One Month into the NBA Season

Before the NBA season began about a month ago, I took out my pen and jotted down what I thought would be the playoff bracket come season's end. I based my predictions on how well the team looked during the off-season and its player and coaching transactions. Looking back at the month old list, I can conclude that much of my predictions were completely inaccurate. Although every NBA season has its share or surprises, I cannot think of a season in recent memory more surprising than what this season has offered thus far.

I would have never thought the Phoenix Suns, who had won the Pacific Division for the past two seasons with MVP Steve Nash running the point, would be a dysfunctional group of players with a last place division standing. No more impressive are the Chicago Bulls, who before the season began picked up free agent all-star Ben Wallace, traded for veteran PJ Brown, and drafted athletic Tyrus Thomas. This roster, however, may look deceiving. Wallace's early season numbers don't look very pleasing. Averaging only 5 points and 9 rebounds, Wallace has the Bulls scratching their heads.

While the bottom of the Eastern Conference has not come to us as any surprise - the Charlotte Bobcats and the Toronto Raptors are consistent regulars in this category - the top of the Eastern Conference has come off as a relative surprise with the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers fighting for the top stop. The Miami Heat are nowhere close to competing like they had last year, and with Shaq out for several weeks, they have to rely on guard Dwayne Wade to keep any playoff hopes alive. With the Heat's O'Neal out and the Bull's Ben Wallace not performing up to par, it is safe to say that the best center in the Eastern Conference is 20-year-old Dwight Howard. Already one month into the regular season, Howard has the Magic on top of the Eastern Conference while averaging over 16 points and 14 rebounds a night. And the biggest Orland Magic surprise may be the fact that Grant Hill is yet to miss a game to injury the season. How's that for magic?

However, one cannot speak of NBA surprises without mentioning the play of the Utah Jazz. But don't tell that to head coach Jerry Sloan. Currently in first place and arguably playing the best basketball in the entire NBA, the Utah Jazz are reminding us that lucrative salaries, world famous superstars, and popular marketable names are the last things needed for a winning team. With a backcourt of C.J. Miles (yes, who?) and youngster Deron Williams, along with a formidable frontline of Okur, Boozer, and Kilirenko, the Utah Jazz look like they are playing June championship basketball in November. And if defense and meticulous half-court Jerry Sloan-drawn pick-n-roll plays was the Utah Jazz style, one must think again. Currently averaging the most points per game in the NBA, the Utah Jazz are looking even more athletic and up-tempo than the kings of offense, the Phoenix Suns, who are sitting back wondering where it all went wrong. Looking back at my month old playoff prediction list, I cringe at the fact that I placed the Utah Jazz at second to last place in the Western Conference.

Another surprise during this young 2006-2007 season is the fact that so many players have publicly criticized the new ball. For the first time in decades, the NBA has changed its official game ball, moving from the previous leather material to a newer microfiber composite material. Shaq, Steve Nash, Raja Bell, Dirk Nowitzki, LeBron James, and a handful of other NBA players have expressed their discontent regarding the new ball. Although Kobe Bryant and a few others seem to like it, the new NBA ball has been the topic of much controversy forcing further lab tests to be done with the two materials. I am no NBA professional, but having touched and played with both the leather and microfiber composite balls, both seem to be relatively similar when playing indoors in a dry condition. In fact, it is astonishing to see so many NBA players complain about the leather ball considering the fact that the rest of the world and the entire collegiate/academic levels have used microfiber composite material for years. The microfiber composite material is in fact a favorite among former European players who currently play in the NBA.

Three players, all with their last names starting with the letter M, won't be using any kind of ball during the 2006-2007 season. Kenyon Martin, Chris Mihm, and Darius Miles, have all sat out for the entire season with their respective season-ending surgeries. Considering these players happen to be on teams with a countless number of talented and healthy big men, none of these teams should feel any ill-effects without their services. Kenyon Martin's void at power forward is being filled in by Reggie Evans, Nene Hilario, Eduardo Najara, and Joe Smith. Darius Mile's void at forward is being filled in with Ime Udoka, Martell Webster, and Travis Outlaw. And finally, Chris Mihm's void at center is being filled in by the surprisingly strong and progressed second year big man Andrew Bynum, his backup Kwame Brown, and spot minutes by energetic powerhouse Ronny Turiaf.

With all said, we must still remember that we are only one month into the NBA regular season. Although 10 games do show some type of trend as to how the remainder of the season will unfold, 10 games are still too little too soon. Some top teams might plummet down to the lottery ranks, while others will rise to stardom. Some players will change opinion regarding the new microfiber composite ball; others will grow to embrace it. Some players might come back from their injuries sooner than expected and other players might find themselves watching their team from the sideline. Some teams, for example, have an extremely tough schedule during November while seeing lottery-friendly opponents throughout December (e.g. Phoenix Suns). Other teams have an extremely easy month of November with several back-to-back off-days and later face tough opponents in the likes of the Heat, Spurs, Pistons, and Clippers during December and January. It is only a matter of another month or two before we can make a more refined conclusion regarding the 2007 playoff race. Still optimistic with the last place Pacific Division standing Phoenix Suns, I will refrain from throwing away my playoff prediction list in hopes that the Suns will soon redeem themselves and climb back up to first place in the Western Conference.