A LOOK AT THE NBA AFTER ROUGHLY 25% OF THE REGULAR SEASON:

THE WILD WILD WEST

Let's start with my Lakers. They are better than most thought including myself. And considering that they just got 2 out of 3  in their first tour thru Texas and the one they lost was without Lamar, not too shabby. However at the same time this is a killer with Odom going down now. I got hopes they can hold the fort till he gets back but I'm a Laker fan so who knows? Damn what a lousy break.

The suprise of the NBA has to be the Utah Jazz. What else is there to say about them? Boozer is playing like an all star and assuming they stay healthy I don't see any reason they can't keep this up. (Althought 5-5 in the last 10 isn't exactly what I expected. You?)

The Suns have jelled.Amare is back with a vengance and they got role player stacked on role players. 12 in  a row as I write this. I picked them to win the West IF Amare was OK and I don;t see any reason here to be waffling yet at this point.

The Mavs are on their own roll but I have problems believing with the Mavs because they got so many guys who have missed so much in the past with injuries. It's Dirk's team and we'll see how Avery keeps them patched together around them.

The Spurs are the Spurs. Anyone who counts them in or out at this point would be a fool in my estimation. So much can be said for their bench solidfying behind the big 3 but I got my doubts over 82 games. Everything depends on the big 3 staying healthy. But who knows? The Spurs are traditionally the best 2nd half team in the NBA since Duncan came around.

I predicted the Clippers would fall apart. That Cassel's back and age would catch up to him, that Tim Thomas is a cancer, that Mobley and Maggs would be their usual errratic selves. On top of that Kamen is looking very VERY ordinary. Clippers may turn this around but I would be suprised if they do. Last 20 games of last season they tried to choke their way out of the playoffs and this ain't even that team.  I'm betting against them.

Rockets are screwed.Yao has come into his own but T-Mac is done for looks like. Likely be in and out all season with that back and this early in the season with Spasms again? Damn shame really.

Kings are better than I thought they would be. A playoff berth depends on Miller holding up. Out once already, without him they don't go anywhere beyond the first round if they can make that.

What to think about Denver? I have no clue about Denver.  I think George Karl is a nut case. I think Camby will get hurt again at the worst possible time. Is J.R. for real? Seems he might be but what are they going to do for bigs down the stretch and into the playoffs? I just don't know what to think here.

Everyone else? Forget it. Enjoy the stars here and there, enjoy the big games here and there but none of them are going to do anything this season.

THE EMBARASSING EAST:

This will be brief. A true embarassment. The Pistons just based on experience and their top 4 likelyl win the east unless somehow Riley can bring Shaq back under 400 lbs in time to both make the playoffs and then do something with it. And who knows? Maybe he'll snag AI and somehow make it work.  Seems like a pipe dream to me at this point but I been wrong before.

The Cavs simply don't have the horses or the balls. Whatever Lebron does it won't be enough. They aren't going to the finals.

The Magic are a nice young team. Keyword being young. They don't have enough experience to go to the finals.

Having said all that, I will add this. After their usual dismal start, the Bulls may just make fools of everyone except the die hard Bulls fans.

Everyone else is a joke. Shame Shame Shame