Interesting start of the season . . .

[Guest_Randy]

The Eastern Conference only has FIVE teams that are playing above .500 ball:
  1.  Cleveland at .778
  2.  Orlando at .667
  3.  New Jersey at .625
  4 & 5.  Philly and Atlanta at .571

I realize that it's very early in the season and these standings won't be the final ones but Miami, Indy, Chicago and Detroits poor starts have me really surprised.

In the West, there are 8 teams over .500.
  1.  Utah at .875
  2.  San Antonio at .778
  3.  Clippers at .714
  4, 5, 6.  Golden State, Houston and NO at .667
  7, 8.  Lakers and SacTown
  Dallas is at .500

Okay, Utah is a surprise that they are playing this well -- same with Golden State.  However, the bigger surprise is how poorly Phoenix and Dallas are playing.  I'm a little surprised that Denver isn't better as well.  The West is definately going to be interesting this season.

[westkoast]

One thing I thought has been funny is that ALL of the predictions made by the "experts" have been pretty far off for the most part.  That is why I love this sport, you really never know what is going to happen.

Utah is playing good ball because of very good coaching so I don't see why they won't continue to be much better teams this season if they stay healthy.  GS seems more like a fluke to me because they don't have the defense or consistency to continue like this.   Lakers. SAC, Orlando, and Cleveland are both playing at a high level with some good team ball.  Clips, Houston, SA are the only teams who seem to fall where most people figured they would before the season started.

I am very suprised about...

Denver - Thought they would have got off to a better start with Martin coming back and Andre Miller finally getting into playing shape.

Phx - picked to win it all by just about everyone, has half the league trying to emulate their brand of basketball, are so out of sync I don't know if they will be able to dig themselves out of this hole.

Miami - Shaq is going to get surgery, as far as I am concerned this is probably one of the final nails in the coffin for him due to age and lack of conditioning over the years.  Wade is dead tired and the supporting cast looks like it aged 3 years in one off-season

Dallas - Have no really seen them play so I cannot comment much but they should be able to turn it around by the time we get deeper into the season.  There defense does look to have not improved though...that could be a major issue all year along again.

[Reality]

[WayOutWest]

FYI:  That's called a foul in basketball.  I guess you can just ignore the forearm to the body but you can't ignore the hit to Artest's right hand.  The defenders had is past the ball but not deflecting it so he's made contact to his hand.  Then again the hand is part of the ball, the hand is part of the arm, the arm is part of the body and Artest's stomach is part of the body so I guess that forearm to his stomach is on the ball as well.

[JoMal]

Above all else, the Spurs showed why they are championship caliber in the Sac/SA game on Sunday.

While, for some reason, I have heard that not all Spurs fans are happy with Popovich's coaching all the time, after what I heard from someone who was behind the Spurs bench at that game completely negates those opinions once and for all. Popovich does not allow ANY negative play from his squad, period. All he yells at his players when he perceives they committed an error, is something along the lines of "That is NOT championship caliber ball!!" This is November and he is yelling about the championship now. He won't allow any deviance from his team concept of play.

Also, with his players having played together for some years now, there is no question these guys "get it". The Kings stayed with them for most of two quarters, but once the Spurs realyzed Duncan was free to dominate the paint, that was all she wrote. Without Miller, the Kings could only throw out to defend him Sharif Abdur-Rahim, who at 6'9", was no match on defense.

You have to be impressed with this team, and in the watered down NBA these days, they have little to distract them, especially in the West.

[Reality]

While, for some reason, I have heard that not all Spurs fans are happy with Popovich's coaching all the time, after what I heard from someone who was behind the Spurs bench at that game completely negates those opinions once and for all. Popovich does not allow ANY negative play from his squad, period. All he yells at his players when he perceives they committed an error, is something along the lines of "That is NOT championship caliber ball!!" This is November and he is yelling about the championship now. He won't allow any deviance from his team concept of play.

So the hand is part of the ball or it isn't?

If only you could have also seen all or parts of the 1st 9 games.

Michael "Bricks" Finley at 22% field goals was given more minutes and shots then 75% treys 58% floor Brent "Nets" Barry.  
For the unSpursified casual viewers who would say "Bricks" is just being allowed to shoot himself into shape, well yes.  It's true Bricks is given unending amounts of time and shots so that he will <insert some future date> come out of it and return to the *form* that lead the Mavs to zero Finals appearancees in 10 years.  The double standard of Barry getting yanked after 0-2 yet Bricks can be 1-7 and still be in lives in Popville 2006.  I hope not 2007.
Proof?  Barry was 13-17 treys over a 4 game stretch, all Spurs wins.   The next two games he got 6 and 9 minutes.  Bricks got 22 and 32 respectively.  Second game a loss to the Bobcats.  Rookie Adam Morrison snacking on Findogs D.

Also lot of rumblings when Fabs was starting and pulling minutes over 7'0" Frankie Elson, who was runnin the floor, grabbing boards and scoring.  Nightmare on Texas Street of Smallball over ChampBall, 2005 vs 2006 PopaSpurs.

Fabbs mitigated much of that with 8-8 layup performance en route to his 11-11 game. :up:  Also the past few games their minutes are about equal.