Enter The GrindHouse - Denver vs The Grizz

The Memphis Grizzlies have been the talk of this young NBA season, reeling off a string of impressive wins over tough competition, which has earned them the early consensus of Top Dog while the picture continues to take form. The Grizz have been scoring more easily while playing a suffocating team defense that gleans back to the '08 Celtics (note the Tony Allen connection), balancing the scoring with Russian Roulette-like variance and appear to be clicking on most (if not all) cylinders through the whole rotation.

This can be blamed on a whole array of things, from Zach Randolph's apparent P90x training, to he and Rudy Gay having more time to gel on-court, the relentless bench production, the bitter taste of Playoff disaster lingering in their mouths all summer, OJ Mayo being in a different uniform, Marc Gasol channeling Mark Jackson, Mike Conley looking every bit worth the contract I spit out half my tea (yes, I drink tea) upon reading he signed...

Of course, as is with every team that exceeds pre-season projections, the question is: can they keep it up? Tonight, the Grizz face off against the Nuggets; a team many see them fighting for playoff position with, as they chase a franchise-record 9th straight win. Banter's got the play-by-play: welcome to the GrindHouse.

- Zach Randolph hit with a delay of game warning before tipoff. Astounding.

- Tony Allen "looking for his offense early but not shooting the ball very well". Not so astounding.

- The Grizz's first bucket comes off a nice Conley 3 after Gasol gets crowded in the high post and (as usual) finds the open man. Hitting the 3 has been one of Memphis' new weapons; should be of note tonight against a reputedly tough Nuggets' perimeter D

- Lebron James is the only non-guard with more assists this year than Marc Gasol. That's just impressive, even nine games in.

- Grizz timeout early after their effort on D looks very Knick-like

- Midway through the first, the Grizz have been attacking the post and the Nuggets have been hitting easy jumpers. Knotted at 11.

- Again, Denver's defenders overload the post, leave the top of the perimeter wide open, and get stung with a 3, this time by Rudy Gay.

- Iggy with the game's first dunk; a nice 2-handed baseline reverse off a pump fake that just looks TOO casual for what it is.

- Enter: Quincy Pondexter. This is bad news for you, Denver.

- Memphis has been murdering the offensive glass early, but having a player named "The Manimal" is a great equalizer. He forces two second-chance points to cap a Denver run that gives them a 17-14 lead... Until a Mike Conley 3 from the corner in transition knots it again.

- Lotta turnovers by Memphis, and Denver isn't playing particularly great D

- The Grizz are just murdering the Nuggets down low right now, between offensive-rebounds and feebly-contested penetration, it's been ugly, and every time Denver's stacked the key to compensate, they've given up an open 3. Memphis at their best is certainly not a team you want to play small-ball against, and...

- Yes! stealing my thought, George Karl has checked Javale McGee into the game over the break. Instant entertainment spike. On cue, McGee catches an Andre Miller backdoor lob.

- Enter: the rest of Memphis' super-subs, Speights, Bayless and Ellington.

- McGee confusedly dribbles into a triple-team with no teammates within 15 feet, jumps as if he's going to try and dunk over everyone from the dotted line, and gets stripped. Such a majestic game.

- The pace picks up as Speights finishes a near-dunk over Brewer on the break to give Memphis the lead, but a pair of free throws put Denver back up 27-26 after 1 quarter.

- The announcers talking about Memphis' "15-game home winning streak" makes me laugh. Let's just conveniently forget about the Playoffs and that 27-point 4th Quarter collapse. At home. Led by Nick Young.

- Both teams come out of the gates running in the 2nd, looking to set the tone. The result? More turnovers. McGee appears to have Pondexter sealed in the post, but falls over while establishing position after Miller creates what in his mind is another easy bucket. The ball rolls by - just out of his massive reach - and the Grizz get back and score in transition.

- Commercial break: 32-32.

- After the break, McGee is curiously absent.

- Jordan Hamilton checks in, tries to make a move off the pass, and blatantly travels. The announcer deadpans: "It does not end well for him".

- 3 more Memphis turnovers to start the 2nd. Hard to score at that rate.

- When they're not losing the ball, the Grizz are finding Randolph for nice looks in the post; keeping it simple, exploiting the edge.

- Pondexter cages the Manimal, taking a charge on the break well ahead of the play; the kind of consistent gritty effort we've learned to expect from them.

- Gallinari catches a lob into the post off a switch with Miller and finishes maybe the toughest shot of his career over three Grizzlies; game's high scorer with 9. Not to be outdone, Gay comes back and sticks one of those 3's that makes the rim mic twang; game's high scorer with 11.

- "Danillo Gallinari, who did NOTHING against the Grizzlies in three games last year, has been the man of the match for the Nuggets so far." Flattering. 45-45 with 2:37 left in the half. Very tight game so far, but if Memphis could just take care of the f***ing ball, they'd be not only scoring more (clearly) but preventing the  fast breaks that have led to fouls and enough of Denver's points.

- The Nuggets have been playing some very sloppy transition ball themselves; numerous lucky deflections are the only reason they're still in single-digit TOs.

- A couple pretty bad no-call fouls have the GrindHouse raining boos on the refs, and the Grizzlies trailing 52-49. The Nuggets are shooting are 54% and the Grizz's D looks about as confused as you would if you saw a grizzly bear in the city of Memphis.

- Time for some blueberry pancakes while some Grizzlies "legend" gives weak halftime analysis.

- Players I pictured doing that segment: Bonzi Wells, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Blue Edwards

- Tip for blueberry pancakes, put more emphasis on the "blueberry", less on the "pancake"

- The first half was scrappy; the 2nd half at first impression won't be any different.

- Faried picks up 2 quick fouls - terrible news for the Nuggets as he now has 4. Karl isn't calling anyone off the bench though...oh...no...wait...here comes...JAVALE MCGEE! Who immediately throws up an awkward runner, but gets his own rebound over everyone for an easy putback, hardly jumping.

- Curious officiating. A lot of close calls going against Memphis nebulously, and a lot of swallowed whistles on close fouls. The Grizz are laughing, but what else can you do?

- More exploiting the post from Memphis; Denver's countered with a Koufos/McGee frontline that's getting confused on switches more than contesting shots.

- By the way, a quick shoutout to NBA League Pass for leaving this game and the Clippers/Spurs tilt untouched while blacking out the thrilling Magic/Hawks showdown. A rare treat.

- Memphis has grinded away, back to a 67-64 lead. As advertised their scoring is balanced: Gasol leads three in double-figures, Bayless has 9, Conley has 8, and only Ellington has yet to score.

- While Mcgee isn't doing much to prevent Gasol from scoring, he's at least answering with a few nice post moves of his own. There might be hope yet for the kid...

- A contested Corey Brewer 3 goes in (somehow) to bring Denver within one; 70-69 Grizz at the end of three.

- McGee's single greatest attribute might be his length allowing him to contest every single rebound; Z-Bo's working on the glass like Ruth's Chris is full and they lost his reservation.

- Nuggets on an 11-3 run up 73-70 early; the bench getting it done. Andre Miller's presence at least triple's McGee's value on offense.

- Admission: I went into this saying to myself "try not to talk about Javale McGee the whole game". Fail.

- If "50/50 balls" were an actual statistical category, Denver would just be completely pummeling Memphis. Then there's the 17 offensive rebounds - in which the Nuggets lead the NBA - but damn. The Manimal is just wreaking havoc.

- Speaking of which, Gay pulls down a board off a Pondexter miss for an uncontested two-handed slam that sends Denver to a time-out clinging to a 79-76 lead, and puts some much-needed wind back in Memphis' sails. It's their first bucket in the paint so far in the 4th, coming at 7:39.

- Conley for 3! Ties the game, validates that contract juuuuuuust a bit more. Gay swats a Ty Lawson floater on the other end, and Memphis is starting to bring out that energy. Tony Allen sinks two at the line and Grizz are up 83-81.

- The refs blow another call (a loose ball Faried knocks out - I swear, he chases every loose ball like he's a Season 3 Wire extra after "that WMD", the refs should just employ a "Faried rule" for sketchy plays they're not sure of)  that leads to a tying bucket for Denver.

- LEAVE TONY ALLEN OPEN FROM 18 FEET! I DARE YOU! Grizzlies up 87-83

- Allen makes a slightly less valuable play, getting T'd up for pulling Faried's hair after they fought for a loose ball. The ensuing free throw knot the game yet again at 87; the 12th time tonight.

- The refs blow another call (God this game's getting repetitive), but tony Brothers steps in off the ball to set things straight and cut Memphis some slack, after they've been on the bum end of virtually every close/blown call.

- The Grizz run an extremely dangerous play with Gasol isolated in the high post and slashers from the right baseline and flashing on the left perimeter. Rudy streaks baseline, Gasol with the beautiful drop pass, and-one.

- The quizzical officiating continues as McGee grabs Gasol's jersey while they fight for a rebound, and Gasol gets nailed with the call.

- I love how the GrindHouse routinely plays the instrumental to "Yonkers" in the 4th quarter. Apparently, Tyler does too:

Tyler, The Creator ‏@fucktyler

DUDE MY SONG WAS PLAYING DURING A FUCKING BASKETBALL GAME!!! THATS TIGHT CAUSE I DONT REALLY KNOW SHIT ABOUT BASKETBALL BUT HELL YEAH

- With the game under 2 minutes and Memphis up 92-90, the two teams trade deadly offensive possessions: a Tony Allen running pump scoop over 2 defenders with the shot clock dwindling, and an Iggy 3 off a broken play. Deadly.

