WIZARDS, CLIPPERS, BUCKS, PISTONS GO 3-0

 

(Images taken from NBA.com)

 

The NBA season has officially started and though it's impossible to predict the champions after the opening week of a season in any sport, four sides are setting the early pace.

The least suprising of the four are the Pistons, with Ben Wallace and Richard Hamilton being the unsurprising main guys on form for them, they opened with a 108-88 home win over the Sixers before heading to Boston where they needed a Hamilton buzzer beater to see of the Celtics, follwed by a return home to beat the Raptors 117-84. However they're going to face a major test when they head on a three game west coast "road trip"(in a plane) in the next few days.

Even so, the Pistons aren't even officially top of the Central Division, that honour going to the Milwaukee Bucks who've turned round their disasterous season, starting with an overtime 117-108 road win against the Sixers, following that with a 110-96 win in New Jersey before returning home to beat the Heat 105-100. Rookie Andrew Bogut looks to be having his uses at rebounding but Milwaukee's main man at the moment looks to be Allstar Michael Redd.

Officially leading the Eastern Conference though are the Wizards, who've picked up wins in Toronto(99-96) and New York(86-75) before adding a win at home against the Magic(87-79), Antawn Jamison and Gilbert Arenas doing the business. However this is one of two 100% records that will be immediately under threat.

Because the LA Clippers are coming to visit, and they're the only Western Conference side to have gone 3-0, following up on a solid preseason with early regular season wins, first in Seattle(101-93) then at home to the Hawks(92-77) and T-Wolves(100-99 in overtime). Sam Cassell's certainly been solid for them but it's been the new arrival from the Rockets Cutino Mobley that's been leading their surge. The Clippers are traditionally the Manchester City of the NBA to the Lakers's United but the Clippers could certainly make things interesting in LA.

As for the Lakers, well they're 2-1 with Kobe on solid form despite the blot that is the 122-112 defeat by Phoenix, though the surprise package in the West at the moment is the Hornets, with a 2-1 record of their own having ripped the Kings apart 93-67 in their opener at home with PJ Brown being the main man for them. The Northwest Division's looking the weakest one in the League right now though, only the Jazz have a winning record there.

Out East, the Nets may be leading the Atlantic division with a 2-1 but "accross the river" Larry Brown has seemingly not gotten to grips with the Knicks, who've opened with a 0-3 and tough fights like what they put up against the Golden State Warriors at home won't count for anything if results continue to be like this. Down in Florida, the Magic have also started 0-3 with Miami not much better at 1-2. The Heat's problem is that Shaq's out injured with a sprained ankle for a few weeks. Wade(backed up by Antoine Walker and incoming veteran Gary Payton) is trying to take care of business in the meantime but any side needs to lose someone like Shaq like they need a hole in the head.

Till next time

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