early season love in the NBA

I bought NBA 2K13 on presale this year. I love it. I’m also in a fantasy basketball league for the first time, pretty much winging it. I recently just moved from New Jersey, where along with hearing about the Knicks constantly I became a big Nets fan even before they upgraded their team. These three factors have made me more interested in the NBA now probably than ever before.

I think there is more talent in the league than ever before. And while there are still some superteams, many teams are really solid. And after watching a couple great games the last couple nights (Nets-Celtics and Knicks-Grizzlies), I’ve never been more excited about basketball in mid-November.

The season is really early I know, but the best team in the league could be the Memphis Grizzlies. Sheesh, that sounds weird to say. Who?? I’ve pored through tons of statistics and the Grizzlies don’t stand near the top of any other than wins and points differential (like those matter at all). But this team is as fundamentally solid as there is in the NBA. And they are constantly improving. And the other thing I love about Memphis is that nobody talks about them and they couldn't care less.

When you assemble a hypothetical great team what do you want: a smart and skilled, thick center with a strong post game and soft touch who can hit the mid-range shot, is an exceptional passer, and gets to the foul line at will; a big, strong power forward who gives you 20 points and 10 rebounds every game (more like 14 rebounds); a smart playmaker point guard; an elite lock-down defender; and an acrobatic small forward averaging 20 points a game who does everything well. Marc Gasol has become one of the best centers in the league, perhaps second only to a healthy Dwight Howard. Zach Randolph continues to be a magnet rebounder, and those two are just too much size for smaller, “finesse” teams.

The Grizzlies are 7-1. In the last week they beat the mighty Heat by 18 points, Thunder in OKC by 10 points, and then knocked off the 6-0 Knicks by 10 points. Tough to have a better week than that. They finish it off with a game tonight against the Bobcats that should bring them to 8-1.

Yes, they caught the Knicks at a bad time; second night in a row on the road against two great teams. But watching the game, it was such a bad matchup for the Knicks that it probably doesn’t matter. Gasol put Chandler, Carmelo, and Rasheed Wallace in foul trouble and went 12-13 from the line. Randolph had like 5 offensive rebounds in the first quarter. There were a lot of fouls and most went the Grizzlies’ way. But it wasn’t just the whistles; the Knicks completely unraveled. Most of the calls were legit but the Knicks are too emotionally volatile that it got out of hand in a hurry. And that’s what bothers me and has always bothered me about the New York Knicks. And Memphis sure took advantage of it Friday night.

With the Grizzlies, Knicks, Heat, Lakers, Nets, Thunder, Celtics, Spurs and Clippers locked and loaded, with the 76ers, Bulls, Pacers, Mavericks and Timberwolves hopefully getting healthy as the season goes along, this is a great year to be an NBA fan. Look out for those bears.