- The offensive glass continues to be Denver's savior; two straight 2nd chance opportunities put them back up 93-92. Javale Mcgee, ladies and gentlemen.

- Gay picks up his dribble in an iso set with nobody near him, awkwardly tries to lob the ball back out to Conley, and gets picked off by Gallinari, comes back down and drills what appears to be the dagger off a Lawson drive-and-kick. 96-92 with 12 seconds left.

- ANOTHER Grizzlies turnover. Laaaaaate.

- Final score 97-92, the Nuggets end the Grizzlies' "15-game home winning streak", sending them to 8-2 after a pretty flat performance.

I recall reading a Randolph quote a few days ago, something about his team "thriving off the underdog role". Well tonight, they certainly played like a team who knew they were 8-1; they were too casual on offense, and turned the ball over a lot. They didn't challenge shots very well, and Denver hit a lot of them. Their effort on glass was so shoddy that Denver grabbed 21 offensive boards, which led to virtually all of their key baskets down the stretch. The officiating wasn't great, but Memphis did themselves no favors along the way to disappointing first home loss.

This wasn't the Grizz we've seen over the past few weeks; this team looked lost, careless and lethargic more often tonight than in their past eight games combined. Maybe this is just a crack in the proverbial windshield, but these kinds of lapses in effort are reminiscent of the Game 1 Incident, and the Grizzlies simply aren't talented enough to win a best-of-seven against a team like the Lakers - whom they face next on Friday - playing this carelessly. Three days off until then, hopefully they can get it together.

Back Like Obama: The NBA Returns

This time last year, we were all in hell.

Days were getting colder, nights were getting longer, and we were facing the seeming certainty that there would be no NBA action to carry us through the long, harsh winter. 

Saved by a last-minute (though hastily-compromised, we'll see how that plays in five years) CBA agreement, we got our season, and this year us Canadian fans might even get to enjoy baketball without the constant pestering of the NHL, mired in its own lockout.

A week into the season, things are at the usual frantic pace as teams welcome newcomers and jostle for position out of the gate. Here's a look around the League at some of the highlights: 

- The early season thunder (pun intended) was stolen suddenly when OKC woke up out of nowhere and traded James Harden to the Rockets after contract talks went south. Things got thicker than James' beard when he took off with an MVP-like romp to open the season, completely revitalizing Houston's hoops scene.

The unfortunate word out of the Thunder camp is that Harden was unwilling to budge on a deal that was $5m below the max, but would have covered the difference in easy incentives, dealing a huge blow to the Thunder's uber-nucleus. So, facing four max players on a small-market team, Sam Presti's hand was forced, and now instead of a player blossoming into the NBA's best two-way two guard, he's left with a great scorer and defender at the position, unfortunately they're just not the same person. The Thunder have also started the season looking like a feeble shell of the team that shook the Spurs last May, and who's to know if they can regain their swagger?

On the other hand, you've got the Rockets, who are looking like Anna Nicole Smith post-divorce (and pre-bloating), happily inking Harden to the max after stockpiling assets for years to land a player of his caliber. The Beard now teams with Linsanity to form perhaps the NBA's most intriguing backcourt, has all the room to shine, a city on his back, money in his pocket, and a straight-up frightening start to the season under his belt. Only time will tell, but this has all the makings of a historic, franchise-altering move for both teams. 

- Amid the Harden shockwaves were tremors out of Los Angeles, where the Lakers started 0-3 and underwhelmed everyone. The problems were plenty: Mike Brown shackling his imposing offensive arsenal with a Princeton system, a lack of defensive cohesion to mask the holes at several positions, incomplete health (something massively exacerbated by Steve Nash's demise). Where the Lakers go from here is anybody's guess, but by the time Nash returns in a couple weeks, if this ship doesn't begin to right itself, Mike Brown might be getting the axe. I'm not entirely sure why he has this job to begin with, but Brown trying to co-ordinate an offense for Nash and Kobe Bryant is sort of like Riff Raff trying to give Kendrick Lamar rapping lessons.

Mike, take a page from Erik Spoelstra, who's survived a baptism-by-fire in Miami to actually become one of the NBA's better coaches, recently saying that putting Lebron James "in a box" (theoretically) during his first year in Miami "was the worst thing I could've done". You've got revolutionary talent on your team, and the two players leading it are both more experienced and simply smarter than you offensively. Let them do their thing.

- The remaining unbeaten teams are (somewhat predictably) the Spurs, and (complete f***ing shocker) the Knicks and Bucks. San Antonio's doing what they always do: play monotonously effective basketball, Milwaukee's only played two games, but the Knicks have been shooting the lights out, despite being old, hobbled and hated on by pretty much everyone outside of Manhattan (they don't even have the other Boroughs anymore). Melo's been playing like he heard everyone's mumbles about his mentality this summer, Raymond Felton appears to have shed his Burger King addiction, and Mike Woodson might finally have made a sane human being out of JR Smith. Of course, this is the Knicks so things could be a Rasheed Wallace drug violation away from completely unraveling, stay tuned.

- The player everyone was probably most anxious to see - human pogo stick/ROY apparent/unibrow revolutionist Anthony Davis - was abruptly sidelined after concussion-like syndromes from an inadvertent Austin Rivers elbow ("thanks, pal!") prevented him from traveling with the team by plane after the NBA went all NFL on us and revised their policies about head injuries. The issue of brain damage from sports injuries is a very serious and relevant one; in all cases, not just that of a rookie phenom. But Hornets coach Monty Williams spoke out and hit all the right points; that basketball's a much less physical game, that this policy was revised without much history within the sport, and the players should be more involved in the decision (Davis was apparently fine the next day). That and my fantasy team's already got enough injuries.

- Meanwhile, over in Oregon, Blazers rookie Damian Lillard has been putting on a clinic and setting the bar very high for Davis. If the Summer League and Preseason exhibitions he put on weren't enough to convince you that the stunner of Draft Lottery might also be its best player this year, then tune into a Portland game on League Pass, watch his lethal stroke, killer quickness, great passing for a score-first guard, and try lying to yourself and saying he isn't the truth. It'll likely be a two-horse race for ROY, but it should be a damn good one.

- Mavs' owner Mark Cuban's been back in the headlines (where he seems to have taken a slight backseat from after his failed foray in Major League Baseball), picking fights with Donald Trump via Twitter in an effort to get Trump to first shave his immortally horrendous haircut off for charity, and then to match Cuban's $1m for Sandy relief (in his own state no less) when The Donald scoffed at the offer. Say what you want about Mark Cuban; he comes across as arrogant and maybe a man in his position has the right to, but he speaks his mind, is the best owner in the NBA, and in this case is using his public platform to not only raise money for a good cause, but have fun at the expense of one of the most unanimously disliked people in the World. Try and hate.

- Until Love and Rubio return and make Minnesota the indisputable Official Team of League Pass, there should be an interesting fight for the interim title. Houston has to be included for Harden Watch after his early season antics. Golden State's playing some inspiring ball, has several players to watch, and could actually (maybe) be something this year. The Clippers are obvious choices. The Cavs are less obvious ones. But for my money, I'm going to be watching a lot of Nuggets games over the next few weeks. Their team is young, exciting and dynamic; they play the kind of gritty, unselfish basketball you'd expect a good team with no superstar to play, but with a level of flair an athleticism that has to put them high for any true fan. Then there's the added bonus value of Javale McGee doing something completely, utterly unforgettable. Makes an easy win.

And last, but most definitely not least, a salute to David Stern - unmistakably the best commissioner in pro sports today - who recently announced his impending retirement after what will be a 30-year reign that saw him steer the NBA from fringe market to global juggernaut. He presided over an era of absurd economic expansion that saw professional basketball become adopted in media and countries it had previously never heard of. As with any commissioner there were highs and lows; along with his knack for expansion and reputation as a policy guru, relentless worker, and "stern" negotiator, were failed attempts at social engineering (the Dress Code), failed attempts to keep his owners' wallets in line (resulting in two season-shortening lockouts, though let us note the MLB and NHL both lost entire seasons to lockouts during his tenure), failed attempts to keep his referees from fixing games for the mob, and obvious signs of a decline into senility (the Chris Paul Fiasco). Despite these blemishes, the historical record will surely state that Stern was a basketball legend for his impact on the game's sharp rise in popularity. He was as steady a leader as a league that constantly found itself in public turmoil could ask for, and we can only hope (as is indicative) that Adam Silver will wear the shoes well.

Here's to an awesome season, enjoy and take care.

