Now It’s Time to Finally Get Back to Games

Let’s see, Ron Artest went into the crowd and then there was that thing between Kobe Bryant and Karl Malone and, of course, it took a month to get ready for the Christmas Day game.

Nevertheless, I have a nagging feeling there’s something I haven’t covered....

Well, there is the 2004-05 season. For you die-hards who follow basketball, here’s how everyone is doing:

1. SAN ANTONIO -- After bagging Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, R.C. Buford, the game’s most underrated general manager got another gem, Beno Udrih. With their Foreign Legion backcourt, Devin Brown and Brent Barry, they can score now too.

2. PHOENIX -- Mike D’Antoni is the first coach to go small, athletic and exciting and turn it around, so root for this to work. Everyone thought Steve Nash would take them from 29 wins to maybe 35 or 40, but they’re on pace for 72. Amare Stoudemire has taken it to another level.

3. MIAMI -- Dwyane Wade isn’t as good as Bryant but he’s more efficient, he’s not hung up and he’s perfect for Shaquille O’Neal. They were 5-3 when Coach Stan Van Gundy put in three-point ace Damon Jones and moved Eddie Jones to forward, and 22-5 since. Shaq is finally healthy, has turned it up since Jan. 1 but can take his usual nap and they’d still win the East.

4. SEATTLE -- They don’t belong this high, but someone has to go here. Disaster loomed with Ray Allen and Coach Nate McMillan unsigned, but squat power forwards Danny Fortson and Reggie Evans took over inside so 6-10 Rashard Lewis and 6-10 Vladimir Radmanovic could stay outside. The old rule -- live by the three, die by the three -- is kicking in. They’re 6-5 since their 17-3 start.

5. SACRAMENTO -- Bobby Jackson’s out until the playoffs and their old depth is a memory. However, Chris Webber, all but written off after limping back last season, has learned how to play on the ground and is better than ever.

6. DALLAS -- Don Nelson’s Fun Bunch still gets 101 a game without Nash even if Mark Cuban is surprised to learn point guard is a problem. With still-improving Dirk Nowitzki, revived Jerry Stackhouse, Michael Finley, Jason Terry and Josh Howard, firepower isn’t.

7. CLEVELAND -- LeBron James, who just turned 20, is on MVP-consideration pace (25 points, 7.2 assists, 7.0 rebounds) and his head still looks as if it’s on straight. “Last year he couldn’t shoot,” says a coach. “Now he’s an unbelievable shooter. He must have really done a lot of work. If you had to choose one player, it would be him, just on total package, and second would be Wade.” The biggest stat is their record (20-9 after an 0-3 start) because after Jeff McInnis, Drew Gooden and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, there’s nothing else.

8. DETROIT -- They should be higher, but I don’t think Larry Brown is planning on settling in Michigan.

9. INDIANA -- They were the real deal until Artest lost it. On the bright side, Jamal Tinsley has become a real point guard and there’s always next season.

10. MINNESOTA -- Kevin Garnett’s leadership used to suffice, but Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell are pouting about contracts, Troy Hudson about playing time and they’re always upset that Wally Szczerbiak shoots so much. Coach Flip Saunders, highly rated by insiders, is taking heat, but this isn’t his fault.

11. WASHINGTON -- Another surprising wave in the offensive revolution. Antwan Jamison finally has the right situation, surrounded by good young players (Gilbert Arenas, Larry Hughes, Jarvis Hayes, Jared Jeffries.) Jamison, Arenas and Hughes are all averaging 20. The last time that happened was in 1988 when Dale Ellis, Xavier McDaniel and Tom Chambers did it in Seattle.

12. ORLANDO -- Johnny Davis continues the Doc Rivers tradition of not guarding anyone, but with Steve Francis, Grant Hill, Cuttino Mobley and Dwight Howard, the Magic scores 102 points a game. Francis now refers to himself in the third person by his new nickname “Steve-O,” and still won’t give up the ball. Howard looks to be a monster but it’s way early.

13. MEMPHIS -- Jerry West does it yet again. Mike Fratello is 13-7 since taking over as coach. With his minutes going up, Pao Gasol is averaging 20 points since Fratello’s arrival.

