Note: We will accept entries until midnight tonight, so keep them coming!

The Chicago Bulls, a chic preseason pick for Eastern Conference Champions, are now buried in the standings, eight games below .500.  Apparent home run moves such as trading for Tyrus Thomas, trading away Tyson Chandler, and acquiring Ben Wallace have all seemingly backfired, at least this season. They've fired Scott Skiles, but they are 7-8 with Jim Boylan. This is a team that is once again mired in mediocrity, lacking an interior scoring presence, and without a true inspirational leader (thanks again, Kevin Garnett).

The Bulls need to be fixed, and we're looking to you for suggestions.  

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If you like NBA basketball, if you have league pass (or if you are of legal age and know a good watering hole with league pass), and if you got the time, tonight is going to be entertaining. There are eight games tonight, and 5 of them look like they ought to be exciting. Tell your girl or boy that you love them but you got basketball to watch. They'll be mad the Celtics aren't even on. To the games.

All game times Eastern, all games league pass unless otherwise noted (in parenthesis) 

Toronto at Atlanta 7:00pm
Indiana at Cleveland 7:00pm (NBA TV)
Minnesota at Washington 7:00pm
LA Clippers at New Jersey 7:30pm (YES in NY)
Detroit at Memphis 8:00pm
Seattle at Chicago 8:30pm
Portland at Utah 9:00pm
San Antonio at Golden State 10:30pm

Click below for so called "in-depth" previews, check out the Games thread!For Previews..

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First, sorry all for the prolongued absence, work school and the fam all had issues, so I couldn't bring home the game preview bacon for the last few weeks. However, as the Christmas season rolls around I'm more ready than ever to bring you guys the preview hammer. Lets not waste any more time with petty small talk.

The games tonight:

All game times far Eastern, all broadcasts on league pass unless specified (in parenthes)

Atlanta at Orlando 7:00pm
Houston at Philadelphia 7:00pm
Dallas at NY Knicks 7:30pm (MSG in NY)
Miami at Phoenix 9:00pm  (NBA TV)
Milwaukee at Sacramento 10:00pm

Remember to check out the games thread and click below for in-depth game previewsFor Previews..  

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Haiku Day!

Today is special,

All games are in haiku form,

Hope you all like it.

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All game times and poetry styles Japanese, well minus 14 hours. All games on League Pass unless otherwise noted. 

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Charlotte at Atlanta 7:00pm
Orlando at Cleveland 7:00pm
Indiana at Washington 7:00pm
Utah at Toronto 7:00pm
Seattle at Miami 7:30pm
Philadelphia at New Orleans 8:00pm
Memphis at Milwaukee 8:00pm
Sacramento at Minnesota 8:00pm
Portland at Denver 9:00pm
LA Lakers at Houston 9:00pm (ESPN)
Detroit at Golden State 10:30pm
NY Knicks at LA Clippers 10:30pm (MSG in NY)

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Here's the Games Thread

For Previews.

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Haven't had an opportunity to write the previews for a few days, and I know you've all been starving for my comprehensive analysis and insightful wit. I apologize. I hope you'll all forgive me. The only prize I can offer is previews, glorious previews. On to the games.

Here is the link for the game thread .

All times central, then I added 2 hours.  All games can be seen via League Pass, unless otherwise noted (in parentheses)

Seattle at Orlando 7:00pm
Miami at Charlotte 7:00pm
Houston at Memphis 8:00pm
Philadelphia at Dallas 8:30
LA Lakers at San Antonio 8:30 (NBATV
NY Knicks at Phoenix 9:00pm (MSG in NY)
Detroit at Portland 10:00pm

For Previews..  

 

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Well, Friday is finally here, and not only do we have a homegame to look forward to, we've also got a night full of action around the NBA. There are an absolute ton of games tonight so whether its at the party or at the house, make sure you check in on them. My match-up of the night (well other than the Celtics): San Antonio vs New Orleans at 8:00pm.

I don't know if League Pass is still available for free, could someone post in the comments section the status of that?

In any case, here's the lineup:

Toronto at Philadelphia 7:00pm
Indiana at Charlotte 7:00pm
Phoenix at Miami 7:30pm
Orlando at NY Knicks 7:30pm (MSG in NY)
San Antonio at New Orleans 8:00pm
LA Clippers at Detroit 8:00pm
Denver at Washington 8:00pm (ESPN)
Milwaukee at Houston 8:30pm
Memphis at Portland 10:00pm
Minnesota at LA Lakers 10:30pm
Cleveland at Sacramento 10:30pm (ESPN)
Utah at Seattle 10:30pm

Here's the Games Thread

And don't forget to click below....For Previews  

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Sorry to all for missing out on the previews and game thread last night, I had one of those days and just didn't have the time for either. Three games on the docket for tonight though, and two of them are on TNT, so those of you without League Pass will not be left in the cold. On to the games.

Games Thread

All times and wagons EAST!

The Games:
Washington at New Jersey 7:30pm (YES in NY, League Pass otherwise)
Detroit at Chicago 8:00pm (TNT)
Dallas at Golden State 10:30pm (TNT) 

For Previews

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Well tonight is a doozy, with 10 games scheduled for my little fingers have been busy. Without any Celtics action, no Pats game, and baseball over, I expect everyone to be watching all the action this evening. What, you need more incentive? Well, it has been brought to my attention (thanks AllabouttheGreen) that NBA League Pass is still 100% free! Thats right boys and very few girls, you get to OD on grade A premuim uncut basketball action one more time. 

Be sure to check out the Games Thread .

On to the games

All times BEASTERN, and all games on League Pass unless otherwise specified.

Here is the basic schedule, click the button below for the in-depth previews.

Phoenix at Charlotte 7:00pm
Atlanta at New Jersey 7:30pm (YES in NY)
Denver at NY Knicks 7:30pm (MSG in NY, Everywhere else its on NBATV)
Toronto at Milwaukee 8:00pm
Orlando at Minnesota 8:00pm
LA Clippers at Chicago 8:30pm
San Antonio at Houston 8:30pm
Seattle at Sacramento 10:00pm
Cleveland at Golden State 10:30pm
New Orleans at LA Lakers 10:30pm

To the previews...  

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Slow day today, but maybe we need one, because I believe tonight is the death of "Free League Pass". Personally, I'm gonna pony up and pay for it, so I will be watching crazy NBA action all season long, but for the folks who didn't, know that I feel your pain.

Check out the Games Thread

On to the game!