Place Your Bets! The 2011 Championship Gambling Guide

Few things are certain in life. Death, taxes, the changing of the seasons, and the Toronto Raptors sucking are pretty much the only things we can count on for sure. In every other situation, life's wild variance pitches us an extensive range of possibilities that provide excitement, uncertainty, and the unavoidable gamble. This applies to the chase for the 2011 NBA title; while the Lakers have established themselves as prohibitive favorites, the contenders have been up and down all year, and several teams from both conferences think think they can bring the two-time champs down. The contender debate has as many sides to it as we've seen in recent memory, but as we close in on the postseason, here's Banter's official 2011 Championship Gambling Guide:

Dead Money - Putting any kind of bet on these teams winning the title would be like setting money on fire - only setting money on fire wouldn't get your hopes up, waste your time or make you look quite as stupid:

Denver Nuggets - After getting beyond the soap opera that consumed most of their season, this might be one of the best cores of young talent in the NBA going forward. They have depth at multiple positions, an enviable glut of athletic swingmen, some decent contracts, and one of the league's best coaches. That being said, right now, despite their huge wave of momentum, they're a slightly-mismatched bunch who were just thrown together, lack any playoff experience, and don't have a takeover player who can win them tough games down the stretch. If they go in the first round, count me unsurprised.

New York Knicks - This time last month, there was much buzz in the Big Apple; ambitious fans and media gawking about Amar'e and Melo scaring the East's elite in the playoffs. Optimism faded quickly when the team went into a complete nosedive before last night's gutsy win against Orlando, in which Anthony completely destroyed a helpless Hedo Turkoglu (see below) in the second half. While New York is 7-4 against winning teams since Melo and Chancey arrived, they gutted their roster and are a few quality pieces away from contention.

Orlando Magic - Dwight Howard is an awesome player, by far the L's best defender, if it weren't for Derrick Rose, maybe an MVP. What surrounds him is a bunch of players who, on rare occasion, are all clicking together and can run with anybody. Most nights, they are too inconsistent on offense and too inept on defense to suggest they'll go deep this year. Howard gets hung out to dry too many times; racking up fouls on help D after (insert name of shitty Magic perimeter defender) got beat. This will cause massive problems for them in the second round, where their season's likely to end.

In the Money: With the pretenders out of the way, we can dive into the teams that could actually, legitimately, maybe win a championship this year. Starting with the long shots (for all you reckless degens), and working up to the odds-on favorite, here's a look at what kind of bets you might want to be taking:

Oklahoma City Thunder - I was considering lumping them in with the pretenders until they pulled off the Perkins deal and look very scary. Their youth in mind, they showed last year that they can overperform on a big stage, and now have the best post D combo in the West, along with James Harden's sudden channeling of Michael Finley circa 2000, to complement the MVP-caliber duo of Westbrook and Durant. They now officially look like a team that could make noise, with upside to spare. Said upside, of course, if what's separating them from looking like a serious contender. They're still very young and untested by playoff rigors; don't forget how Durant crumbled against LA last year. They could make a run, but place bets with caution and a heavy dose of optimism.

Odds: 9.5-1

Boston Celtics - The Celts looked like they could win it all; on cruise control despite a horribly unhealthy lineup, depth, experience, poise, and a thirst for revenge after how close they came last June. Then Danny Ainge mis-stepped and traded one of his team's core competencies (a solid defensive anchor/answer for Dwight Howard) in a dice roll that really hasn't been panning out. The Celts look just awful, and Rajon Rondo's nagging finger injuries have seen their best player playing inconsistently while his team copes with a new identity. Chicago and Miami are streaking on easy schedules to higher seeds, while the once-favored Celts' chances of even making it out of the East look grim right now.

Odds: 8-1

Dallas Mavericks - This isn't your older Mavs. They're a lot tougher defensively (especially if they get Caron Butler back) and can comfortably slow down in the halfcourt; by definition more suited to playoff ball. Despite Cuban's storied history of assembling postseason bombs, this team looks tougher and has a number of guys who can get buckets if Dirk has one of his patented (play)off-nights. Peja was added for nothing, Barea's been hot, and Butler's a potential 20-point scorer when healthy. On paper, they look very tough. But on the court they arouse doubt for several reasons; to name a few: Jason Kidd's a phenomenal playmaker, but he's also one of the worst on-the-ball defenders in the NBA and his lack of lateral movement gets exploited every spring. Dirk Nowitzki's an incredible scorer who drags big men far out of their comfort zone, but he also routinely disappears from big games and isn't a much better defender than Kidd. they give up way too much size whenever Beaubois or Barea are at the two (which they often are). Their biggest scoring threat in the post is (no kidding) Brendan Haywood. This is a team that can be very dangerous when playing optimally, which they displayed impressively early in the season, but have had a tough time keeping up with...and lost to the Lakers by 30 last week.

Odds: 6.9-1

San Antonio Spurs - Well, it hit. That wave of injuries that everyone kept eerily suspecting was going to hit the Spurs finally did, and couldn't have come at a worse time, or to two more crucial players. Suddenly, San Antonio's limping into the playoffs with yellow flags everywhere. They looked sat comfortably atop the West all season, and in very un-Spur-like fashion, are crumbling down the stretch and are in danger of losing their 1-seed. Any kind of bet made on the Spurs requires a steadfast belief in the ability of Manu, Tony and Timmy D to handle heavy minutes and the pounding of a more physical playoff game. It's never smart to count the Spurs out, but with all three of their stars playing hurt, they're not the team that coasted all year.

Odds: 5.6-1

Chicago Bulls - What Chicago did to the Eastern Conference this season was similar to Marlo's uprising in The Wire's 3rd season; he came out nowhere and rolled up on an unsuspecting crew who thought they had it made, establishing himself as the man. But his meteoric rise inspired envy and suspicion; the kind that put targets on him from multiple hunters and ultimately brought down his empire. The Bulls look very strong; Derrick Rose is as unguardable as anyone in the league, and he leads a team whose entire rotation has been playing above expectation. It's very hard to find flaws in a roster that's likely wrapped the East's top seed despite early injuries to two stars; they rebound and defend extremely well, have multiple scorers from all areas, can transition between halfcourt and uptempo better than most, and even have a COY candidate (and not the Sam Mitchell kind, the kind that was courted by every team with a coaching vacancy last summer because everyone knows he knows his shit) at the helm. Their lack of experience may hurt them in later rounds, but they look as strong as anyone in the East.

Odds: 4.2-1

Miami Heat - It feels weird having them up this high given all the questions they've yet to answer, but after Boston shot themselves in the leg and Father Time caught up with the Spurs, it's hard to see them not being serious contenders with Wade and James in beast mode. Their depth issues aside, the playoffs will be more and more about the Big 3, especially LeWade, who are both capable of winning a game on their own. If Chris Bosh can learn to play outside of his comfort zone for the team's sake, and Miami can still control tempo and create transition buckets, it will go a long way towards masking just how shallow this team is. Udonis Haslem's rumored resurrection is wishful thinking, but would be a Godsend to a team that was already blessed with the aftermath of Danny Ainge's stupidity, and will need even more good fortune to beat these next guys...

Odds: 4-1 (a slight edge over Chi-Town, only because I have an uneasy feeling that all the boos have obviously jaded Lebron and he's about to unleash some completely ruthless Taken-style rampage on the rest of the NBA)

Los Angeles Lakers

Life in the NBA's Penthouse has been somewhat turbulent this year, but through the requisite Bynum injuries, Gasol complaining about anything, and general Artest insanity, the Lakers have brought it all together down the stretch, are fully healthy for the first time all year, and playing the best ball of anyone in the NBA. Regardless of their occasional regular-season lapses, the Zen Master will have them playing optimal basketball over the next few months, and with their obvious experience, depth, and the most mismatch-safe lineup in the league (with plenty of room to exploit their own), it could be very tough for any of the cloudy contenders to dethrone them. Subplot of the postseason: Kobe's chase for a sixth title: How much will finally tying Jordan (he cares about it, don't believe him. Anybody who was that unfairly and incessantly measured against greatness his entire career would love to finally, in some way, match it...And Kobe's a shitty liar) amp up his game? Will it be a positive or negative force for LA? How many games in does Pau start whining about how his usage rate has dipped 3% below his regular season average? Should be a great postseason...

Odds: 2.2-1

"...Still a Whole Lot to Lose"

..So what now? It seemed like the entire Association was on guard for years, eagerly awaiting the summer of 2010 and gutting their rosters for the best chance at cashing in on the free agent jackpot. Most of them now return to the drawing board with their hands empty and their dreams dashed, facing the very daunting task of competing with a potential dynasty in Miami to deliver the title their fans all hoped this offseason would help bring home.

As the aftershocks from a ridiculous summer begin to settle, so too does the reality that the Heat are going to be very difficult to contend with this year. Few people on any side of the argument think that anyone besides the current champs and maaaybe a healthy Celtics squad could realistically beat them, and the teams with even a remote chance at doing so can be counted on a single hand. What for the past few seasons had looked like a wide open title chase is suddenly an exclusive endeavor that few teams will even catch a glimpse of.

