First impressions

[Josh Rice <joshr@xxxxxxx>]

Best opening night in years. The Canadian Scoreboard channel has a new
show - Court Surfing - where they go from game to game for 6 hours, a great
addition for the satallite-challenged Canadian viewer. A few observations:

C's - What can I say? 6 guys in double figures. My 50 win prediction may
have been conservative.

Nets - No better than last year, probably worse. Zo is running on fumes, a
non-factor. If they don't fire Byron Scott they will slowly fall apart. They
can and will be beaten.

Pacers - Watch out. Carlisle and Bird have got them playing basketball.
Right now they look like the best in the East.

Cavs - LeBron is the real deal. He almost beat the Kings by himself. This
kid is really fun to watch.

Lakers - Sigh. If Payton and Malone don't run out of gas, and if Kobe
doesn't implode the team, the Lakers are fantastic. Shaq has never seen
entry passes like he will get this year.

Dallas - The Mavs are toast. I love him, but Nellie has gone too far.
Nowitzki and Antoine are a bad combination. Nash and Antoine are a bad
combination. Nellie's only hope is to start Najera and bring Antoine and
Jamison off the bench when Nash and Nowitzki sit down.

Kings - Awesome. Brad Miller is perfect for this team, they are much better
than last year.

Spurs - Too early to tell with Parker out, but I think they will be better.

T-woofs - Forget it. Kevin is not getting it done in the front office.

Orlando - Not scarey at all. Still a one-man team.

Knicks - HAHAHAHAHA!

Heat - ditto.

Nuggets - Fun! No kidding. Carmelo can play. Nene and Camby can play. They
will beat some good teams.

Here's to the most enteraining hoops we have seen in a long time!

joshr