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Houston at Dallas 7:00pm NBATV
Only one game tonight, but it is a very interesting one from a basketball standpoint. These two teams are supposedly two of the best teams in the Western Confernce, and by default, the league.

Dallas is 2-1 with convincing wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Sacramento Kings. In both wins, the thing that sticks out the most to me is that the scoring was pretty balanced, with 5 players reaching double figures and 3 20-point scorers in the win over Sacramento. This may be a new philosophy we're looking at in Dallas, maybe its not "Dirk and the Mavs" anymore but now "The Dallas Mavericks featuring Dirk Nowitzki" (note the subtle difference). As impressed as I was with the win over Cleveland, I was just as shocked with the inexusable loss to Atlanta Hawks. The key to the loss? Dirk scored 28 points, and there was only one other guy in the 20's (Devin Harris). Not a lot of help scoring from the rest of the Dallas team.

Houston has beaten one of the worst teams (Blazers), one of the best (the Jazz), as well as one I can't quite figure out (the LA Lakers). Houston beat the Utah Jazz last Thursday and while the game was entertaing, it doesn't bode well for Houston fans because it required Tracy McGrady scoring 47 points on 63% shooting as well as going 11-14 from the line. Yao Ming scored less than 10 points, and while Luis Scola and Chuck Hayes both played well, neither performed at the level you would expect from the starting power forward for a championship team. I feel like every time Tracy McGrady goes off for one of his 50 point heroic games, he gains another 5 DNP's later on in the season.

In this particular game, I pick Houston to win, mostly because I just feel like Dallas is only halfway there to becoming the team they're eventually going to be in March or April.

Player to watch: Jose Juan Barea- Does this kid have a nickname? Curse you, Damon Stoudamire, for taking the name "Mighty Mouse" oh so soon. The kid looks smaller than he actually is (listed at 6'0" but I put him closer to 5'9" and a half or 5'10") because he's always running; and while he's not super fast, he's super active, especially while he has the ball. Also watch him dribble, he keeps his entire body low when moving forward with the rock, kind of like a fullback. JJ scored 25 points against the Kings the other night, starting in place of injured Devin Harris. In the game before, Barea scored 14 point in 9 minutes. Avery Johnson may believe that Harris gives the Mavericks a better defensive scheme and better size, and thus a better chance to win, but Barea gives Dallas excitement and offensive firepower. He really gets the most out of the offense while he is on the floor, and if Avery Johnson lets him rot on the bench I'm going to start a letter writing campaign. Free Jose Juan Barea!

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Thats it for tonight, short but sweet. Remember to check in on the games thread for any thoughts/comments on the HOU-DAL game, and after that, maybe take tonight to recharge your basketball batteries. Also treat yourself and check out "Chuck" on NBC at 8pm. Good show.

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Editor's note: These game previews have been running all week for every game on the NBA schedule.  Make sure you check them out in the NBA section.

Well, everyone should be watching the Celtics game early, but there is a ton of NBA action to fill up the rest of your Sunday. After we roll over the Raptors check out the out of market stuff on League Pass while it's still free. Good TV! On to the games.

Be sure to check out the games thread.

All Times Pacific, but plus 3 hours.

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Seattle at LA Clippers 3:30pm
The young guns of Seattle will get another shot at a bad team regarding perimeter defense tonight, and LA (the other team) will get a shot at a team that is clearly "not ready for prime time". Seattle hung tough with both the Suns and the Nuggets until the fourth, and Chris Wilcox is asserting himself as a talented scorer off of the block. Kevin Durant also looked more comfortable in his second game with the Sonics, so look for him to be even better tonight. Also, some of the generic first round bigs from Seattle are starting to show some promise in Johan Petro.
Player to watch: Chris Wilcox- Wilcox has established himself as the Sonics go to scoring threat in the post. He's not very fancy, but his face up game isn't bad, he gets a lot of baskets by hustling in transition, and he has this awkward looking kind of hook shot type thing that he shoots from his left shoulder that consistently goes in. Well, no matter how he does it, he's a double double guareanteed lately.

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Charlotte at Miami 6:00pm
The Bobcats are a flawed team. They've got too many problems upfront, nobody besides Emeka Okafor that is taller than 6'8 and of starter quality. They're relying on an (til now) inconsistent young point and an unproven lead scorer in Jason Richardson. That aside, I think they're a good, flawed team. How good will remain to be seen, but watch them carefully. Raymond Felton played beautifully in the seaosn opener, Jason Richardson seems to be hungry this season, and Gerald Wallace to me is one of the most underrated guys in the NBA. They will give Miami some serious issues at the wing, as Ricky Davis is no defensive stalwart. The two talented wings from Charlotte should have no issues scoring against the heat today, and the battle at the point should be more of a scuffle, with Felton winning out. Also, with Udonis Haslem starting for the Heat, Walter Hermann will get the chance to play more than 12 minutes today, and with him playing big minutes the Bobcats are a better team. The Heat didn't show me anything of consequence in their loss against the Pacers, and I while understand that they have started slow in recent years, I'm very skeptical of their actual ability. Charlotte wins early season matchup within their division, but watch them all year, I think you'll be impressed.
Player to watch: Raymond Felton-This kid is for real, he's a legit starting point in the NBA, and he went off for 26 points and 12 assisted against the Bucks in the opener as well as 3-5 shooting from the three point line. He'll eat up Jason Williams or Daquan Cook (who played well in this season opener).

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Minnesota at NY Knicks 6:00pm (Blackout for MSG in NY)
This is a game I will absolutely be watching. Great matchup for Celtics fan, because Sebastian Telfair usually plays better when he plays his cousin Stephan Marbury, and no matter how much you hated the Portland trade, we all rooted for Bassy at one point. Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry shouldn't be able to hold up Al Jefferson much, and we'll be able to wholeheartedly root for the mini-Celts because every loss by the other teams in the Atlantic makes our goal of winning the division a little easier. Rashad McCants played well against Denver, and look for him to do it again. Surprisingly, Theo Ratliff played 30 minutes against the Nuggest, so expect him to give Eddy Curry some problems in the paint. I'm picking the Bizzaro-Celtics to win
Player to watch: Al Jefferson-The former prince of Boston brings his quality low post game to the Big Apple, whats not to like?