Despite this cold new frontier, those that won't be playing for a championship will still have lots to lose, if not little to win. Without even mentioning a potential lockout, there's plenty of reason for urgency in many NBA cities; everything from plummeting profits and attendance to unhappy superstars and reputations to protect. Even in the ominous shadow of the league's best teams, the pressure will be immense and the outcomes potentially devastating. Someone's bound to get the worst of it, so giving some benefit of the doubt to the champs and the heir apparents (who, despite having a title to defend and expectations higher than Method Man to meet, are clearly on top of things), here are the ten teams with the most on the line this year:

10. Houston Rockets
Eight years ago, the Rockets drafted Yao Ming first overall in the hopes that he would be a dominant big man and ambassador of a game whose popularity was exploding in his native China. They managed to build a solid cast around he and T-Mac, every season promising a title run to its fans, every season ended prematurely by a fatal array of injuries to their stars. While Yao's done admirably when able, the toll that a decade of non-stop basketball (thanks to ridiculous offseason demands from the Chinese national team) took its toll on his brittle body, keeping him on the chilling list for large slumps of his career. This season will be his most important ever, as Yao, his doctors, and the Rockets all point to another injury being the end of his career. If he stays healthy, pairing him with Kevin Martin will give the Rockets an offensive punch they sorely lacked all last year and surely put them in the West playoffs, but if Yao succumbs to his ailments, we'll have lost a great talent, and Rockets season ticket holders will have been stymied yet again.

9. Detroit Pistons
Not only is this team struggling to keep their heads above water in the East, their fan base grew tired of stale, crappy basketball last season and attendance at Pistons games sank like employment rates in Michigan during the recession. Things have gone from good to bad deplorable too quickly in disinterested and economically-challenged Motown; the once Shaft-esque front office smoothness of Joe Dumars has become as coarse as the sandpaper his balls will soon meet after the bandsaw. Drafting Darko Milicic in the deepest class ever, trading your franchise player inexplicably for a reputed selfish tyrant, signing two third-tier talents to half your team's cap space to have them come off the bench...this is not the kind of decision making that builds winning teams or keeps people their jobs. If Dumars isn't able to put the brakes on this disaster very soon, he might be thrown on the grenade, but even that should do little to prevent this entire team from being blown up if they don't improve vastly. Don't count on it happening.

8. Toronto Raptors
The other squads on this list are rolling the dice on more tangible assets like players and season ticket holders. The Raps come into this season still reeling from their franchise icon's unceremonious exit, facing the implicit task of carrying an entire country's waning basketball interest on their shoulders. Well over half of the games broadcast on Canadian cable tv feature Toronto (...can't wait for this League Pass subscription), meaning most of the basketball we're being exposed to is flimsy, uninspiring crap that's sure to only get worse after RuPaul wasn't traded at the deadline, the team crashed their 5th seed into the lottery over the final 25 games, and he inevitably left. Canadians who (relatively) have little connection to the NBA beyond this shitstorm won't forever hold interest in a team that perpetually loses too many games and All-Star talents (don't forget about T-Mac) for nothing at all. Expectations won't be very high for this team, but the pressure has to be mounting for Toronto to at least come close to meeting them.

7. New York Knicks
What was once basketball's undisputed holy ground became its laughing stock over the last ten years as the Knicks took stupidity to new heights both on and off court. Their salvation was supposed to have arrived this past summer, but endless rumors, perennial tanking, and relentless hope amounted to only marginal improvements and a sense of uncertainty. Not only is this team's range of potential success as wide as any other's in the East, the swirling rumors of Chris Paul and Melo's interest now torment a team that just spent four seasons tanking for Lebron and probably came nowhere close to getting him. If the team plays well and the Knicks can lure both, or even one of their targets, then this year will be a success...If things don't play out so well, the basketball-crazed Garden regulars and boisterous media could turn on this team quickly and be a negative catalyst to any even slight progress. They have the largest window of opportunity of all these teams, but their situation can also become the most volatile if they don't capitalize on it; they haven't done much to make up for the past decade so far.

6. Orlando Magic
It was a summer of slight setback in Orlando; one where the competition got much, much better, and the Magic struggled to stay in neutral, losing Matt Barnes and overpaying to keep JJ Redick. Vince and Rashard aren't getting any younger, Jameer's health is becoming an annual concern, and Dwight's offensive game actually regressed last year as he was frustrated by incessant fouling and forced to earn more of his points at the stripe. Especially now in the imposing shadow of their stateside rivals, things aren't so sunny in Orlando; even Stan Van Gundy's been admitting to the media that the Heat are virtually unbeatable. He might just be trying to motivate his team, but they'll be hard pressed to make it back to the Finals with this squad. Having few big names they'll be willing to or able to trade, and a bloated payroll that will brutally handicap their ability to maneuver, this team will just have to dig deep and exceed all expectation to protect their contender status and prove their coach wrong.

5. New Orleans Hornets
Now that Lebron James is no longer in Leveland, Chris Paul holds the honor of being the single most important player to his team's success in the entire NBA. That he's publicly unhappy with the state of the franchise has to be of concern to a front office in a small, challenged market. The Hornets will have a difficult time being relevant in a city that just won a Super Bowl and a country that (not to sound insensitive) is further removed from the devastation of Katrina, if Paul ends up forcing his way out. It would be easier for Shawn Kemp to get hired at Planned Parenthood than it will be for New Orleans to get equal return on CP3, so being forced into dealing the league's best point guard could be devastating. They'd better hope Trevor Ariza's really that answer nobody expects him to be and the potential of Peja's expiring deal is enticing enough for Paul Wall to stay...But who honestly believes it is?

4. San Antonio Spurs
For the first time since Tim Duncan's rookie season, (think about it, this was back when we all thought baseball players were honest athletes, had no clue who Britney Spears was, and thought the World was going to end because of a misplaced computer digit) the Spurs are a few steps removed from the title conversation. They lucked out into landing one of the best big men ever and have milked four championships out of him, but face a serious crossroads this year with their often-injured trio of stars (especially Duncan) on aging legs, their competition getting much tougher, and their roster virtually unchanged from last season. Rebuilding seems almost unfathomable and probably too drastic, but something's gonna have to give here before Timmy D's knees do. Another title's out of the question, and last year's team gave little reason to suggest a slight-shake up's a bad idea.

3. Dallas Mavericks
It's hard to fault the Mavs. They've upgraded what was already one of the best rosters in a deep Western pool and should easily win 50 games this year while being cheered on by a raucous home crowd...But beneath that sugar-coating, this Dallas team is a perennial playoff disappointment that faces an ever-shrinking window to win a title. Disco's failed more often than succeeded with assorted arrays of talent around him, and Mark Cuban's undivided attention - the catalyst that elevated this franchise from lottery doldrum to playoff staple - is clearly wandering after numerous attempts to buy other teams. Like the Spurs, they're too good of a team to be rebuilding, but their feeble playoff track record only increases their need (and unlikelihood) to outperform teams that are simply much better than them to finally get that elusive title. Another first round exit would almost certainly amount to the end of Dirk's status as a franchise player, and the tossing of this roster into the proverbial blender.

2. Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets faced a tragic obstacle last year when a terrific campaign was derailed by coach George Karl's second bout with cancer, almost directly coinciding with a nose dive that ended their season far earlier than they'd hoped. With Karl's health hanging in the balance, an already delicate situation was suddenly dropped on the pavement when stories of Carmelo Anthony's imminent departure began surfacing. Denver now must placate their displeased franchise player, while trying to move him in a market that's ulikely to return equal value, working against a ticking clock that every other GM is aware of. So while the careful maneuvering continues and 'Melo plays the waiting game, the Nuggets and their fans are consumed by uncertainy, knowing only for sure that their best player wants out. For a team that's a lock for homecourt in the West at full strength, this is no way to start the season.

1. Boston Celtics
More than any other team in the NBA, the Celtics are built for the right now. Although their best player's barely grazing his prime (and to think three years ago he was a potential liability), this team's core is more susceptible to injury and age than anyone else's. Vulnerability to fatigue and fragility only heightens the urgency of this being perhaps their last shot at another title with the seniors' squad. This team went through a vicious mid-season down swing, but entered the playoffs armed with full health and their A-game, silencing critics and supposedly better teams with a defiant run to within an untimely injury and some Ron Artest (?!?!?!?!) heroics of a title. That bitter ending should only serve as motivation on what will be a very difficult road through Miami and/or LA; the Celts probably feel as though they need to redeem themselves, or at least Kevin Garnett has probably frightened them into believing it. Not that they need any extra motivation. This season could likely be the final shot at the Finals, the last chance for this crew to build their legacies and probably the last time the Celtics will be this close to contending for a while.

"...Aaand here they come down the stretch.."

Now that the regular season marathon's drawing to a close, we can begin seriously licking our chops, knowing that the season's best basketball will soon be upon us. Every game will count as teams furiously jockey for playoff seeding (and, in more mundane cases, lottery balls), leading into an epic battle for basketball's most revered honor. March Madness needn't be mentioned (but shouldn't be forgotten) to deem the coming months as any hoops head's favorites...But let's not get ahead of ourselves here, before the title bout, there's still a couple fights left on the undercard as the quest for the postseason winds down. Here's the tale of the tape:

The Dreamers: These teams will be duking it out for the final playoff spots. The season will end in disappointment for most of them, but, with the exception of one, they should be happy just to be here.

Milwaukee Bucks - Just the fact that they're still in this conversation after losing Micheal Redd and having the League's most gloriously inefficient point guard this year is astounding. Kudos to Scott Skiles for having this muddle of youngsters play above the sum of their parts recently; mixing in John Salmons might serve up playoff appearance.

Memphis Grizzlies - Facing a tough recent schedule - as any team in the West is bound to at some point - the Grizz have slipped back towards .500, showing that although they're much better than we would've given them credit for, they might not be playoff-ready in the deep West. Their remaining schedule's relatively soft, but lottery or not, they recovered from the Iverson debacle quickly and are still on the good end of massive upside.

