During one of those “18/58” updates on ESPN Sunday, I saw something that startled me: “Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade will attempt to practice Monday for the first time since his shoulder injury Feb. 21.”

Yes, the dislocation of Wade’s right (shooting) shoulder was serious. Yes, it put a snag in any back-to-back talk in South Beach. But it’s not like this is the first time this injury has hampered an NBA uber-star, even though you’d think it is with all the cov-erage Wade has garnered.

Kobe Bryant suffered a similar injury during the 2002-03 playoffs and re-injured the joint the following year, which caused Bryant to miss 17 games that season. Sure, there was coverage of the damage, but not to the level of attention Wade has received.

This injury has been mainstream news since it occurred in a Heat loss at Houston in February. Wade, who returned to practice Monday, added to the drama by draping a towel over his head and lap after the injury took place. Not to mention needing a wheelchair for an arm injury!

I’ve heard everything from, “he shouldn’t risk fur-ther injury by coming back,” to, “if Wade returns, it’s amazing.”

When Kobe re-injured his shooting shoulder against Cleveland in January 2004, there was no wheelchair, no crocodile tears, nothing — just Bryant vowing to return to aid his team. The love Wade, the 2006 Finals MVP, has been shown the last six weeks is unbelievable. But do you think people in the sports world would be fawning over the Heat guard if he was the polarizing, lone wolf Bryant is portrayed as being?

This has done nothing but reaffirm my belief that Kobe can do nothing to make people “love” him. He can’t become a better teammate, which he has; he can’t do things for children, which he has. Kobe’s stuck.

This is a country of people who give everyone a second chance. Where’s Kobe’s second chance with the media? The people have spoken. Bryant’s number 24 jersey is the No. 1 seller in the League. Fans at Staples Center and abroad chant “M-V-P” when they witness his scoring exploits. This even happened in Boston of all places! Kevin McHale must be spinning in his grave.

Ask anyone in the know and they’ll tell you Bryant is the League’s premier player. No mention of his 40 ppg March is needed, although that scoring barrage catapulted Bryant from fourth in scoring to the top of the heap (31 ppg). Bryant recently followed up a 53-point effort in an overtime loss to Houston with an all-around effort (19 points, 13 dimes) in a 126-103 rout of Sacramento.

Kobe won’t win the MVP award this year. Hell, I’m almost convinced he’ll never receive the honor after last season, where he took a team of career underachievers (Kwame Brown, Lamar Odom) and youngsters (Luke Walton and Andrew Bynum) to the playoffs, while posting the highest scoring average (35.4) in nearly two decades.

Kobe finished fourth in MVP voting last season. How is that possible? Bryant should have won the award hands down. But voters of the award don’t like Bryant.

Isn’t that title supposed to be bestowed upon the best on court performer? And, if the rape charge is a reason behind that dislike, people fail to remember no jury convicted Bryant of anything. Steve Nash is an amazing talent, but he wouldn’t have finished in the top 10 of the voting 15 years ago. Jason Kidd has no MVPs to Nash’s two, but Kidd has two Finals appearances to Nash’s zero. Does that mean Kidd should have beat out Tim Duncan for the award during the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons? No, because Duncan was the best player those two years, as Kobe has been the last two.

What does Kobe have to do to get some love from the mainstream? Cure cancer? I don’t think we’ll ever know.

The only thing we’ll know is that Bryant is one of the greatest of all time. We don’t need anyone to tell us that.

This time tomorrow, Ben Wallace will be battling Shaq for post position for the first time since late May. Ben Gordon will have taken 20 shots and Dwyane Wade will have taken 648 free throws.

Yes, the new NBA season kicks off tomorrow night. Before the first tip, here are the ten teams I believe have the best shot to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy next June.

10. Houston Rockets: The Rockets could go from Lottery to late May if everything goes according to plan: Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming play more than 65 games apiece, Shane Battier gives his trademark hardnosed effort, Bonzi Wells takes his meds. You know Jeff Van Gundy will have these guys playing tough D every night. And, if healthy, Houston will almost certainly improve on its 90.1 ppg average from last season. T-Mac can get a third of that alone. Watch out for rookie Steve Novak, too. The 6'10" Marquette product displayed his range all preseason long. Look for him to hit a couple clutch threes for H-Town this season.

