Suns still on top of the NBA, despite an ugly performance in OKC. They run, they play that "enough" D, they're rebounding but it's like they're holding back the tide, anytime, anyday, any of these things can go overboard and overwhelm them.

I believe in Steve Nash. I believe he's one of the best minds to play this game, same for Jason Kidd (imagine if the Suns kept both of them with Penny Hardaway, Antonio Macdyss and Tom Gugliota...back when these names meant something). I think Nash is the toughest player to defend in this league, not because his strength alone, but becasue when he's got the ball, he can make anyone a hero. He can hit a wing cutting baseline, or find an open shooter that someone chose to leave open because it was the better poison. He can shoot from anywhere, he's a pass first guy, but shoot second sounds an equally good option.

You have to love the new Amare, the "Team" guy, and on a contract year!!! These 14 games have been as impressive as ever for STAT.  He still needs to work on his rebounding, thus plugging one of the concerns for the Suns.

J-Rich is playing like everyone envisioned when we traded for him, he's a good defender, a good shooter and a great athlete, the 5th overall draft pick who used to carried the Spartans to the final four, is making a name for himself again, this is not the guy that played for the Bobcats, he's the Michigan State guy.

As for Grant Hill, he's got class. And although what we got here is ashes of the Grant Hill that played in Detroit, but the way he's playing now it's a testimement to how good he was back then.

Frye is fitting in nicely, shooting the lights out, the best shooting 7 footer I've seen. Barbosa been struggling  with injury but his D has been up there with the best of them, Lou Amunsdon and Jared Dudley are hustlers and they will fight for every point on that scoreboard. Suns finally have a point guard who can reduce Nash's minutes and it's Goran Dragic. And before you say "WHO?" , he's not going to be an all star in this league, but he's good enough to be a solid back and can start on a couple of teams in this league. The addition of Jarron Collins has been good, he's added to good things.

It all comes back to Coach Alvin Gentry. Using every player where they fit. He's not going to force Frye to post up and go to the line, he's going to ask everyone to do the best they can do on every aspect, then he'll fill in the blanks. He reverted to the pick and roll, with Amare and Nash, but this time adding a 7-footer who'd clear the lane and and stand by the 3 point line so when everyone collapses on Amare , Frye would be wide open. He made J-Rich run to the 3-point line THEN cut , he used Grant Hill's defenisve awarness, the bench mob hustle and Amare's commitment on the inside to improve the D. He let Amare stick with the guy he's guarding (Knowing what a terrible defender he was) and all he asked was to box out come rebounding time, this led to the two wingmen leading the team in rebs most games.

Bottom line is, when you think that the addition of Brooke Lopez can only help, you're already in a good shape...This team is better than I thought and I must admit it caught me by surprise .

I have liked the depth and the strength of the athletic Atlanta Hawks ever since Joe Johnson opted out of signing with the Suns to play for them. I've known JJ personally and while he's mature, he's yet to become a leader. The team needed a stablizer.

While Mike Bibby has got the experience and the leadership somewhat, he's only been the toughest guy in a very soft Kings most of his career. Still Bibby's arrival was the beggining of something good. Someone to tell these guys that it's time to be responsible. Up until Bibby got there, the Hawks could have been a great pick up team, with an underrated coach. But not a winning team in this league.

You can listen to experts talk about the 100 reasons for the Hawks revival, but the main reason is, they matured. The got older and not just physically. There main players have hit their highs around the same time, Josh Smith (Who reminds me of Larry Nance a lot) , Marvin Williams, Joe Johnson and Al Horford. I always liked Horford, he reminds me a lot of a young Joe Smith.

I don't think this team is as good as the Magic, Cavs or Celtics. They still need the experience in the playoffs, and when it's time for someone to take over, they'll be lost over who should it be. And even if they decide on someone, he probably won't be ready for it. Not till next year.

This team will finish in the top four and will advance to round 2 of the playoffs. But with all the trades all over, this year is no year for a cinderella.

Everyone knew this season was going to be good. That NBA teams have gotten better, some of them have gotten super good. As I mentioned in one of my previous entries, the rich have got richer, one thing I didn't see coming that the not so rich have worked out a lot of issues and not playing to their strengths. This has made the season even better. Here are the surprise teams in this early season:

1- Suns: Best record in the NBA who would've thought. The team has been a contender for 4 years till they finally gave up this year. Everyone expects them to go back to average  around January, but this team started with a very rough schedule and it really gets a bit easier from now on.

2- The Nuggets: I don't know if you can call a team that made it to the WCF last year "a surprise" , but they didn't make any high profile acquisitions and they got a year older. I am glad that everyone's starting to see Caramelo Anthony the way I always say him, a stronger version of Bernard King with handles.

3- Hawks:  This team was built to be the team of the future, they kept shooting themselves in the leg, especially last year. This year they feel different. They're finding harmony.

4- Raptors: A Bryan Colangelo team with a running game and an atletic big man...sounds familiar?

I read an article about the possibility of LeBron going to the Bulls. Although Lebron has been linked to New York more than some players who are currently on the Knicks roster, this still can be a good idea.

Financially the Bulls are ready for it, the market is huge, it's diverese, it's a big city. I've always been a fan of Chicago as a city, maybe even a bit more than NY. The crowd can be loud, the arena is beautiful and the supporting cast is more than ok.

Off course Lebron will try to make sure that they will surround him with enough talent to win and keep winning before he even thinks about signing a contract. I think the East is still easier than the West. The Cavs can be easily be the 1st or 2nd seat out east but teams like Spurs, Lakers, Mavs, Nuggets can beat the Cavs on any given day. Does Lebron want to go into the playoffs without home court advantage? The Knicks have rallied so hard they have crowned themselves the first option for Lebron, the Nets is an option, but other than that, Chicago is the best bet.

The un materialistic factor could be this. To go into the house the Michael Jordan built, and win more rings, more MVP trophies, set more records and be the best player to ever play in Chicago. A shot at this would make any player who has ever been compared to MJ (and there has been many) , drool all over. It's a possibility that can make anyone stupid. Especially after the amazing indiction of MJ into the Hall of Fame. Yup Kobe has 4 and can go for more, but he's not MJ, but if Kobe won 6 in Bulls uniform, then things would have been different.

This is something that will sway Lebron or D-wade so hard to change their addresses to the windy city.

It's no secret that I'm a Suns fan, but I really like what they did in their road trip so far. No I'm not talking about their performance I'm talking about record and not only their record.

When the Suns started the trip they were yet to lose in this young season, so did Miami, Denver and Boston. Here's what happened

- Suns beat Miami, the Heat are no longer unbeaten, the played great D against Wade and that really made the Heat a very angry team

- Suns lose in Orland ending their own unbeaten streak. 

- Suns beat the Celtics , their first loss of the season

- The angry D-Wade and the Heat come out aggressive and beat the last unbeaten team, the Nuggets.

I really don't mind the Suns losing the 2 remaining games and finishing