Houston Rockets - Losing Carl Landry hurt but picking up Kevin Martin and a couple good big men really gave this team exactly what they needed at a fair price. A go-to scorer's a much needed shot in thw arm for what's been a languid Rockets offense, and Martin's surrounded by enough potent help for his defensive deficiencies to be minimalzied. As promising as a playoff run would be, this team's really just waiting on next season, praying that a year of rest will finally get Yao Ming on a healthy track.

Miami Heat - Having once held then safest grip on their playoff seed in the L, Miami's tumbled all the way to the brink of the lottery and is no lock to make the postseason. As the losses pile up, so (inevitably) does Dwyane's frustration as he Wades in the shallow talent around him. He's capable of lifting this team to a first-round exit, but I can't help but think apathy must be setting in.

New Orleans Hornets - They've played surprsingly well without Chris Paul thanks to the recent explosion of rookies Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton. It remains to be seen if this talented but inexperienced backcourt can continue this blistering pace all season, but if they can keep the Hornets in the fight long enough for CP3 to get healthy, it might be all they need.

Charlotte Bobcats - Some recent struggles against just about everyone (...except the Cavs...) have cast Charlotte back onto the East lottery scene. I still see them as the most likely of the bottom 3 (Miami and Milwaukee being the others) to squeeze into the playoffs, their recent trade having bolstered a Kate Moss-thin frontcourt. This current lineup's not far from its ceiling, but after years of sucking, mere respectability is welcome in Charlotte.

The Long-Shots: Their postseason ambitions fairly realistic, these squads are battling for a better draw in the faint hope of a first-round upset

Portland Trailblazers - Picking up Marcus Camby was huge for a team that wasn't dressing a 7-footer and starting 52 year-old Juwan Howard at center. Somehow, they weathered several violent attacks from the injury bug and stayed in the playoff chase this long. It's hard to imagine them losing their grip unless Brandon Roy decides to shut down his ailing hamstring, even harder to picture them upsetting the Lakers. That being said, if any team can be satisfied with just a playoff berth, given everything they've been through, it's these guys.

Chicago Bulls - Since their near-implosion in December, the Bulls have been playing some pretty f***ing good basketball, recently having beaten five .500+ teams in a row...on the road...in the West. Their remaining schedule won't be easy, but it's heavy on the United Center - where they're won two thirds of their games this year - and regardless of this season's outcome, they've given their fans reason to be optimistic about next year with more cap space to bait the many marquee free agents this summer.

San Antonio Spurs - Sorry, have to do it. Finally. I know it seems weird seeing San Antonio this far removed from the contender conversation this far into the season, but they've played tired, inconsistent basketball and shown nobody any reason to expect something beyond a first round dismissal. MAYBE they can pull out an upset if their entire roster's at 100%, but that'll be asking a lot. Tim Duncan's been uncannily efficient this year, but even in the postseason, where he'll playing far more than 31 minutes/game, he'll need much more help than he's had this year. The Alamo's been taken. Good riddance.

Oklahoma City Thunder - Not to slight the impressively precocious play of a team nobody asked to be ten games over .500, but the playoff-virgin core of the Zombie Sonics will have a hard time beating a team like Utah or Dallas in seven games. Durant's been unreal, Westbrook's been steadier, Harden's been steadily improving...Hard as it may be just remember they're the youngest team in the League; this is just the beginning.

Toronto Raptors - Playing to their potential for once, the Raps have responded to the preseason hype, ironically thanks in no part to a certain Turk who's been playing like he's living out his Pizza Pizza commercial on the reg. The return of Reggie Evans will be welcomed by a team that's finally embracing the foreign concepts of hustling and defensive toughness, while their two-headed point guard attack has proven potent in recent weeks. If eveything's firing for them, they're the kind of team that could scare a wounded Celtics squad that perenially lets its guard down in early rounds.

Phoenix Suns - Yeah, I dunno why they kept Amar'e either. They're several players they can't afford away from contending and will likely lose him after they're swiftly dismissed from the first round...oh well...here's hoping whatever team lands him will pull of a miracle trade for Chris Paul.

The Dark Horses: These are the underdogs; the teams that will be expected to make noise come playoff time, but will have to knock off a favorite to get a title shot.

Boston Celtics - You don't think so the way they've been playing lately? They're one of A's best teams when healthy, but they haven't been all year. If Garnett and Pierce are still hampered in April, they're screwed; even with a healthy Pierce last year, it took the best basketball of Rajon Rondo's life to get them out of the first round. I'm fully prepared for a complete Big 4 to prove me wrong, but I won't count on Glen Davis, Tony Allen and Fatigued Wallace to do it.

Atlanta Hawks - They've dominated the Celtics this year, but lackluster performances against the Cavs and Magic leave serious doubts about their ability to match up with the East's beasts. Atl definitely took a step forward this year, but it'll take another one to reach the NBA's upper echelon.

Utah Jazz - They've been the West's best team since Christmas, but this team just seems...off. Too much uncertainty enshrouds them: D-Will's questioning front office intentions, Boozer claims he wants to stay but can't be taken at his word, Millsap's being jerked like Jack Link's beef waiting for the minutes he deserves, and Andrei Kirlenko/Mehmet Okur's consistency problems will hurt them when they're playing top-tier teams every game. If they can shake it all off and give the better Lakers some heat, I'll be thoroughly impressed.

The Contenders: For these squads, anything short of a title will be a disappointment. It's not about waiting on free agents, nurturing young talent and 'building a winner'; they've built winners, now it's time to do what they do.

Orlando Magic - The Magic showed very scary glimpses of their May 2009 selves this past weekend against the Cavs. Dwight owned the paint with a nice array of moves early, and when the Cavs keyed their D on him, a floodgate of 3's rained on them from all angles, while a lane-clogging defense reduced Lebron to a streaky jumpshooter, removed from his rhythm. They're another team who's been unhealthy, with injuries plaguing their starting backcourt, but have shown a much better ability to play hurt than the older, thinner Celtics. They're as dangerous as any contender out there.

Denver Nuggets - Why not? Even with Melo and Chauncey hobbled, they've held down the second-best record in the better conference, while Kenyon Martin's enjoyed a renaissance and Ty Lawson's emerged as one of the better steals in a deep draft class. They're an improved defensive team and boast a scary offensive arsenal that few teams are equipped to outgun. At full stregnth, they're at-worst a top-three team in the West.

Cleveland Cavliers - After peeling off the season's longest winning streak with their second-best player in streets, Cleveland acquired a borderline All-Star for at worst, their backup center and at best, absolutely nothing. Jamison's incorporation into the lineup wasn't as "seamless" as Danny Ferry had predicted, but doesn't change the fact that the Cavs, who were already arguably the favorites in the East, improved a lot. They match up better against the Magic than last year, and should have no trouble with any of the East's lesser teams. Of course, the stakes are also higher in Cleveland than anywhere else, so deliverance upon their postseason expectations is vital.

Dallas Mavericks - They might end up coming out the winners of the trade deadline deals; they got EXACTLY what they needed in Haywood and Butler; tough defense, low-block competency, and a more versatile offensive attack. They looked to be firing on all cylinders in the 2nd half against LA, toppling the champs without Caron in a serious statement game. What was already a playoff dark horse now could be a bonafide threat to the throne.

...Which leaves us with the reigning champs, who still have to be called The Favorites; even with Kobe taking his longest injury leave in years, the Lakers maintained their steady cushion on the West's top spot. Aside from the Cavs, they've repeatedly beaten tough opponents and rarely shown the type of champion's complacency that could plague a team this talented. Although there's been recent dissent about Mr. Bryant's itchy trigger finger, but it'll tkae much more than that to disturb the Zen Garden long enough to knock the Lakers off their title course. Believe they'll be playing their best ball in May and, most likely, June; it'll be tough for anyone else to match.

POWER RANKINGS!!

We're rounding the corner on the NBA season; this month should truly separate the pretenders from the contenders as the Trade Deadline leads into the regular season's final month. Before the madness, let's see where everyone sits in this month's Power Rankings:

30 (30) New Jersey Nets
What's there to be said that hasn't been already? Seriously, nothing.

29 (29) Minnesota Timberwolves
Luckily for the L-Wolves, New Jersey's been stealing the spotlight from their wayward season with their unrivaled awfulness. The constant trade talk surrounding their best player isn't entirely unfounded; this team needs a serious identity check.

28 (27) Detroit Pistons
At this point I'm willing to give them "Disappointment of the Year" status. They're too talented a team in too weak a conference to be routinely losing by double digits and shuffling through lineups like old socks. At least that $100 mil they threw at BG and Charlie V's looking like money well spent...

27 (28) Golden State Warriors
The struggles continue for the most erratic team in the Association; Monta Ellis is doing everything he can but this team's way undersized, way too useless on D and, dare I say, in need of a coaching change. Don Nelson's a historically frustrated coach in the twilight of his career and likely lacking the patience to deal with the massive re-building effort the Warriors need to undertake.

