to watch, his name is fun to say, but his body frame is not going to allow him to be a dominant force in the NBA because he'll be either injured or sore or disjointed in some way. McGrady can be great, but they don't have a very consistent presence otherwise. They'll be mired in mediocrity for the next few years, I think...

I've never though of Odom as a good fit with Bryant because Kobe dominates the ball so much, and Odom is sort of a point forward who really needs to be involved early in a game for his offense to get going. He's a good player, but you're right, I always thought he could be better than that.

He was my 1st pick.
It's obvious that it's bothering him on his shots. The elevation's just not there. He needs to rub some "Tussin" on it.

Another thought.
Danny Granger is having the season that Luol should be having.
If he figures out a way to get inside more and draw 2-3 more fouls per game, he'll be a 25 point scorer.

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“Mmmm. Move over, eggs. Bacon just got a new best friend - fudge.”

Eastern
Front of the Pack
- Boston is living up to the hype. Want to see if this holds true in the second half of the season when the minutes add up.
- Detroit - the result of a successful systems. Lose Ben Wallace, no problem...lets draft Jason Maxiel who steps right in. (And no....the Bulls will now beat them tonight)
- Orlando- The combination of Howard and Lewis is looking to be a nice partnership

Dissappointments
No Question, the Bulls. Paxson is looking like a goat right now for not getting the right pieces to get over the hump and having the trade rumors swirl around the team to the point of Gordon and Deng not signing extensions. This team won't be focused until a trade gets done, imo.
Washington is another team that was a step away from Conference championships but Arenas's slow start and knee troubles are holding them back.

Sleepers
-Atlanta- Alot of young talent. Josh Smith is a stat stuffer. Wish I could of gotten him on my fantasy team.
-New York- If this team can play as a team, they can be very scary.

Western
Leaders
Houston- Star power w/ McGrady and Ming, scrappy do-it-all role player in Battier, sharpshooters off a very deep bench.
Spurs- (See Pistons)
Utah- Play very well as a team. I like Brewer as a sleeper ROY.
Dallas- Look hungry to avenge the 1st round loss last year.

Disappointments
-Golden State- Especially after the emotional series upset over Dallas. Can't guard my sister's BB team. Giving up 119/game.
Denver- Anthony, Iverson, Martin, Nene, Camby. With those names, you just expect more from them than 2-3 and ugly losses to NY and Bos already.
-PHX- Is it me, or does this team not show the same excitement as they used to? Could it be that Grant Hill is slowing them down? Keep an eye out for Stoudamire's knee.

Sleepers
-New Orleans- I really like watching this team play. West and Chandler are formidable big men, Stojakovic and Morris Peterson can fill from deep. And Chris Paul know how to put the pieces together.

MVP- Garnett
ROY- Durrant
Comeback player- Chris Kaman
Finals- Spurs v.s Detroit - Winner Spurs

Second half? How about through more than 3 games

Seriously, that's why I want to see them play a truly elite team like the Spurs to gage where they're at. They struggled against Toronto, and while the blowout against Denver was nice I'm cautious since Denver was on the 2nd night of a back to back

Im with everyone on Atlanta, and have been before I had ever seen anyone agree. They just have too much talent on their team to not compete for a playoff spot in the lowly east.

I agree the Bulls will get their shit together. Good win against Detroit tonight.

Detroit and Toronto can compete with Boston. Anyone who thinks otherwise clearly hasnt been watching the same NBA I have for the past two years.

The Lakers will keep Kobe and win 50 games in my opinion. Kobe is playing pefect ball so far, and if he can maintain this then they will be the proverbial "team noone wants to face in May"

Chris Kaman is a beast, as mentioned earlier. I doubt seriously he will keep up this pace, though I expect him to finish somewhere around 14-10-2, which is still really good.

It looks as though I underestimated Orlando. I still doubt they go anywhere in the playoffs, but they could definitely win 45-50 games.

Kevin Durant will definitely live up to the hype, and Horford will come 2nd in ROY voting.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Dare I say that the NBA is fun again ? I'm biased because I love the NBA, but there are a lot of fun teams out there, and running is back in style.

I never fell out of love, even during the Ron Mercer era, but yes the NBA is still fun. Anyone missing out on this amazing(purposeful, yes) league is a fool.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Please, don't remind me.

I used to be a huge NBA fan. I still am a fan but I can't really get excited about it until the middle of January. I enjoy watching but I just get the feeling that these games mean almost nothing. Teams with losing records make the playoffs more than they should. Teams that are barely .500 make the playoffs just about every year.

6 of the 8 playoff teams in both divisions are pretty much locks to make the playoffs.