9. New Jersey Nets: For some reason, I still think this is too high for Jersey. I know they played Miami tough even though they lost the series in five games, but I'm just not sold on them. Jason Kidd is a year older. Vince Carter is, well, Vince Carter. And I don't believe in their front line past Nenad Krstic. Jersey's perimeter trio of Kidd, Carter and Richard Jefferson will make them one of the League's more exciting teams, of course. And rookie Marcus Williams has the potential to make 21 GMs wish they selected him...just as long as he stays out of any computer labs he comes across. Krstic is the key here. If he builds on his '06 numbers-13.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg, potential double teams could free up Jefferson and Carter to run wild and Jersey could go deep into the '07 playoffs.

8. Cleveland Cavaliers: This is a lot of people's sexy pick to make it out of the East. I don't see it. Dan Gilbert (a Spartan!!!) paid $23 million for three years to forward Drew Gooden, who averaged 10.7 points and 8.4 boards in 05-06. That's $8 mil a year to a guy who played 27.5 minutes a night and had PT taken from him by a guy who looks like Sideshow Bob. Outside of a couple draft picks (Shannon Brown and Daniel Gibson), and singing tge aging David Wesley, Cleveland's roster is the same as the group who played admirably before losing to Detroit in seven games in the east semis. Yes, Larry Hughes will be healthy, but I don't think he's the right guy to play Pippen to LeBron's MJ. If a young Washington team wouldn't re-sign him, what does that tell you? Speaking of LeBron, he can only get better. He has no ceiling. Everybody knows that. He also doesn't have much help at The Q. Brooklyn's calling his name.

7. Chicago Bulls: Former Bull John Paxson made the biggest signing of the summer when he stole Ben Wallace from the Pistons for $60 million over four years. That deal just adds another piece to an already stout defensive squad that held opponents to a league-low 42.5 percent shooting from the floor. Eddy Curry-remember him-has already been forgotten, and Wallace will help Bulls fans forget the underachieving Tyson Chandler, too. As long as they stay together, Chicago is set on the perimeter for at least the next decade. Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon anchor a group that includes Chris Duhon, Luol Deng and pitbull Andres Nocioni. That group combined for 70 percent of the Bulls 97.8 ppg last season. That's where the problem lies. Chicago has to get some scoring from the post positions. Yes, Wallace and cagey vet P.J. Brown are tough, but they only combined for 16.3 points per game last season. I know scoring isn't why those two were signed, but the wing quintet is sure to have some off nights. Does Scott Skiles roll with his veteran 4 and 5, or does he insert number two pick Tyrus Thomas and Mike Sweetney to provide some scoring punch? Oh, and what does Skiles do when Ben has a 3-25 stretch from the charity stripe?

6: Los Angeles Clippers: L.A.'s other team is STACKED. Never thought I'd ever say that. When two-time champion Sam Cassell is coming off the bench, you know you have a squad. Elton Brand and Chris Kaman anchor what I think is the best post combo in the League-36.6 ppg, 19.6 rpg combined in 05-06. Elgin Baylor drafted big man Paul Davis out of Michigan State, who I think could develop into a solid post player. Baylor also added some depth with the signing of Tim Thomas. Corey Maggette should see more than 32 games this season, and will regain his starting spot from Quinton Ross. The wildcard for the Clip Show is newly-dubbed starting point man Shaun Livingston. Livingston. The 6'7" third year guard recently had a lot of weight put on his shoulders, and hell need to quickly improve on his game management skills. If he can show why he was drafted fourth overall in 2004, he could lead the Clippers to places no one ever thought they'd go.

5. San Antonio Spurs: I could get a lot of flack for having the Spurs this low. They were a foul call and a heroic Dirk Nowitzki performance from the West finals, and who knows what could have happened had they gotten past Dallas? Yes, the core remains in Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan, but the rest of the roster is unproven, suspect, and old. The meat of Gregg Popovich's bench-Mike Finley, Brent Barry and Robert Horry-averages 34 years of age. Beno Udrih regained his spot as back-up point guard after he couldn't get off the pine in the playoffs, and post monsters Fabricio Oberto. Francisco Elson and Jackie Butler will man the middle for San Antonio. Those three venerable big men have a combined career average of 3.6 ppg and 3 rpg a game. Parker is emerging as a elite point guard and Duncan is the best power forward of all time. I'm just not sure how much they can get out of the rest of the parts. The Spurs are still better than 90 percent of the League, though, so you know they'll be around come late spring.