26 (22) Sacramento Kings
Down goes Tyreke, and likewise, the Kings. Even with Kevin Martin back in form, it's becoming clear that Evans is a much more dynamic presence in the backcourt and is vital to Sac-Town's success. There's little to salvage of the season at this point, but having nabbed (arguably) the best prospect in the draft can't hurt going forward.

25 (26) Washington Wizards
Now that the dust has settled from Gilbertgate, the Wizards can hopefully shift their priorities back to basketball and the impending trade deadline. Of course any moves they make will be clouded by the possibilty of Arenas' contract being voided, but their mangled roster needs some adjustments and with the Wiz at rock bottom, now seems like a great time to blow this mess up.

24 (24) Indiana Pacers
Chugging along in irrelevant obscurity, the Pacers contiue to betray the hopes of their basketball-crazy state by playing an uninspired, lazy game that has them destined for another lottery gamble. Still fighting to regain their standing after the Malice at the Palace fallout, at least they've finally learned to stay away from wanted felons, gang-rapes and high-speed shootouts.

23 (25) Philadelphia 76ers
Samuel Dalembert's been making headlines lately; obviously touched by the tragedy in his homeland, the Hatian-born center's been co-ordinating League-wide charity efforts while delivering inspired performances on the court. If only the same could be said for the rest of his team, who've been getting more ink in trade rumors than win columns.

22 (23) New York Knicks
Luckily they had the T-Wolves in town the day after Dallas bitch-slapped them by 50 at home; the worst loss in MSG history. Inconsistency's been the name of the game for a Knicks team that was one of the hottest teams around in December, but has dropped 7 of its last 10 to fall well outside the playoff chase. David Lee's been your buddy's couch: shamelessly slept on.

21 (21) Milwaukee Bucks
Michael Redd's career is in serious jeopardy, which doesn't bode well for a Bucks team that looks completely screwed without him. Brandon Jennings' shooting woes continue as this team aimlessly searches for a scoring punch. Suffice to say Carlos Delfino, Ersan Ilyasova and Luc-Richard Mbah a Moute aren't frightening too many people.

20 (19) Los Angeles Clippers
Hopefully they don't have an Oden on their hands, but the other franchise with a terrible track record of drafting big men will have to wait until next season for Blake Griffin to be a factor. Meanwhile, LA fans are surely crying foul about Chris Kaman's All-Star snub, which is setting the tone well for what's shaping up to be another crappy season for the Empty Clips.

19 (17) New Orleans Hornets
Things were looking up in New Orleans; not only did the Saints survive a scare to make the Super Bowl, but the Hornets were playing well and pushing back towards the playoffs...then Chris Paul went down for at least a month and sent their season straight down the toilet.

18 (11) Houston Rockets
The Rockets, once the surprise of the West, have fallen off more than a bit. Their last six games came against the Spurs, Bulls, Hawks, Nuggets, Suns and Blazers, but with Miami as their only playoff opponent in the next seven, now seems like an ideal time to make up for lost ground in the playoff chase.

17 (14) Miami Heat
This shallow squad once had as firm a grip as it could've on the 5th seed, and has tumbled all the way down to 8th thanks to some lackluster efforts from everyone on the team not wearing #3. Wade may have once wanted to finish his career in South Beach, but you have to wonder if his mind hasn't drifted elsewhere over several disappointing seasons.

16 (20) Chicago Bulls
Looking more like a legit playoff team with each passing week, DaBulls celebrated Derrick Rose's first All-Star nod with a 5-game winning streak, leaving San Antonio, Phoenix and OKC as casualties.

15 (18) Charlotte Bobcats
It seems a safe bet at this point that they'll pop their playoff cherry in April. Chalk up another franchise turnaround for Larry Brown, which means it's only a matter of a year or two before he gets bored and deserts them.

14 (12) Oklahoma City Thunder
The rest of the West is catching up these youngsters and their playoff ambitions, but they've shown an ability to contend with tough competition, so there's no reason to assume they won't win some needed games and push themselves into the postseason...Especially not with Kevin Durant being absolutely unguardable.

13 (16) Memphis Grizzlies
It seems kinda strange seeing them this high, but with a 7-3 surge over their last ten, the Grizzlies leave me with no choice. Zach Randolph's been a beast, Marc Gasol's making a serious charge for MIP, and aleeged trade bait Rudy Gay couldn't be helping his own cause much more with a series of high-scoring exploits en route to Memphis W's.

12 (15) Toronto Raptors
It seems kinda strange seeing them this high, but with a 7-3 surge over their last ten, the Raptors leave me with no choice. Even with Hedo Turkoglu being relatively useless, the Raps have been winning through improved defense and a more balanced attack between the uptempo physicality of Jarrett Jack and the passive efficiency of Jose Calderon. Chris Bosh continues to impress and tempt opposing GMs, and Bryan Colangelo continues to insist that he won't trade him. Time will tell which of these forces prevails; hopefully it won't be too late for the Raptors to salvage their franchise player.

11 (6) Phoenix Suns
Playing away from home against tougher competition, the Suns have looked like a shell of the team that jumped to a West-best start and had Steve Nash atop MVP discussions back in November. Now it looks like Amar'e's finally getting shipped and this team might have to hit up the 'ol drawing board. Advice for Steve Kerr: look ahead a couple of years before the next time you give a 36-year old near-max dollars; Nash surely doesn'y want to spend the twilight of his career mired in a re-building effort.

10 (3) Boston Celtics
Sound the alarm. Even with KG back, the Celts have dropped 7 of 10 and look to be having trouble closing out tight games. They outplayed the Lakers for 9/10ths of their painful home loss on Sunday, and took similar Ls to the Magic and Hawks last week (the latter having swept the season series). This is the wrong time to have the wheels start falling off.

9 (10) Portland Trailblazers
It's a miracle that they're still here after all the injuries they've weathered, but the current rotation looks to be doing the job, and the trade deadline could yield another big body to shore up their front line. Their steady ascent to Western Supremacy took a hit, but how they've responded can't be anything but inspiring to Oregon basketball fans.

8 (8) San Antonio Spurs
Losing Tony Parker (and subsequently a Sunday showdown with the Melo-less Nuggets) can't help a team that, outside of Tim Duncan's awesomeness, is struggling to live up to expectations. Calling them a playoff team is safe, but anything beyond that's a serious stretch for a squad that had the whole A on edge preseason.

7 (13) Utah Jazz
Finally playing to their potential, the Jazz have shot up to the 4th seed in the West behind brilliant play from Deron Williams. His partner in crime, Carlos Boozer, is looking all the more expendable with Paul Millsap producing well in extended minutes, which introduces a new dilemma: stay the course and cut costs?...Or give the playoffs a shot with one the League's most thorough rosters?

6 (5) Dallas Mavericks
Getting dusted by the Raptors must've hurt because the ensuing 50-point pummeling of New York might be the W of the year, and saw the Mavs show more determination than at any point this year. Still, Dallas' perimeter continues to fuel its success, and legitimate contention might rest on a deadline deal.

5 (9) Atlanta Hawks
I hated on the Hawks last month, and they responded by sweeping the season series with the Celtics and briefly usurping the Magic for the Southeast lead. They certainly look more comfortable than the Celtics right now, and arguably should've had 3 All-Stars. No longer 'safely 4th in the East', I've been forced to eat my words.

4 (7) Orlando Magic
They took the division lead back and now look to regain their health as they try to fend off the Hawks. There's no doubting that they're talented enough to make another Finals run, but there have been more bumps in the road to a return than anyone would've anticipated.



3 (4) Denver Nuggets
Even without Melo, they've been stepping up and winning big games thanks to the steady hand of Chauncey Billups and an increased scoring punch from Kenyon Martin. They're still a ways away from fucking with the Lakers, but the bridesmaid's gown in the West never looked so good on them.



2 (1) Los Angeles Lakers
They've been playing a lot of close games, albeit winning most of them, but the Lakeshow seems to have lost some of that championship swagger that carried them through the early part of the season. Only a serious skeptic is doubting their status as favorites to repeat, but they're not the best team in the NBA right now.


1 (2) Cleveland Cavaliers
I'm stoked as a Cavs fan. My squad's here not as a matter of personal bias, but because they're unquestionaly the class of the Association right now. They've won both meetings with the Lakers this year, and continue dusting the opposition even as Mo Williams nurses a separated shoulder. "Separate" might as well be the Cavs' word of the month, as it's also what they've been doing relative to the rest of the East, and what Lebron's been doing vs. his one-time MVP competition.

POWER RANKINGS!!!

As we inch towards the halfway point of the 09-10 season, it's time to take another look at how each team stacks up in the whole scheme of things: here's January's Power Rankings (last month's ranking in brackets)

30 (30) New Jersey Nets

Still on pace to set the record for single-season shittiness, the Nets have been reduced to targets for fantasy owners and tired teams. Thoughts of John Wall and Brooklyn's greener pastures are all they have to hold them over til April.

29 (29) Minnesota Timberwolves

Kevin Love's been a beast since his return last month, but this team still lacks the scoring punch and veteran presence to progress. They're a few seasons away from the playoffs.

28 (25) Golden State Warriors

Now that Andris Biedrins is back on the court they can field a legitimate lineup, but inexperience, inconsistency and defensive neglect will continue to plague them. They have several nice trade pieces and need to do somethng drastic.