The NBA is fun. There are probably more players to watch and enjoy than ever before and it is better than any time after the Jordan era in Chicago ended but I get more excited about college basketball than I do about the NBA until the playoffs get a lot closer.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

The NBA went through a dark period between 1998 and 2002 and I almost stopped watching completely at at that time. Games were boring and teams like the 2000 Pacers and 2001 Sixers were able to make it to the Finals. The talent level in the NBA has been really good since about 2003 and most games and teams have been really fun to watch.

_________________
Kid Cairo's Boers & Bernstein YouTube Channel

Kid Cairo: 2013 March Madness Tournament Winner!

"Cowabunga? Cowa fucking piece of dog shit! This game is diarrhea coming out of my dick!"

I agree- even some of the downtrodden teams like the Bobcats are fun to watch. Lately it seems almost every game has some intriguing matchups, and I'm even enjoying watching some of the awful teams like Minnesota and Seattle just to see how the rookies are doing. I think maybe some of it has to do with some of the old veteran hangers-on either retiring or getting severly reduced roles, and a corresponding influx of good young talent.

what can i say, i got a lot of fre time at work and ive been following the nba fanatically since a week before preseason started.

Atlanta will start to fall. maybe they make the play-offs but the second half of the season wont be nearly as good as the first half for Atlanta. I say this because veteran teams tend to pick up their momentum in the second half of the season. the first half they come in and are hardly ever in as good a shape as the younger teams.

Boston is for real. they're playing like its the play-offs already. I doubt they play at that level the entire season but i wouldnt be suprised if they have the best record in the regular season and make it to the conferance finals. all 3 players are used to getting a lot of minutes. they wont tire easily. as for all the other players on the team, they will look good because they're playing at the end of blowouts and when the game is competitive they'll be made to look good because they're playing next to superstars. MJ made his team mates better, KG makes his team mates look good too. (not saying they are alike as players but both really make their team mates better. KG's keyword all preseason "sacrifice.") They'll beat the tough teams all year long, and especially early. KG = lock for MVP (unless he gets bit by the injury bug)

Miami is missing a lot of things but they're record doesnt reflect their playing. At least their defense is all right. their offense doesnt have any1 that can create for other people except for ricky davis and shaq. and neither are nearly as good of an option as wade. id expect shaq to look much better when wade returns. might still be enough to make the play-offs. shit i think they're a better option to make the play-offs than atlanta but it's close. Their best players right now are prob haslem and ricky. ricky thinks he can make things happen by himself but he's not good enough. cant expect a player like haslem make his team mates better but he's still playing good winthin himself.

nobody panic about the bulls. they're the same team as last year (which is a good team). wait for them to settle in, maybe this trade and contract situations actually made a difference but i think they could have won 3 of those first 4 losses. it was closer than people are giving them credit for. we all know they had shit to work out but there are a lot more positives than people are talking about. are big 3 havent been playing lights out but they will undoubtedly play better than they have. I geuss we'll see how they do over the course of the next 7 games, they're all going to be tough games.

Warriors still need stephen jackson back but baron isnt playing like he was at the end of the last season. still, they are better than 0-5. But theyve played utah twice, clippers, mavs, and cavs. sure you'd like to see at least 2 wins out of there but im sure we're all familiar with slow starts turning into play-off seasons. Though, the league is tougher this year.

I felt like i was defending houston all the time in here. im glad they're starting off well. the play-offs will be tough for them.

Nobody seems to be mentioning it, but zac randolph went to the knicks for nothing really. he would have been great fit for the bulls. Maybe his defense is lacking but he's so great in the post and he came cheap.

I dont think portland is good team. im suprised that they beat the hornets the other night.

Some of my favorite teams to watch in order (besides the bulls at #1) are hornets, Celtics, Magic, Pistons, Suns, Mavs, Spurs, and the Raptors.

the wizards were all right against the the nets but it looks like it will be a very long season for arenas.

Ive heard talks of eddy curry being aggressive on defense, whats going on? if thats true than i have no clue what to expect from that team. will they start passing the ball too? time will only tell.

the spurs are the team to beat come play-off time but it looks like there will be a handful of teams that could do it. the whole league looks better.

yo kyle32, brewer is not a rookie. but he looks good this year too.

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GO BULLS!

Yeah, I'm a little surprised they're 0-5. I expected them to struggle a bit out of the gate without Jackson, but not go winless. Last year during their playoff push at the end they were just bumrushing teams and blowing them out by 20-30, I think with their porous defense and without Jackson they're going to have trouble winning close games right now. Seems like it's all or nothing for them



But he's not a 'character guy'



Well, yeah...They'll definitely be a dangerous team in a few years. Roy and Aldridge look like they're going to have breakout years. Next year they'll get Oden back and most assuredly have another top lottery pick.

Thanks for pointing that out. Complete brain fart on my part.

Portland has been a surprise. I thought they'd be battling with the Wolves for the worst record. They've had some nice wins over some good teams. Of course they'll still be in the lottery, but with Oden coming back and another young player they're going to be dangerous next year.