4. Detroit Pistons: Plain got beat by Miami last spring. I know everyone in the organization harped on the starters playing a boatload of minutes throughout the playoffs, but Miami was just the better team. You could argue that the Heat could have been going for back to back titles had Wade and Shaq been healthy for the '05 conference finals. Still, Detroit still has arguably the best starting five in the League even without Ben Wallace. No, Nazr Mohammed won't sell afro wigs and jerseys; and he won't have a "GONG" noise played whenever he blocks a shot or catches an oop, but he will give the Pistons a viable fifth option on offense and Flip Saunders won't have to worry about "Hack a Nazr" at the end of games-.785 FT percentage in 05-06. Backcourt mates Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton will continue to carry the bulk of the offensive load-38.6 ppg in 05-06, but those two will need to defer to the wiry Tayshaun Prince at times. Prince (14.1 points, 4.2 boards last season) is a match-up nightmare at 6'9." He can take smaller guys down low and blow by bigger wing players. Flip Murray-10.3 ppg during the 05-06 season-will add scoring off the bench and give Billups and Hamilton a chance to take a breather at times. Detroit will miss Wallace on the defensive end, and I think they'll employ a lot of zone to make up for that loss. The Pistons won't win 64 games again this season, bu tthey'll be in the championship conversation all year long.

3. Miami Heat: If it ain't broke, you don't fix it. That's essentially what Pat Riley did as no additions or subtractions were made to the core of the Heat's title-winning rotation. Dwyane Wade will continue to be the focal point of the Heat offense and everyone else will continue to know their role. This could be the last go round for a number of players on the Miami roster-Alonzo Mourning, Gary Payton, Antoine Walker....And Shaquille O'Neal. The most dominant center of our era is, sadly, on his last legs. O'Neal had the lowest scoring and rebounding averages of his career last season-20 ppg and 9.2 rpg, respectively. He's averaged just 68 games a season since he won his first title in 2000. It'll be tough, but it'd be nice to see one of the all-time greats go out on top.

2. Phoenix Suns: Let's get this out of the way right now: Steve Nash will not win a third straight MVP award. You could argue he shouldn't have any. Anyway...the Suns and Mike D'Antoni have changed the game. Teams are building their rosters like Phoenix, but not with the same results. The Suns have averaged 58 wins a year since they acquired Nash prior to the 04-05 season. Phoenix even won 54 games last season without Amare Stoudemire. Boris Diaw and Leandro Barbosa helped pick up the slack, 26.4 ppg combined. But scoring-108.4 ppg-hasn't been the Suns' problem. Stopping opponents from scoring-102.8 ppa-has. In last year's playoffs, where defense usually tightens up, Phoenix surrendered more than 105 points a night over its 20-game run. If they had a stopper, or a coach who put at least a little bit of emphasis on defense, I'd rank Phoenix as the League's best team. But since they don't...

1. Dallas Mavericks: In 2003-04, the Mavericks gave up 100.8 ppg. Two years later, Dallas allowed a shade more than 93 points a game, good for top seven in the League. The Mavs already could score at will. Head coach Avery Johnson stressed defense to his group, which I believe propelled Dallas to its first finals appearance in team history. With Nash, Finley and Nowitzki, Dallas was Phoenix before Phoenix was Phoenix, if that makes sense. Two-thirds of the group is gone and has been replaced with well-rounded players such as Josh Howard and Jason Terry. Nowitzki, however, is the engine that makes the Mavs run. Dirk posted career highs in points per game (26.6), field-goal percentage (.480) and three-point accuracy (.406). Dallas has youth (Maurice Ager, Devean George) and experience (Jerry Stackhouse, Austin Croshere) on its bench. Mark Cuban has three big bodies in Desagana Diop, Erick Dampier and DJ Mbenga that can #### and push with the best of them. If they don't have a hangover after a Finals loss where they were up 2-0, David Stern may have to present Mark Cuban with the Larry O'Brien trophy. Then Stern's head will explode.