27 (21) Detroit Pistons

Someone in the Motor City needs to call a mechanic. The Pistons have dropped ten in a row, mostly by double figures, and lost any sense of identity they might have held. Their $90 million men are playing reserve roles and the media's suddenly (gasp) calling for Joey D's head.

26 (24) Washington Wizards

This team had enough problems before Arenas' armed antics got him indefinitely suspended and shrouded everyone else in distraction. Any kind of turnaround and playoff chase this team could've hoped for now looks about as likely as Javaris Crittenton ever seeing that money Gilbert owes him.

25 (26) Philadelphia 76ers

They got AI back but still can't find any rhythm. Somehow, a group of talented youngsters that was supposed to leap into the East's upper echelon with the addition of Elton Brand has flatlined for a year and a half. It's confusing.

24 (27) Indiana Pacers

They rise by default because they've managed to be slightly less crappy than the teams below them through injuries to ther two best players, and just smoked Orlando at home. Other than that, things have been as irrelevant as usual in Indiana.

23 (28) New York Knicks

The Knicks have managed to play slightly better than I, or anyone else gave them credit for this year. Nate Robinson's once-falling trade stock may be on the rise after he returned from a month-long suspension by single-handedly winning his first game back against the Hawks.

22 (17) Sacramento Kings

They've cooled off a bit since their near-.500 start, but are still waiting for their franchise player to return and fielding two of the top three rookies so far this year. Things in Sac-Town are a lot less bleak than expected this season.

21 (16) Milwaukee Bucks

Now that they're relatively healthy, the Bucks can continue to compete for the final playoff spots in the East. Although they're still young and stole Brandon Jennings last June, I can't help but think a roll of the lottery dice would be better for this team than a first-round walloping.

20 (23) Chicago Bulls

They've steadied themselves after a nightmarish run that saw them lose 8 of 10, take a 30-point L to the Raptors, give up a 35-point lead to the Kings, and nearly cost their coach his job. Derrick Rose's improved play has led the charge back towards a playoff spot.

19 (20) Los Angeles Clippers

The Clips haven't done anything to earn a rise or fall; they've managed to pretty much meet their subdued expectations with a shallow team in a tough conference. The around-the-corner debut of a certain highly-touted rookie will be a needed boost for a stagnant franchise.

18 (18) Charlotte Bobcats

They've been the NBA's proverbial box of chocolates this year; we never know what we're gonna get with them. One night it's an offensively-challenged mess, the next it's a W over the League's hottest team. Either way, they finally look primed to make the franchise's first playoff appearance.

17 (15) New Orleans Hornets

While Peja's bloated and untradeable contract continues to hinder their ability to make a much-needed roster move, they continue to sit in Western Conference purgatory; outside the playoff picture, but not low enough to realistically hope for a high draft pick.

16 (22) Memphis Grizzlies

Once thought to be a litter box for Western contenders, Memphis has assembled perhaps its msot talented team ever and is forcing unsuspecting victims to take notice. Marc Gasol's emergence has leveled the aftermath of his brother's departure, redeeming what was once thought to be among the worst deals in NBA history.

15 (19) Toronto Raptors

Hedo Turkoglu's injury/irrelevance has done little to affect their recent inspired play and improved record. If they had spent that 50 mil on something that actually helped their team, they might have reason to be excited about a recent 6 of 7 win clip, instead of worrying about the looming likelihood that their franchise player will have to be dealt next month.

14 (12) Miami Heat

Pat Riley can publicly blast his team and franchise player all season if he wants, but it won't change the fact that Miami is, at best, the 5-seed in the East and several steps away from a return to contention. It also won't offer Wade any incentive to put up with the rebuilding effort much longer.

13 (9) Utah Jazz

Among the seasons biggest question marks so far is this confounding Jazz squad that wins tough games, loses easy ones, and despite fielding a talented and deep roster, currently sits outside the West playoff bracket. The uncertainty surrounding their plans for Carlos Boozer should subside soon, as he's a near-lock to be traded before the deadline.

12 (14) Oklahoma City Thunder

Making a serious playoff push a year or two before anybody expected them to, they've been the surprise of the season. Durant's been a lethal scorer and mature leader; everything anyone could (any many did) expect of him. You can't help but assume most Thunder fans include Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard in their nightly prayers.

11 (13) Houston Rockets

If they play the Tracy McGrady card well, they can add a couple solid pieces to an already well-balanced roster. Easily boasting the least star power of any Western playoff team, they've beaten/lost close games to many contenders and memories of their near-win against the Lakers last spring will be fresh in minds of any opponent in April.

10 (10) Portland Ailblazers

Illness has stricken this team like no other, claiming their owner, coach (for a minute), and all of their big men, leaving the almighty Juwan Howard as their starting pivot. They've managed to keep their heads above water thanks to the brilliance of Brandon Roy and the emergence of Martell Webster. Keeping it up all year might prove difficult though.

9 (7) Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks started off on a tear but recent meltdowns against the likes of New York, Miami and Chicago have slid them back where they belong; safely 4th in the East. The additons of Jamal Crawford and Joe Smith have added lacking depth, but they'll still be hard-pressed to make a run past the 2nd round.

8 (11) San Antonio Spurs

Somewhat healthier and more cohesive, the Spurs have reeled off 8 of 10 and are starting to look more like the team we expected with Richard Jefferson in the mix. Like Portland however, staying healthy will a tricky and vital task; this team could be an injury away from the lottery in a deep conference.

7 (2) Orlando Magic

Granted they haven't been the healthiest team in the League, but they've been playing some poor basketball, given they boast arguably the deepest roster in the NBA. Dwight's been up and down, Vince has been hobbled and their offense has ben far too reliant on JJ Redick. Last year they responded to injury by making a Finals run, more recently they've sunken to .500 ball and a 3-game losing streak...at the hands of the Bulls, Pacers and Raptors.

6 (6) Phoenix Suns

Still scoring a bunch and paying little regard to defense, they're coherent madness; what the Warriors wish they were. Exciting as it is to watch, I can't help but feel like the window's closed on the Stoudemire/Nash era. This style didn't win them championships when they were more talented, deeper, and at least started one potent defender. There's no reason to expect one now.

5 (7) Dallas Mavericks

With Dirk now echoing my concerns about their lack of an offensive arsenal, the Mavs could be in the market to acquire any of the many players who are sure to be dangled in the coming weeks. Packaging Josh Howard with a lesser might net them Boozer, who would keep defenses much more anchored on the block than Erick Dampier. If Cuban adds a beast in the post and give Diggler, Terry and Kidd more room to operate, they just might be a new threat to the crown.

4 (5) Denver Nuggets

They've been losing games lately - as teams tend to do when their two best players are injured - but there's no reason to assume they're still not the second-best in the West. The only problem for them is that the gap they need to cross to catch the team ahead of them's the biggest one in the top 10.

3 (3) Boston Celtics

It's hard to peg Boston anywhere right now; a part of me's impressed that they've weathered a bunch of key injuries to maintain the best record in the East. But an even bigger part of me's concerned because if any contender has health issues and is an injury away from a premature playoff exit; it's them.

2 (4) Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs look a lot more comfortable with their new surroundings than they did a month ago. For all the talk of their soft early schedule, they've been winning the games they need to. Their hit list includes massacres of the Magic, Suns and Lakers, as well as a recent sweep of a home 'n home with Atlanta. If only they could stop losing to the Bobcats...

1(1) Los Angeles Lakers

Their Christmas Day misstep aside, no team's looked as impressive as the Lakers so far this year. Kobe's been lights out and even though Pau's playing on two tender hammys, they're deep enough to limit his minutes and keep him fresh for the playoffs while locking down the 1-seed. It's going to take a lot more than a single loss to the Cavs playing their best ball of the year to convince me that they're not still the favorites.

POWER RANKINGS!!!

A quarter of the way into the season, things are becoming a little clearer: we've got a pretty good glimpse of who's looking to contend (the Lakeshow) and who's just waiting on John Wall (The Nots), who's coming on strong this year (the Thunder), and who's...well...Greg Oden. As the marathon to April's playoffs hits its middle stretch, now's a perfect time to size everbody up and see rank how these teams measure up; a Power Rankings if you will (c'mon, what hoops website doesn't have one of these things?). There's a lot of shit to wade through before we can get the League's elite, so let's jump in:

30-New Jersey Nets: Brook Lopez and Chris Douglas-Roberts have been huge for a team that's in desperate need of bright spots to celebrate after canning their coach and taking shittiness to a historical low with an 0-18 start.

29- Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Love's recent return won't hurt their shallow frontcourt, but this team still has little valuable experience, a confusing point guard dilemma and far too many holes to be close to the playoff picture.

28- New York Knicks: Recent inspired play had caused some undue optimism at MSG; this semi-talented team has some nice pieces who will occasionally sting teams like the Suns who show little defensive resistance. But this team's still a cohesion-lacking bunch of kids in contract years playing for a team with by far the most uncertainty surrounding its upcoming offseason. Anyone who thinks they'll be able do it consistently is kidding themselves.

27- Indiana Pacers: Danny Granger's ailing foot is a potential crisis for the Pacers. If he goes down and they don't have an All-Star this year, with the Kings playing way above par and New Jersey's legendary struggles, they might sink below the radar far enough to re-claim "Most Irrelevant" status. They're certainly playing poorly enough already.