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Atlanta at Detroit 7:30pm
The Hawks are coming off a huge upset win against the Dallas Mavericks, but I don't think they can do it again. In their win against Dallas, the Mavs went 4-24 from three point land. Detroit is much more disciplined, and won't live and die with the three point shot, and their forwards won't be shoved around. The Hawks may very well be for real, but I don't think they're going to start a winning streak today.
Player to watch: Josh Smith-Smith went 0-5 from behind the 3 pt line, shot just over 30% from the field, and still managed to end up with 18 points. He also added 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. He's just fun to watch.

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New Orleans at Denver 8:00pm
Both of these teams are unbeaten, and neither team has actually played a decent squad yet. New Orleans won over Sacramento and Portland, Denver won over Minnesota and Seattle, ao tonight will be the first time either team faces a playoff team from last year. Chris Paul's play has been stellar up until this point, and that will continue tonight, with Allen Iverson lacking the on ball skills to slow down CP3. Both teams stack up pretty evenly in the frontcourt (Tyson Chandler is basically like a less effective Marcus Camby), but there is a pretty big disparity on the wing. Peja Stojakovic is a great shooter, and somewhat of a crafty scorer, but Carmelo Anthony is going to score with ease anytime Peja is alone with him, and Stojakovic won't be quite so lucky (although Melo is no defensive dynamo) on the other end of the court. Denver to win.
Player to watch: Linus Kleiza, Von Wafer, JR Smith, Yakhouba Diawara-Diawara was benched at halftime in the win against Minnesota, due mostly to his absolutely abysmal offensive game. Who will solve Denver's big problem? JR Smith is probably the most talented, Linus Kleiza the best pro, Von Wafer the farthest away but a very possible long term solution. All of these guys are talented in their own right, but flawed. I think Kleiza will get more minutes tonight, because Morris Peterson isn't exactly lightening quick, and Kleiza was very good in Denver's opener.

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Cleveland at Phoenix 8:00pm
When you watch Cleveland games, you need to repeatedly remind yourself that those other guys are real, talented NBA players too. Seriously, they are. Its not just Lebron James against the world here. That said, Phoenix just got absolutely blown out by the Lakers, and that can't sit well with Mike D'Antoni and Steve Nash. Look for Steve Nash and the "good soldiers"(more on that later) in the clubhouse to be fired up and ready to run. Cleveland shouldn't be able to keep up, and Shawn Marion should be able to keep Lebron to less than 40 points a half. Phoenix to win.
Player to watch: Amare Stoudamire-What is the world is up with this kid? Its like he doesn't even want to play, like he doesn't care. Did you see him play in the Laker's game? He was listless, passsionless, just utterly worthless out there. Is he hurt? If that's the case, then I'm being too hard on him, but otherwise if he's just acting like a spoiled brat for whatever arbitrary reason, then someone needs to get his head on straight, and quick. That Lakers game was just ridiculous, he only played 24 minutes, and I don't know if I'm the only one who thought this but it honestly looked like he purposefully picked up fouls to keep himself on the bench.

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Utah at LA Lakers 9:30pm
To be completely honest, I have no idea what to expect from Los Angeles at this point. They rely exclusively on Kobe Bryant for one game, the second unit carries them the next. Vladomir Radmonovic goes from DNP to scoring revelation. This Lakers team is just as likely to lose by 40 as it is to win by 15. The good thing however is that this Jazz team is remarkably consistent. Expect Deron Williams, Mehmer Okur and Carlos Boozer to dominate their respective match-ups, and expect Kobe to score a lot as long as the game is close, but expect the Jazz to win.
Player to watch: Ronny Turiaf-Besides the fact that this is one of the biggest feel good stories in basketball today, Turiaf has had moments of intensity that even KG would balk at. This guy is all energy, and he's got the size and the skill to be a fantastic pro. He's one of those guys that you're just waiting to go off for 20 and 10 2 nights in a row, kind of like Big Al last season. He's getting the chance now, he's got the starting spot as of last game, but whether or not he will retain that, who knows? This Lakers team is all over the board.

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That will just about do it for me, hope everyone had a fantastic weekend, and make sure to check out the games thread to see whats going on during the other games!

Goodnight, and have a pleasant tomorrow.  

Well, everyone should be watching the Celtics game early, but there is a ton of NBA action to fill up the rest of your Sunday. After we roll over the Raptors check out the out of market stuff on League Pass while it's still free. Good TV! On to the games.

Be sure to check out the games thread.

All Times Pacific, but plus 3 hours.

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Seattle at LA Clippers 3:30pm
The young guns of Seattle will get another shot at a bad team regarding perimeter defense tonight, and LA (the other team) will get a shot at a team that is clearly "not ready for prime time". Seattle hung tough with both the Suns and the Nuggets until the fourth, and Chris Wilcox is asserting himself as a talented scorer off of the block. Kevin Durant also looked more comfortable in his second game with the Sonics, so look for him to be even better tonight. Also, some of the generic first round bigs from Seattle are starting to show some promise in Johan Petro.
Player to watch: Chris Wilcox- Wilcox has established himself as the Sonics go to scoring threat in the post. He's not very fancy, but his face up game isn't bad, he gets a lot of baskets by hustling in transition, and he has this awkward looking kind of hook shot type thing that he shoots from his left shoulder that consistently goes in. Well, no matter how he does it, he's a double double guareanteed lately.

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Charlotte at Miami 6:00pm
The Bobcats are a flawed team. They've got too many problems upfront, nobody besides Emeka Okafor that is taller than 6'8 and of starter quality. They're relying on an (til now) inconsistent young point and an unproven lead scorer in Jason Richardson. That aside, I think they're a good, flawed team. How good will remain to be seen, but watch them carefully. Raymond Felton played beautifully in the seaosn opener, Jason Richardson seems to be hungry this season, and Gerald Wallace to me is one of the most underrated guys in the NBA. They will give Miami some serious issues at the wing, as Ricky Davis is no defensive stalwart. The two talented wings from Charlotte should have no issues scoring against the heat today, and the battle at the point should be more of a scuffle, with Felton winning out. Also, with Udonis Haslem starting for the Heat, Walter Hermann will get the chance to play more than 12 minutes today, and with him playing big minutes the Bobcats are a better team. The Heat didn't show me anything of consequence in their loss against the Pacers, and I while understand that they have started slow in recent years, I'm very skeptical of their actual ability. Charlotte wins early season matchup within their division, but watch them all year, I think you'll be impressed.
Player to watch: Raymond Felton-This kid is for real, he's a legit starting point in the NBA, and he went off for 26 points and 12 assisted against the Bucks in the opener as well as 3-5 shooting from the three point line. He'll eat up Jason Williams or Daquan Cook (who played well in this season opener).

