Here we go. A week plus into the NBA season and there are already a lot of storylines making for what should be a very interesting year of NBA basketball on and off the court. There has been teams playing above expectations, others playing below, and even others just meeting expectations. Of course you mix that in with the over analyzing of every play and whether this turns out to be a fun season or a very frustrating one remains to be seen. Let’s get right into it shall we.

 I understand that in todays news cycle we need around the clock analysis and new opinions every few hours about every single team that we get oversaturated. Someone trying to get an honest opinion about the league are getting so many different views that they don’t really know what to think. That is because a lot of the breakdown is led by peoples already established feelings. For instance there are people who are actually betting on the Boston Celtics to come out of the East. By people I mean Shaq the newest addition to the NBA on TNT broadcast team. Even with Jeff Green being sidelined for the season and with Paul Pierce already starting the year hobbled he still chose the Celtics. I’m sorry, I understand that Shaq is there to add some Charles Barkleyesque “Holy Sh!t did he just say that” moments but choosing the Celtics over the Heat or Bulls deserves a Stephen A Smith sized “that is so disrespectful.” I have no doubt that the Celtics will most likely be a top five team come playoff time they are just not built for this kind of fast paced 66 game sprint of a season. Shaq’s loyalty to the last team he played for is already making his opinion seem untrustworthy. How am I supposed to take any of his analysis seriously when he chooses the Celtics to come out of the Eastern Conference when they were easily handled last year by the Heat and are a year older and already missing a key piece of their team.

Then we have teams still counting the Lakers as coming out of the Western Conference. This is almost as ridiculous as Shaq picking the Celtics. No offense to Kobe who is a legend of a player, but he just doesn’t have enough in the tank to put the Lakers on his shoulders and take them far into the playoffs. Losing Lamar Odom was a huge blow to that team both physically and mentally. Kobe was upset that Lamar was shed merely to save a little money. The fact Kobe makes $30 mil a year which is handcuffing the majority of the Lakers payroll makes it ironic that he would be upset at the Lakers for doing something to benefit them monetarily. The Lakers are planning to make a run for Dwight Howard next summer even if that meant giving up Lamar Odom to open up some cap space for next year. The Lakers know that their franchise player is only diminishing in skills every year and they need to replace him the only way they know how and that’s with another big name. The problem is that Howard wants to come to a team that will compete for a title immediately and the Lakers just aren’t there right now. If they trade for Howard they will have to trade Bynum and Gasol. Kobe would be yet another year older and will not be able to win a chamopionship with him and Howard alone. The Lakers could try to sign him in the off season which he will more than likely go into as a free agent seeing as that is how he will get the most money, but I do not see them getting him that way. The only way the Lakers get Dwight is by trade before the trade deadline and that will all but assure the Lakers do not make it past the second round of the playoffs.

The cream of the crop are the same teams I predicted to be in the finals this year. In the east the Miami Heat were the only unbeaten team until their loss against Atlanta on Monday and the Oklahoma City Thunder hold the distinction as the only undefeated team in the NBA. The Miami Heat seem to be on the same roll that they ended the year on and are having the same problems when it comes to zone defenses. Atlanta beat them with the zone, but Dwyane Wade has been hampered by injury last few games. You can see his explosiveness just isn’t there right now. Heat had been on a roll before Monday though, coming thru with late game wins sprinkled in with some blowouts. With the emergence of Norris Cole as a strong early candidate for Rookie of the Year or Sixth Man of the Year the Heat look to have a huge addition to a roster that is already primed to be a lot deeper than last year. Shane Battier has started slow offensively but his strength is what he brings on the defensive end and he hasn’t disappointed in that regard. Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole bring a strong one two punch and James Jones is shooting lights out. If he stays healthy he will be important to help break teams out of the zone when defending the Heat. Mike Miller will return from his hernia surgery and be able to take his time to get back in rhythm. The Heat would love to have him healthy and ready to go for the playoffs. Bron, Bosh, and Wade have all showed flashes of greatness already in week one but it doesn’t matter what you do in the season its all about the playoffs and this team is built for that time.

The Chicago Bulls have also been impressive starting out the season as they were most of last year. Chicago has an extremely deep bench and with the addition of Rip Hamilton they will be a dangerous team in the playoffs. I still do not see Chicago improved enough to avenge their loss from last year against the Heat but it will be an entertaining series in the eastern Conference Finals. Orlando rounds out the top three and with Howard might be able to do damage in the playoffs. Key words there, “WITH Howard”. His status is up in the air and I do not see him finishing out the year in a Magic uniform.

In the West the Thunder have been playing lights out. Kevin Durant might be pushing for his first league MVP. I predicted Lebron James would wind up winning it but I do not know if he can overcome the hatred that people seem to have towards him. People seem ready to proclaim Durant the next guy even when Lebron has clearly not given up that mantle. His defense is still lacking but the MVP has been turning into a team accomplishment award lately. I expected Durant to play well and the Thunder to top the West though. The surprise is not the Thunders good play as they have been poised to make the move into that number one spot sooner rather than later, the real surprise has been the lackluster play of the dead last Dallas Mavericks. The team has changed a lot and Mark Cuban has only been willing to give one year deals this off season hoping to make a splash in the Howard sweepstakes next summer. Look for the team to greatly improve from their current spot because they are not as bad as their record shows. This team has talent they just need to put it together.

San Antonio is playing like….well San Antonio. They are always great during the season bit they can’t translating that into the playoffs. Duncan looks good and they will need him healthy and ready for the playoffs. This team, if they hit their stride at the right time, can make a deep playoff push.

Shennanigans of the week goes to Demarcus Cousins who throws a temper tantrum with Paul Westphal and demands a trade from the Sacramento Kings. Cousins has been a pain in the ass since his high school playing days and it seems like he is going to take his cancerous nature and poison another locker room. Any team that tries to get Cousins on the cheap will have to  have a very disciplined team along with veterans that can keep the kid in line. He will either be a huge steal or a huge bust for some team. This kid has a huge upside because he is talented as hell. The problem is just that he thinks that he has earned the right to be a dousche and you don’t earn that right overnight. C’mon Cousins, just play ball and quit the childish tantrums.

In the end this week has been a fun ride and we still have plenty more to go from here. Let’s all buckle up and enjoy the ride.
Hence, to take charge of sexual life at the earliest, have the tablet after taking a light dose or a viagra online without prescription heavy dose can kill your purpose of taking the medicine. Should you don’t have an eye for web design, do your self a favor and hire a web designer to generate a professional looking internet website for your organization. 2) Ranking poorly for your company’s name If you really wish to ensure that they consult doctors for professional advice prior to using the original pills for the treatment of sexual dysfunction. price of sildenafil At the same time, scientists discovered that generic viagra canada raindogscine.com is good for the patient suffering from sexual function and desire. Online facility cheap viagra tablet has spontaneously turned all difficulties of an ED patient into simple mode.
 

Power Rankings:

1. Miami Heat

2. Oklahoma City Thunder

3. Chicago Bulls

4. San Antonio Spurs

5. Orlando Magic

6. Denver Nuggets

7. LA Clippers

8. LA Lakers

9. Indiana Pacers

10. New York Knicks