26- Philadelphia 76ers: This woeful squad's been health, consistency and competency-challenged this year and welcomes AI back with open arms. With nowhere to go but up, he'll give them a much-needed offensive boost and put fans back in the seats.

25- Golden State Warriors: Erratic. Undersized. Redundant. Inconsistent. Malcontent. Regardless of talent (and they have plenty), these aren't attributes that win you many games.

24- Washington Wizards: I can't say I've given up on the Wiz yet but the vulnerable East playoff picture suggests they'll be the first team to make a big move this year. They've got plenty of scorers but not one shoot-second playmaker and few solid defenders. The Wiz are a living defenition of incohesive talent and performing way under expectations.

23- Chicago Bulls: The Bulls clearly lost a step offensively with the departure of Ben Gordon; Derrick Rose and Luol Deng have so far failed to deliver the scoring they've needed to recover. This season's goal has to be acquiring Carlos Boozer, regardless of the short-term implications(which given the Jazz's open intentions of trading him, might not be too serious).

22- Memphis Grizzlies: 'Allen Iverson's Ex' might as well be their new title; it's how they've become known to the masses of casual fana to whom this team is now a non-factor. Their starting 5's pretty nice, but the League's shallowest bench and legacy of failure will continue to plague this team.

21- Detroit Pistons: They haven't been healthy but they haven't been particularly good either. This is another team that has plenty of potential pieces to make a much-needed trade, and with Dumars at the helm it could be anytime (last year's Iverson deal came 4 games into the season). Also, concerning at Ben Wallace's peculiar career arc, it's become clear that the guy who for most of this decade defined "blue collar" in the NBA, plays his best ball in, of all places, Detroit.

20- Los Angeles Clippers: They're playing close to .500 ball against a soft early schedule; 'bout par for the course. Blake Griffin's yet to suit up, but if he plays well enough to shake up the ROY race, it also might be enough to put them in the playoff picture.

19- Toronto Raptors: The Craptors have had a rough start, both in terms of their schedule and their level of play. Hedo's been a plug. Jose's been hibernating. Reggie Evans, one of two players on the roster who embody the defensive toughness and hustle this team sorely lacks, is in suits. Chris Bosh is playing incredibly well now that, for once, his career has purpose and direction - south of the border.

18- Charlotte Bobcats: The addition of Stephen Jackson gives them needed scoring and another building block towards the type of franchise player they'll need to move up on the League's totem pole. Playoffs might be in the cards this year; the teams fighting for the East's lower slots have been duds so far and Captain Jack could be the difference against such weakness.

17- Sacramento Kings: Tyreke Evans is just nasty, and probably the ROY at this point. Encouraging production from Omri Casspi and Jason Thompson are among the other reasons why this team's blowing expectations out of the water with their best player on the chilling list.

16- Milwaukee Bucks: Another team that's been without its franchise player for most of the year and benefitted from the sudden emergence of a rookie phenom. Brandon Jennings has been in a shooting slump for the past couple weeks, but this guy's clearly an All-Star in the making and a steal for a team that lost two of its best players for close to nothing this offseason.

15- New Orleans Hornets: Remove Chris Paul from this sordid mess and they're one of the worst teams in the L, so that they've managed a better record with him on the sidelines than on the court this year is puzzling. Anyhow, hes back to his old 16/15/8 steals self, so thing should be on the up and up. Emeka's been his solid but unspectacular self, filling in nicely for Tyson Chandler, but they'd be so much nastier if they had another scorer taking Peja's now useless minutes (one single-faceted spot-up shooter doing 11/game on a 37% clip: $14.2 million, look on Chris Paul's face once that whale expires/is traded: priceless).

14- Oklahoma City Thunder: These guys are the new Hawks; a team built around a solid foundation of youngsters who are going to steadily improve every year and ascend the Western heirarchy. I hope to God that they deliver on that potential quickly enough to keep the Spurs of of the playoffs this year, but I don't see it happening.

13- Houston Rockets: Playing well above the sum of their parts, the Rockets have been sparked by MIP frontrunner Aaron Brooks and even without T-Mac and Yao are thinking playoffs with an attack that's more well-rounded than Oliver Miller. Fans must be sick at the thought of what might've been, but at least in the wake of inevitable injuries to their franchise players, the Rockets are keeping things interesting.

12- Miami Heat: As The Dwyane Wade Show grinds through its predictable seventh season, the title character still sees himself surrounded by a less talented cast than a performer of his caliber deserves. Still waiting for a dynamic twist that can re-vitalize his series' plot, Dwyane knows that although he's done big things with his current network, the glory days of Season 3 are far behind them, and he'll get many offers this summer from competitors wanting to write the next chapter in his story.

11- San Antonio Spurs: Dunno what to say here. The Spurs, for the first time this millennium (and seemingly much longer), look lost. They're a year older, a little more shallow and have never been known to peak early, but this .500 start's a disturbing trend for a team that saw themselves as title threats and seem a few steps away at this point. It's far too early to call it quits but their early season nonchalance has never looked so troubled.

10- Portland Trailblazers: Now that they no longer need to wait on the requisite Greg Oden injury, all the Blazers, also beset by ailments to Nicolas Batum and Travis Outlaw (not to mention their coach and owner) can do now is pick up the pieces. The Andre Miller experiment hasn't improved them yet and they look like they've reached that ceiling where they're a move away from fucking with the West's elite.

9- Utah Jazz: While P-Milly impatiently waits in the wings, the Carlos Boozer trade value tour has been a monster so far. Despite his gaudy numbers and Utah's stable of offensive prowess, their Western ascent has been grounded by their streaky shooting and abhorrent defense. Dare I say a Jerry Sloan team's underachieving, but this team should be capable of more consistent play.

8- Dallas Mavericks: Dirk's up to his usual semi-MVP antics, but suddenly the traditionally offensive Mavs are having trouble putting up points. A healthy Josh Howard would do wonders but aside from Nowtizki and Sixth Man frontrunner Jason Terry, they're very thin on scoring right now. Players like Marion and Kidd are much more comfortable putting up points when given the kind of space another 20-point threat will create. Either way, here's hoping something falls apart for them.

7- Atlanta Hawks: Off to a torrid start (and beating tough competition), they're better than last year, but not thorough enough to be in the same conversation as the East's best teams. The key will be maintaining this play over thewhole season, which I don't see them doing. Much like Portland out West, they're that young team that might be pushing their current limits; experience will be the best tool as they mature at a slower rate this season, but with Joe Johnson's impending free agency, time's of the essence.

6- Phoenix Suns: Now that Alvin Gentry's got a full season to impose his will on Phoenix, they're back playing a style of ball that's much more suited to their roster. Their run and gun ways are amassing points and W's now that Stoudemire's healthy and they've shed a hundred pounds (and gained 20 feet of shooting range) at center. They'll play well through the regular season, but this exciting, high-scoring Suns team looks doomed to same fate as its predecessors. Their lack of defensive ability or commitment could be fatal against a legit Western team over 7 games.

5- Denver Nuggets: Picking up where they left off last season, the Nugs look like the Lakers' bridesmaids in the West again this year. Melo's stepped up and is playing on the same level as his heralded classmates while Ty Lawson's been one of the steals of this year's draft, providing the aggressive energy and scoring they lost with Linas Kleiza. Denver's proving that their lack of preseason hype as contenders was just lost in the moves everyone else made; they'll be a force.

4- Cleveland Cavaliers: Despite a shaky start that included losses to the Wizards, Bulls and Bobcats, Cleveland has responded to some early-season adjustment issues with a string of impressive victories to put them back among the East's best. They've shuffled their lineup(using Varejao as an energetic 6th man makes a lot more sense), begun to show signs their offensive swag and dismissed Orlando and Phoenix like they were Braylon Edwards. Their schedule's been cushy so far but if they can continue this recent inspired play, they'll only continue to rise.

3- Boston Celtics: The Celtics are going to be a very difficult team to beat next spring. Not only are they deep roster of playoff-savvy veterans, but their stars know their windows are closing, and I'm already having visions of KG unleashing his inner William Wallace carrying this team to the Finals on one leg. They're just going through the motions while they wait; the regular season is more of formality for them than any team in the East. Keeping pace and getting a #1 seed out of it would make them the clear cut favorites to win the conference.

2- Orlando Magic: I can't say it any better than ESPN's Marc Stein: 'They've won seven in a row on the road. They've gone 8-1 since losing Jameer. They've won biggies at Boston and Atlanta and sit one disputed Miami basket away from an 11 game win streak. They've got to be #2.'

1- Los Angeles Lakers: Well, it happened. The Ron Artest bomb went off. Sooner than we could've assumed it would in Phil Jackson's Zen Garden. Now living it up on the Hollywood stage, Ron Ron's been making strange workout videos, doing Jimmy Kimmel in his boxers, and admitting to past on-the-job drinking, all within the season's first month...And yet nothing's happening. A few laughs have been had sure, but there's been no fines, no suspensions, (well a league investigation into his Hennesy habits can't help) just solid contributions to a Lakers team that, essentially without Pau, has earned the league's best record. Kobe's putting up another very convincing MVP argument, and even after all the offseason retooling done by the other contenders, the Lakers have to be the favorites to repeat.