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Minnesota at NY Knicks 6:00pm (Blackout for MSG in NY)
This is a game I will absolutely be watching. Great matchup for Celtics fan, because Sebastian Telfair usually plays better when he plays his cousin Stephan Marbury, and no matter how much you hated the Portland trade, we all rooted for Bassy at one point. Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry shouldn't be able to hold up Al Jefferson much, and we'll be able to wholeheartedly root for the mini-Celts because every loss by the other teams in the Atlantic makes our goal of winning the division a little easier. Rashad McCants played well against Denver, and look for him to do it again. Surprisingly, Theo Ratliff played 30 minutes against the Nuggest, so expect him to give Eddy Curry some problems in the paint. I'm picking the Bizzaro-Celtics to win
Player to watch: Al Jefferson-The former prince of Boston brings his quality low post game to the Big Apple, whats not to like?

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Atlanta at Detroit 7:30pm
The Hawks are coming off a huge upset win against the Dallas Mavericks, but I don't think they can do it again. In their win against Dallas, the Mavs went 4-24 from three point land. Detroit is much more disciplined, and won't live and die with the three point shot, and their forwards won't be shoved around. The Hawks may very well be for real, but I don't think they're going to start a winning streak today.
Player to watch: Josh Smith-Smith went 0-5 from behind the 3 pt line, shot just over 30% from the field, and still managed to end up with 18 points. He also added 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. He's just fun to watch.

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New Orleans at Denver 8:00pm
Both of these teams are unbeaten, and neither team has actually played a decent squad yet. New Orleans won over Sacramento and Portland, Denver won over Minnesota and Seattle, ao tonight will be the first time either team faces a playoff team from last year. Chris Paul's play has been stellar up until this point, and that will continue tonight, with Allen Iverson lacking the on ball skills to slow down CP3. Both teams stack up pretty evenly in the frontcourt (Tyson Chandler is basically like a less effective Marcus Camby), but there is a pretty big disparity on the wing. Peja Stojakovic is a great shooter, and somewhat of a crafty scorer, but Carmelo Anthony is going to score with ease anytime Peja is alone with him, and Stojakovic won't be quite so lucky (although Melo is no defensive dynamo) on the other end of the court. Denver to win.
Player to watch: Linus Kleiza, Von Wafer, JR Smith, Yakhouba Diawara-Diawara was benched at halftime in the win against Minnesota, due mostly to his absolutely abysmal offensive game. Who will solve Denver's big problem? JR Smith is probably the most talented, Linus Kleiza the best pro, Von Wafer the farthest away but a very possible long term solution. All of these guys are talented in their own right, but flawed. I think Kleiza will get more minutes tonight, because Morris Peterson isn't exactly lightening quick, and Kleiza was very good in Denver's opener.

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Cleveland at Phoenix 8:00pm
When you watch Cleveland games, you need to repeatedly remind yourself that those other guys are real, talented NBA players too. Seriously, they are. Its not just Lebron James against the world here. That said, Phoenix just got absolutely blown out by the Lakers, and that can't sit well with Mike D'Antoni and Steve Nash. Look for Steve Nash and the "good soldiers"(more on that later) in the clubhouse to be fired up and ready to run. Cleveland shouldn't be able to keep up, and Shawn Marion should be able to keep Lebron to less than 40 points a half. Phoenix to win.
Player to watch: Amare Stoudamire-What is the world is up with this kid? Its like he doesn't even want to play, like he doesn't care. Did you see him play in the Laker's game? He was listless, passsionless, just utterly worthless out there. Is he hurt? If that's the case, then I'm being too hard on him, but otherwise if he's just acting like a spoiled brat for whatever arbitrary reason, then someone needs to get his head on straight, and quick. That Lakers game was just ridiculous, he only played 24 minutes, and I don't know if I'm the only one who thought this but it honestly looked like he purposefully picked up fouls to keep himself on the bench.

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Utah at LA Lakers 9:30pm
To be completely honest, I have no idea what to expect from Los Angeles at this point. They rely exclusively on Kobe Bryant for one game, the second unit carries them the next. Vladomir Radmonovic goes from DNP to scoring revelation. This Lakers team is just as likely to lose by 40 as it is to win by 15. The good thing however is that this Jazz team is remarkably consistent. Expect Deron Williams, Mehmer Okur and Carlos Boozer to dominate their respective match-ups, and expect Kobe to score a lot as long as the game is close, but expect the Jazz to win.
Player to watch: Ronny Turiaf-Besides the fact that this is one of the biggest feel good stories in basketball today, Turiaf has had moments of intensity that even KG would balk at. This guy is all energy, and he's got the size and the skill to be a fantastic pro. He's one of those guys that you're just waiting to go off for 20 and 10 2 nights in a row, kind of like Big Al last season. He's getting the chance now, he's got the starting spot as of last game, but whether or not he will retain that, who knows? This Lakers team is all over the board.

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That will just about do it for me, hope everyone had a fantastic weekend, and make sure to check out the games thread to see whats going on during the other games!

Goodnight, and have a pleasant tomorrow.  

Well, from 8pm until the last second ticks away, I know what I will be watching. I hope the rest of you do too (hint, its the Celtics). But, there is some really decent action otherwise also going on tonight. Lots of early out of market games in the 7pm slot, and the Lakers-Phoenix game late should be another Kobe show (you know, if thats the type of thing you're into). Personally, its a shame that we'll all have to miss the debut of Big Al and the mini-Celts, but from what I understand, they'll be playing 81 more games so I'm sure we'll catch up.
On to the games.

Games Thread

(All times EASTERN standard)

Miami at Indiana 7:00pm (League Pass Only)
In Miami's second game, expect to see them tested once again on the wings, with the rotation of Jamal Tinsley, Mike Dunleavy, Marquis Daniels (he looks good again) and Danny Granger. In Obie's system these guys are just chucking shots up there from deep, but the problem is that they're making them. However, the real wildcard will be up front, with Jermaine O'Neal supposedly healthy again, Indiana will possibly have a much more balanced attack than the primarily perimeter oriented offense we've seen so far. This also means that Indiana will be better defensively. Personally I don't think Shaquille O'neal or JO will be ready to give 30 quality minutes, so look for an unlikely hero in the paint from the second unit to put up big numbers on the boards and points (dare I say BLoUNT?). I hate to say it, but the Pacers looked good against Washington, with Miami still adjusting to Ricky Davis being the number 1 scoring option, I don't think they're be able to deal with a more organized Indy unit.
Player(s) to watch: Danny Granger and Jermaine O'neal-Granger had 20 points against Washinton on Wednesday, 15 of those 20 points came from outside the three point line. Also watch for Jermaine O'neal's return. Chances are he's going to be limited in playing time but watch to see how often his feet leave the ground for blocks and boards, it will be a good indicator of how far along his knees are.