14. LAKERS -- Actually, I don’t remember people writing them off. This is where everyone picked them.

The more Bryant yearns to get them over the top, the more he keeps the ball and the harder he makes the game. The really bad news is, even if he gets it exactly right and Lamar Odom goes back to what he was last season, they’re not in the top four in the West. If the Timberwolves straighten themselves out or get Jason Kidd and the Kings get Jackson back, it’s not particularly close.

15. HOUSTON -- They were old, slow and thin before trading two players for David Wesley. Yao Ming isn’t the next Shaq, but he and Tracy McGrady are still good. Jeff Van Gundy knows what he’s doing, even if he’s so gloomy that you don’t trust him near sharp objects. Since starting 6-11, they’re 10-6.

16. PHILADELPHIA -- Another stunner: Allen Iverson’s assists and shooting percentage are at seven-year highs. Coach Jim O’Brien wised up, putting 7-0 Samuel Dalemebert back in, even if he doesn’t know what “rotate” means, and let Kenny Thomas out of the doghouse. With super-athlete Andre Igoudala and three-point ace Kyle Korver, they’re moving (9-5 after a 6-12 start.)

17. CLIPPERS -- This is remarkable since the only guards left from the opening-night roster are Rick Brunson and Quinton Ross. Two words: Michael Redd.

18. PORTLAND -- Shareef Abdur-Rahim learned to play with Zach Randolph, but Derek Anderson is shooting 41%, Damon Stoudamire 35% and Nick Van Exel 36%. Abdur-Rahim’s contract is expiring, making him attractive, and Van Exel is up in 2006, so they have moves.

19. DENVER -- Carmelo Anthony’s head is spinning like the little girl’s in “The Exorcist,” Andre Miller isn’t a fastbreak guard and losing shooter Voshon Lenard hurt. Jeff Bzdelik was doomed -- ask Anthony about that -- and Michael Cooper isn’t guaranteed anything. On the plus side, 6-10, 260-pound physical prodigy Nene may finally be happening.

20. NEW YORK -- Stephon Marbury has gone back to scoring and it is only the East. Before Jamal Crawford went out, he and Marbury were so clueless together, it was entertaining.

21. CHICAGO -- At 2-13, they were doing their war dance, getting ready to trade Eddy Curry and/or Tyson Chandler when they noticed they were playing pretty well. Ben Gordon is averaging 17 points, shooting 50% and 53% on three-point attempts since Thanksgiving. If they hadn’t traded Jalen Rose, they’d make the playoffs standing on their heads. They’ve just gone 11-5.

22. NEW JERSEY -- If this wasn’t such a lame-duck operation, you’d like Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson. The question is do they trade Kidd now, in the summer or persuade him to stay?

23. BOSTON -- Rivers is reining in Paul Pierce, no easy task after years of doing whatever he wanted. Rookies Al Jefferson and Tony Allen have promise but any future is a ways off.

24. UTAH -- Nice rebuilding program with Carlos Boozer averaging 20-10. Losing Andrei Kirilenko, who averaged an amazing 4.4 blocks, was devastating. Over two seasons they’re 50-42 with him, 3-21 without.

25. GOLDEN STATE -- The major issue is still management. New General Manager Chris Mullin has some promising players in search of a direction but needs a star. Former GM Garry St. Jean’s old nucleus of Jamison, Hughes and Arenas is happening in Washington.

26. CHARLOTTE -- Expectations were 10 to 15 wins but they’re on pace for 20 with Emeka Okafor averaging 17-11 since Thanksgiving. With four players signed beyond this season, Coach-General Manager Bernie Bickerstaff can wheel and deal.

27. MILWAUKEE -- This is what everyone expected last season. Can’t defend big guys and there are more in the East now. After Jermaine O’Neal hit them for 55 in 36 minutes, Reggie Miller said, “That was the easiest 55 I ever saw.”

28. TORONTO -- Had to move Carter, who’d quit, but despite what Branch Rickey said, you don’t always gain by subtraction.

29. NEW ORLEANS -- Everything that could go wrong did and with Jamal Mashburn gone and Baron Davis eyeing the door, that was a lot. They’re reconciled to moving Davis with General Manager Allan Bristow noting, “It’s our job to talk.”

30. ATLANTA -- Should change the name to Atlantis. They disappeared a few years back and haven’t been seen since. Now they have Al Harrington, Antoine Walker and his expiring contract, rookies Josh Childress and Josh Smith, and $25 million worth of cap room in summer.