- Dwyane Wade is a consensus Top-3 player in the league at the moment with Kobe and Lebron....this was debatable (for sure) prior to this year due to injury, etc....but he's made the leap back to the conversation....and for my money, he's playing better than Kobe is so far this year (no, he isn't the better player, slow your roll)
- Umm....I need more Chris Bosh talk.....27.7 points and 10.5 boards almost a quarter into the year....that's legit folks....With apologies to Tim Duncan, he may be the NBA 1st-team PF if the season ended today
- Other guys that need more love: Danny Granger, Stephen Jackson, John Salmons, Devin Harris.....all 4 guys are tearing it up to clips that they need to be discussed
- Here's a list of the #5 thru #10 ALL-TIME CAREER LEADERS in 3-point field goals made....ready? 5. Eddie Jones, 6. Tim Hardaway, 7. Nick Van Exel, 8. Peja, 9. Antoine Walker, 10. Jason Kidd.........Other than Peja, how IN THE WORLD are these other 5 guys on this list? My head is spinning.....
- Was there any doubt that Baron Davis would take a step back after a contract extension?
- Has there ever been a guy who did less outside of scoring than Ben Gordon? He's a 6'1 (sorry, he's not 6'3) 2 guard who can't handle or distribute....sigh
- This is the best rookie class since the 03 draft....Derrick Rose, OJ Mayo, and Michael Beasley (and obviously Greg Oden, more on him in a second), get the love......but guys like Rudy Fernandez, Marc Gasol, DJ Augustin, Jason Thompson, Brook Lopez and even George Hill are playing very, very well.....
- That brings me back to Oden.....can we all agree he'll never be an elite offensive option now? Thanks....I like what he brings on defense and rebounding obviously, but the Blazers inexplicably get worse when he's on the floor....it's a small sample size though so I'll hold off
Okay...more team-orientated stuff now....
- I honestly cannot tell how Orlando wins games.....yes, Dwight is good and they have great scoring forwards.....but there's no depth....and literally....NO guardplay to speak of....and yet they're 12-4....inexplicable....some of it is schedule so I'm hoping I can either figure out what's happening or they'll fall off.....That said, Dwight Howard's 21, 14, and 4 blocks is patently insane....
- Miami still intrigues me....they have the scorers....I think it depends on what they get from Mario Chalmers going forward on whether they hold onto a playoff spot....
- I left New York and New Jersey for dead....I was wrong.....so far....I think New York is actually sustainable pending injury concerns.....They're getting alot from Wilson Chandler and the swingmen....but I hated the trade for them....so I think they probably fall off....New Jersey is directly tied to the health of Devin harris and the suddenly inspired play from VC...i don't trust him for a second lol
- Swing and miss on Philly for me.....but Patting myself on the back for Washington....I'll break even lol
To the West....
- Phoenix is better than I thought....7-2 on the road is darn good....but this whole rest Shaq every time they have a back-to-back thing is kinda weird....Amare's playing at a high level but Nash CANNOT get hurt.....that goes without saying
- Denver is a nice story...I didn't like the deal for them initially but I'm looking wrong....Billups has brought a little floor leadership.....if George Karl would just put JR Smith on the floor, I'd like them more.....The key for me is Nene's health...he's a heckuva player up front but has no healthy track record to speak of
- 2 title contenders....2 different routes....New Orleans has started slow (9-6) and look to have regressed after last season....too early to tell but some teams never really get over that 2nd round bubble....Still love what Mr. Paul is doing.....and then there's San Antonio....Also 9-6....but 9-6 exceeds almost all expectations when Parker has missed 10+ games and so has Ginobili....Roger Mason has played well and they've gotten good production from George Hill and Mike Finley....but it's all about Timmy D folks....
- The Team Kevin Durant Plays for is worse than I thought.....and that says alot....
- Mike Dunleavy has personnel power.....and head coach status...only guy in the league....correlation to them being bad? I'm just saying.....Camby doesn't fit.....Baron's not playing well or hard....On the bright side, Eric Gordon should see the floor extensively now and that can't hurt.....I'd whole-heartedly argue against them dealing Kaman (as rumored) but I don't think they can get rid of Camby and Randolph isn't moving again I wouldn't imagine....seems like a destined logjam
- After all that....there are 3 favorites for the title (Boston, LA and Cleveland)....LA is by far the most talented and today, I'd still pick them.....The only other legit threats IMO are Utah (when all the way healthy), New Orleans (ditto), and San Antonio IF they make a move and give the Big 3 some help....that's it....so don't get your hopes up.....lol
- Oh yea...I am really excited about the Hawks in case you were wondering....I could probably write a thousand words on just them....but I'll save that....just know that Josh Smith can't get back fast enough....
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