Detroit at Orlando 7:00pm
The pistons looked sharp against the Heat, and Orlando looked pretty sharp against the Bucks. Dwight Howard didn't show off that shiney new jumper he supposedly has, but he did block 7 shots. Seriously, 7. No one player on the Pistons' roster is better than Rashard Lewis or Dwight Howard, but those two guys won't be enough to save Orlando. The Pistons looked really good against to Heat, and Tayshaun Prince looked especially on his game. Look for the Pistons to continue the trend and to show Orlando that chemistry is not just a class you take in high school (or college for me, twice.)
Player to watch: Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis- Dwight Howard is just a joy to watch, nobody makes grabbing a rebound or swatting a shot out of the air look any better than Dwight, also watch Reshard Lewis once again strive to show the world why he recieved over 100 million dollars this summer. 

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Milwaukee at Charlotte7:00pm
Milwaukee didn't look too pretty against Orlando on Tuesday, but they have a good chance to rebound tonight. Besides Emeka Okafor (who is nothing to be taken lightly), Charlotte doesn't have the same clout down low that Milwaukee has. With Sean May injured for the year, at the PF spot Charlotte will rotate Okafor, Jemareo Davidson (10-15 mins), Walter Hermann (18-25 mins), and maybe even BC product Jared Dudley. The issue is that whenever Okafor is not at the 4 Charlotte will be at a size disadvantage. Milwaukee's rotation of Yi Jianlian and Charlie Villanueva (nearly 45 mins combined at the 4 on Tuesday) will provide a lot of issues for the Charlotte frontcourt, and Andrew Bogut is dangerous enough to always keep Okafor checking when he is at the 4 anyways. On the perimeter though Charlotte has a slight advantage with a solid rotation of Jason Richardson, Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton, Milwaukee will have their hands full on the outside. Look for Gerald Wallace to give Micheal Redd absolute fits. Picking Charlotte to win a close one.
Player to watch: Jason Richardson-You know Jason Richardson wants to make a big splash coming in as Michael Jordon's newst go-to scorer. Bobby Simmons or Micheal Redd will be guarding him, probably Redd, because Simmons will need to put a body on Gerald Wallace. 

Dallas at Atlanta 7:30pm
I would love to talk about how Atlanta's promising young core is starting to come of age and that their versitality should give Dallas problems, but I would be lying. DId anyone watch the Dallas game against Cleveland? This is not just Dirk Nowitzki and pieces playing, this is a balanced, tempered attack. DeSagana Diop and Devin Harris have been added to the starting lineup, with a perfectly content Jason Terry (no, seriously, he's cool with it) providing the insta-offense off of the bench. This looks like a good team, and if the way they executed against the Lebron Jameses on Wednesday is any indication, they are absolutely going to roll over Atlanta, no matter how high Josh Smith can jump.
Player(s) to watch: Acie Law IV, Anthony Johnson, Speedy Claxton, and the rest of the Hawks' bullpen of pgs- This is maybe the most obvious positional weakness in all of pro basketball. The Atlanta point is a mystery in an enigma in a riddle wrapped in crappy front office decisions. The front office did the right thing this June passing on Mike Conely Jr. and taking Horford, then taking Acie Law. Lets see if they keep on doing the right thing and play Acie Law a little bit.

NY Knicks at Cleveland7:30pm
On matchups alone, it looks like Cleveland should win this one, and  I'm going to stick with that. You have to think that Lebron James on Quentin Richardson favors Cleveland more than Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph on Drew Gooden and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. New York still needs to really come together, and with Cleveland playing passionately due to an embarassing loss to Dallas on Wednesday night, look for Lebron to come up huge.
Player(s) to watch: Zach Randolph and David Lee- This is Z-bo's regular season debut with the Knicks, and he's the type of guy that wants to make a big impression. He likes to get his numbers, so I'd be surprised at anything less than 25 points and 12 rebounds, the thing to watch is how Zeke works in David Lee.

Torontoat New Jersey 7:30pm
This is the first matchup between teams within the Atlantic division, and it ought to be a good one. Both teams are coming off of wins, and both teams ought to pull all the stops, because a win within your division means just as much in November as it does in April. Toronto played very well against a seemingly inspired Philadelphia team, with TJ Ford and Anthony Parker being the only guys that played more than 30 minutes for the Raps. New Jersey just beat a very good Chicago team predictably riding the backs of Richard Jefferson, Vince Carter, and the immortal Jason Kidd. Lets see who wins, the team with the most All-Stars or the team with the best depth? My bet goes with Toronto, mostly because New Jersey never seems to be consistent until March. 
Player(s) to watch: Antoine Wright- Wright came up BIG in New Jersey's last game, going off for 21 points and 4-7 from the 3 against the Bulls i the overtime win. If Wright can find some consistency, New Jersey is going to look a lot smarter for letting Hassan Adams walk.

Portlandat New Orleans 8:00pm
Two young teams face off here, and actually it ought to be a good show. Some pretty good match-ups here, both teams have defensively talented centers, while Tyson Chandler may have the upper hand here, neither of the centers can really score much. The case is the exact opposite when you take a look at the power forward position, however. LaMarcus Aldridge seems to be the go to scorer for the Blazers this season, but David West can get his points also. Neither one plays spectacular defense. At the small forward position, Peja Stojakovic and Martell Webster are both perimeter oriented shooters that were good in their respective season openers. Brandon Roy and Morris Peterson are both talented scorers, obviously with Roy having the edge, however I’m expecting big things from Mo-Pete this season, and with CP3 at the point anything is possible. Speaking of the point, the point guards will decide this game. Chris Paul scored 22 points and gave out 12 assists and 8 rebounds against Sacramento on Wednesday. Now, Mike Bibby may not be known for his defense, but Jarret Jack is. If Jack can disrupt Chris Paul’s game the Blazers may have a shot, but at the end of the day, the Hornets are a playoff team, and the Blazers are not. Hornets to won.
Player to watch: LaMarcus Aldridge-Aldridge went off for 27 points against none other than Tim Duncan in the season opener, and you have to think if he can handle TD, he can handle David West. Watch the young guy eat.

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Denver at Minnesota, 8:00pm
Its the home debut of the new look Celtics..er..I mean Timberwolves, and I don’t think it will be a happy one. Don’t get me wrong, I have all the confidence in the world that Big Al Jefferson will be able to handle himself against the Denver front line (and yes, that does include Marcus Camby), but as far as the rest of the team is concerned, lets say I’m less than enthused. After Al Jefferson, I don’t think there is a player on the Timberwolves’ roster that can evenly match up with a Denver starter, and with Randy Foye going down look for Allen Iverson to just eat up Minnesota. Thankfully, none of us will be watching this much if at all. Nuggets win easy against Bassys poor defense.
Player to watch: Al Jefferson-Come on, why else would you tune out of the Celtics’ game other than to (painfully) see Big Al go to work in the paint. 

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Philadelphia at Chicago, 8:00pm
Both teams here are coming off of a loss here, and both lost to playoff teams from last season. On paper, Chicago should take this game easily, as while Chicago is one of the deepest teams in the east, Philadelphia seems to be one of the worst. However, Philadelphia played Toronto (also one of the deepest teams in the east) pretty tough last night, almost coming back for the win during a late rally in the fourth. Neither team wants to start the season out with an official losing streak, and Chicago should be able to pull this out, but Philadelphia is scrappy and I think the Kobe rumors are hitting a nerve for some of the Bulls. I expect Chicago to win, but I don’t feel good about it.
Player to watch: Luol Deng- Deng had a great game in the overtime loss to New Jersey, and this high talent, good character young star is the best thing going for this Chicago team. He went for 22 points 11 rebounds and 4 steals against New Jersey, he’ll be the main scoring option and also the guy defending Andre Igoudala, so a lot of the outcome of this game will be on his shoulders. 

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Sacramento at San Antonio 8:30pm
The Kings are coming off of a loss, the Spurs off of a win, and I imagine that trend will continue for the rest of the season; the Spurs will keep on winning, the Kings will keep on losing. The Spurs are operating very well, and Manu Ginobli is just on fire to open the season. Tim Duncan will be his usual dominating self, especially against the porous Kings’ frontline, and the Spurs will cruise.
Player to watch: Manu Ginobli- Manu has been sharp so far, driving, shooting, he’s been clutch, sealing the winning basket over Memphis, just good overall play.

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Golden St. at LA Clippers 10:30pm
Golden State is coming off of a tough loss against a very well executing Utah Jazz on Tuesday, expect them to make it right tonight. The only thing that seemed to be working for Golden State against the Jazz was Baron Davis, but expect them to get hot against the Clippers, as the Clippers’ main scoring threat is Cuttino Mobley. The high potent Nellie ball will absolutely eat up the Clippers, and watch for youngster Marco Belinelli, he’ll be on display tonight too.
Players to watch: Tim Thomas, Al Thornton and Ruben Patterson-With Elton Brand out indefinitely, the power forward position is an absolute mess. Hopefully they’ve figured out a rotation to stick to during the preseason, but I have my doubts.

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LA Lakers at Phoenix 10:30pm
The late game most of us will be watching ought to be another all-out Kobe show. With Lamar Odom still out, Kobe Bryant will once against be forced to perform superhuman acts of basketball just to keep it close with the Suns. The Suns stumbled a little bit against the Sonics last night, and I don’t expect that Mike D’Antoni will let that pass unnoticed. Look for the Steve Nash show to come out fast, sharp and confidenet. I expect despite Kobe’s best efforts this one won’t be all that close.
Players to watch: Steve Nash- Despite getting the win on Thursday, Steve Nash still had 7 turnovers and shot less than 50% from the field. Look for him to play with a little more passion than he brought with him to the supersonics, and expect a high octane running show from the lil guy out of Canada.

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Well that is all for tonight, folks. Big night tonight, and most of you probably won't be watching anything else but the home debut of the new Boston Celtics, I know I won't. However, try to click back and forth between the games, Big Al is making his debut. Be sure to check out the Game(s) Thread for any and all thoughts/comments you'd like to share.

 

Well, from 8pm until the last second ticks away, I know what I will be watching. I hope the rest of you do too (hint, its the Celtics). But, there is some really decent action otherwise also going on tonight. Lots of early out of market games in the 7pm slot, and the Lakers-Phoenix game late should be another Kobe show (you know, if thats the type of thing you're into). Personally, its a shame that we'll all have to miss the debut of Big Al and the mini-Celts, but from what I understand, they'll be playing 81 more games so I'm sure we'll catch up.
On to the games.

Games Thread

(All times EASTERN standard)

Miami at Indiana 7:00pm (League Pass Only)
In Miami's second game, expect to see them tested once again on the wings, with the rotation of Jamal Tinsley, Mike Dunleavy, Marquis Daniels (he looks good again) and Danny Granger. In Obie's system these guys are just chucking shots up there from deep, but the problem is that they're making them. However, the real wildcard will be up front, with Jermaine O'Neal supposedly healthy again, Indiana will possibly have a much more balanced attack than the primarily perimeter oriented offense we've seen so far. This also means that Indiana will be better defensively. Personally I don't think Shaquille O'neal or JO will be ready to give 30 quality minutes, so look for an unlikely hero in the paint from the second unit to put up big numbers on the boards and points (dare I say BLoUNT?). I hate to say it, but the Pacers looked good against Washington, with Miami still adjusting to Ricky Davis being the number 1 scoring option, I don't think they're be able to deal with a more organized Indy unit.
Player(s) to watch: Danny Granger and Jermaine O'neal-Granger had 20 points against Washinton on Wednesday, 15 of those 20 points came from outside the three point line. Also watch for Jermaine O'neal's return. Chances are he's going to be limited in playing time but watch to see how often his feet leave the ground for blocks and boards, it will be a good indicator of how far along his knees are.

Detroit at Orlando 7:00pm
The pistons looked sharp against the Heat, and Orlando looked pretty sharp against the Bucks. Dwight Howard didn't show off that shiney new jumper he supposedly has, but he did block 7 shots. Seriously, 7. No one player on the Pistons' roster is better than Rashard Lewis or Dwight Howard, but those two guys won't be enough to save Orlando. The Pistons looked really good against to Heat, and Tayshaun Prince looked especially on his game. Look for the Pistons to continue the trend and to show Orlando that chemistry is not just a class you take in high school (or college for me, twice.)
Player to watch: Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis- Dwight Howard is just a joy to watch, nobody makes grabbing a rebound or swatting a shot out of the air look any better than Dwight, also watch Reshard Lewis once again strive to show the world why he recieved over 100 million dollars this summer. 

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Milwaukee at Charlotte7:00pm
Milwaukee didn't look too pretty against Orlando on Tuesday, but they have a good chance to rebound tonight. Besides Emeka Okafor (who is nothing to be taken lightly), Charlotte doesn't have the same clout down low that Milwaukee has. With Sean May injured for the year, at the PF spot Charlotte will rotate Okafor, Jemareo Davidson (10-15 mins), Walter Hermann (18-25 mins), and maybe even BC product Jared Dudley. The issue is that whenever Okafor is not at the 4 Charlotte will be at a size disadvantage. Milwaukee's rotation of Yi Jianlian and Charlie Villanueva (nearly 45 mins combined at the 4 on Tuesday) will provide a lot of issues for the Charlotte frontcourt, and Andrew Bogut is dangerous enough to always keep Okafor checking when he is at the 4 anyways. On the perimeter though Charlotte has a slight advantage with a solid rotation of Jason Richardson, Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton, Milwaukee will have their hands full on the outside. Look for Gerald Wallace to give Micheal Redd absolute fits. Picking Charlotte to win a close one.
Player to watch: Jason Richardson-You know Jason Richardson wants to make a big splash coming in as Michael Jordon's newst go-to scorer. Bobby Simmons or Micheal Redd will be guarding him, probably Redd, because Simmons will need to put a body on Gerald Wallace. 

Dallas at Atlanta 7:30pm
I would love to talk about how Atlanta's promising young core is starting to come of age and that their versitality should give Dallas problems, but I would be lying. DId anyone watch the Dallas game against Cleveland? This is not just Dirk Nowitzki and pieces playing, this is a balanced, tempered attack. DeSagana Diop and Devin Harris have been added to the starting lineup, with a perfectly content Jason Terry (no, seriously, he's cool with it) providing the insta-offense off of the bench. This looks like a good team, and if the way they executed against the Lebron Jameses on Wednesday is any indication, they are absolutely going to roll over Atlanta, no matter how high Josh Smith can jump.
Player(s) to watch: Acie Law IV, Anthony Johnson, Speedy Claxton, and the rest of the Hawks' bullpen of pgs- This is maybe the most obvious positional weakness in all of pro basketball. The Atlanta point is a mystery in an enigma in a riddle wrapped in crappy front office decisions. The front office did the right thing this June passing on Mike Conely Jr. and taking Horford, then taking Acie Law. Lets see if they keep on doing the right thing and play Acie Law a little bit.

NY Knicks at Cleveland7:30pm
On matchups alone, it looks like Cleveland should win this one, and  I'm going to stick with that. You have to think that Lebron James on Quentin Richardson favors Cleveland more than Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph on Drew Gooden and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. New York still needs to really come together, and with Cleveland playing passionately due to an embarassing loss to Dallas on Wednesday night, look for Lebron to come up huge.
Player(s) to watch: Zach Randolph and David Lee- This is Z-bo's regular season debut with the Knicks, and he's the type of guy that wants to make a big impression. He likes to get his numbers, so I'd be surprised at anything less than 25 points and 12 rebounds, the thing to watch is how Zeke works in David Lee.

Torontoat New Jersey 7:30pm
This is the first matchup between teams within the Atlantic division, and it ought to be a good one. Both teams are coming off of wins, and both teams ought to pull all the stops, because a win within your division means just as much in November as it does in April. Toronto played very well against a seemingly inspired Philadelphia team, with TJ Ford and Anthony Parker being the only guys that played more than 30 minutes for the Raps. New Jersey just beat a very good Chicago team predictably riding the backs of Richard Jefferson, Vince Carter, and the immortal Jason Kidd. Lets see who wins, the team with the most All-Stars or the team with the best depth? My bet goes with Toronto, mostly because New Jersey never seems to be consistent until March. 
Player(s) to watch: Antoine Wright- Wright came up BIG in New Jersey's last game, going off for 21 points and 4-7 from the 3 against the Bulls i the overtime win. If Wright can find some consistency, New Jersey is going to look a lot smarter for letting Hassan Adams walk.

Portlandat New Orleans 8:00pm
Two young teams face off here, and actually it ought to be a good show. Some pretty good match-ups here, both teams have defensively talented centers, while Tyson Chandler may have the upper hand here, neither of the centers can really score much. The case is the exact opposite when you take a look at the power forward position, however. LaMarcus Aldridge seems to be the go to scorer for the Blazers this season, but David West can get his points also. Neither one plays spectacular defense. At the small forward position, Peja Stojakovic and Martell Webster are both perimeter oriented shooters that were good in their respective season openers. Brandon Roy and Morris Peterson are both talented scorers, obviously with Roy having the edge, however I’m expecting big things from Mo-Pete this season, and with CP3 at the point anything is possible. Speaking of the point, the point guards will decide this game. Chris Paul scored 22 points and gave out 12 assists and 8 rebounds against Sacramento on Wednesday. Now, Mike Bibby may not be known for his defense, but Jarret Jack is. If Jack can disrupt Chris Paul’s game the Blazers may have a shot, but at the end of the day, the Hornets are a playoff team, and the Blazers are not. Hornets to won.
Player to watch: LaMarcus Aldridge-Aldridge went off for 27 points against none other than Tim Duncan in the season opener, and you have to think if he can handle TD, he can handle David West. Watch the young guy eat.

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Denver at Minnesota, 8:00pm
Its the home debut of the new look Celtics..er..I mean Timberwolves, and I don’t think it will be a happy one. Don’t get me wrong, I have all the confidence in the world that Big Al Jefferson will be able to handle himself against the Denver front line (and yes, that does include Marcus Camby), but as far as the rest of the team is concerned, lets say I’m less than enthused. After Al Jefferson, I don’t think there is a player on the Timberwolves’ roster that can evenly match up with a Denver starter, and with Randy Foye going down look for Allen Iverson to just eat up Minnesota. Thankfully, none of us will be watching this much if at all. Nuggets win easy against Bassys poor defense.
Player to watch: Al Jefferson-Come on, why else would you tune out of the Celtics’ game other than to (painfully) see Big Al go to work in the paint. 

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Philadelphia at Chicago, 8:00pm
Both teams here are coming off of a loss here, and both lost to playoff teams from last season. On paper, Chicago should take this game easily, as while Chicago is one of the deepest teams in the east, Philadelphia seems to be one of the worst. However, Philadelphia played Toronto (also one of the deepest teams in the east) pretty tough last night, almost coming back for the win during a late rally in the fourth. Neither team wants to start the season out with an official losing streak, and Chicago should be able to pull this out, but Philadelphia is scrappy and I think the Kobe rumors are hitting a nerve for some of the Bulls. I expect Chicago to win, but I don’t feel good about it.
Player to watch: Luol Deng- Deng had a great game in the overtime loss to New Jersey, and this high talent, good character young star is the best thing going for this Chicago team. He went for 22 points 11 rebounds and 4 steals against New Jersey, he’ll be the main scoring option and also the guy defending Andre Igoudala, so a lot of the outcome of this game will be on his shoulders. 

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Sacramento at San Antonio 8:30pm
The Kings are coming off of a loss, the Spurs off of a win, and I imagine that trend will continue for the rest of the season; the Spurs will keep on winning, the Kings will keep on losing. The Spurs are operating very well, and Manu Ginobli is just on fire to open the season. Tim Duncan will be his usual dominating self, especially against the porous Kings’ frontline, and the Spurs will cruise.
Player to watch: Manu Ginobli- Manu has been sharp so far, driving, shooting, he’s been clutch, sealing the winning basket over Memphis, just good overall play.

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Golden St. at LA Clippers 10:30pm
Golden State is coming off of a tough loss against a very well executing Utah Jazz on Tuesday, expect them to make it right tonight. The only thing that seemed to be working for Golden State against the Jazz was Baron Davis, but expect them to get hot against the Clippers, as the Clippers’ main scoring threat is Cuttino Mobley. The high potent Nellie ball will absolutely eat up the Clippers, and watch for youngster Marco Belinelli, he’ll be on display tonight too.
Players to watch: Tim Thomas, Al Thornton and Ruben Patterson-With Elton Brand out indefinitely, the power forward position is an absolute mess. Hopefully they’ve figured out a rotation to stick to during the preseason, but I have my doubts.

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LA Lakers at Phoenix 10:30pm
The late game most of us will be watching ought to be another all-out Kobe show. With Lamar Odom still out, Kobe Bryant will once against be forced to perform superhuman acts of basketball just to keep it close with the Suns. The Suns stumbled a little bit against the Sonics last night, and I don’t expect that Mike D’Antoni will let that pass unnoticed. Look for the Steve Nash show to come out fast, sharp and confidenet. I expect despite Kobe’s best efforts this one won’t be all that close.
Players to watch: Steve Nash- Despite getting the win on Thursday, Steve Nash still had 7 turnovers and shot less than 50% from the field. Look for him to play with a little more passion than he brought with him to the supersonics, and expect a high octane running show from the lil guy out of Canada.

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Well that is all for tonight, folks. Big night tonight, and most of you probably won't be watching anything else but the home debut of the new Boston Celtics, I know I won't. However, try to click back and forth between the games, Big Al is making his debut. Be sure to check out the Game(s) Thread for any and all thoughts/comments you'd like to share.

 

So, NBA League Pass is still free, is everyone taking complete advantage of it? Personally its my first experience with League Pass, and I don’t know that I’ve missed a game yet! Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth and take advantage of tonight’s free action. Scout opponents, check on your fantasy squad, diversify your bonds! On to the games:

(All times Eastern. The Left Coast ain’t the best coast, kids.)

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Detroit at Miami, 8pm (On TNT)

Game between two supposed powers in the east, and I say supposed because personally I think the both teams are running a pretty impressive tab with father time. This game will also give you a good look at Ricky Davis playing for South Beach for the first time, as well as our old friend skippy Blount. Look for a much more prepared Detroit team to execute better (Chemistry matters.) and come out with the win. Also the over/under on Shaquille O'Neal weight is 370, what’s your bet?

Players to watch: See how former C's Ricky Davis and Mark Blount are worked into the rotation. Davis should see time early and late, and well in the middle too because he's their only real wing scoring option with D-Wade still out. Blount, could see some serious time too, however. Shaq can't be in shape yet, Alonzo Mourning just decided (for ceral) to come back for one more year, and Earl Barron, despite offering promise in prior years, can't seem to break the rotation.  

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Houston at Utah, 9:00pm (KJZZ, or League Pass if you don’t live in Utah)

Both teams coming off of wins against 2 of last season’s playoff teams come together for an early rematch of last seasons 7 game 1^st round playoff series. You have to think Houston is thinking must win, statement game, because dropping a 2-0 lead then falling in 7 must still be very present in Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming’s minds. Utah however looked very strong against Golden State on Tuesday, while the Rockets barely escaped with a win against Kobe Bryant the same evening. Based on Deron Williams’ stellar play on last game the Jazz seem to be already flying out the gate, while the Rockets newest additions haven’t quite seemed to mesh yet (Luis Scola often looked lost or frustrated), so look for Utah to start its first win streak of the season.

Player to watch: Luis Scola. He seems to be a huge cog in Houston’s plans, especially after the surprising release of PF/C Jackie Butler at the end of the preseason. Houston taking the next step forward depends a lot on when Scola figures out the NBA game. 

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Phoenix at Seattle, 10:30pm (On TNT)

Defense may as well become a dirty word come the late game on Thursday. Rookie Kevin Durant’s debut last night wasn’t exactly other-worldly, but it sure wasn’t bad either. He started slow but eventually he picked it up showing a little bit of why he deserved so much hype. However, he’ll have more issue scoring against a more than capable Shawn Marion than he did with offensively minded Carmelo Anthony and a lesser skilled Linus Kleiza. This, coupled with the number of shots Durant takes (and Carlesimo seems more than eager to allow) pretty much guarantees Seattle’s fortunes will buoy up and down with the promising rookie’s performance. The water in Seattle will be low tonight.

Player to watch: See how Grant Hill’s addition affects the Phoenix offensive juggernaut. Also, watch to see where Hill plays, as he can play both the 2 or the 3 guard. If he plays the 3 however, he'll be forced to guard Kevin Durant, which would work in Seattle's favor. Wherever he plays however, I’m going to bet that after the first quarter we’ll have forgotten that this is his first season in Arizona.

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Well that’s the preview for tonight, forgive me if it’s a little clunky, beginner’s syndrome. Check out the games and share your random thoughts in the 11/1 Game Thread. Link here.

Happy November!