- Norris Cole is to 2011-2012 Miami Heat what Rajon Rondo was to the 2007-2008 Celtics. Both are point guards who were picked later in the first round to support a team with a superstar at the shooting guard and both forward positions. Granted Rondo was not a rookie that year, as Cole is this year, but was largely considered an unknown. He had started 25 games for Boston the year before as a rookie, but wasn't very good or consistent (and neither was that team). Many people, especially in Boston, worried that Rondo would be the undoing of the newly formed Big Three of KG, Pierce, and Allen. He proved to be a very good starter, and now is the best player currently on the Celtics. Cole, who was the 28th pick out of Cleveland State in this year's draft, comes into a situation where he is not expected to be the starter (Mario Chalmers is), but as was proven tonight versus Boston, he will be getting big minutes. I don't think he's about to take over LeBron or DWade for the best player on the team anytime soon, but he will be a big factor in exactly how far this Miami Heat team goes this year, and into the future.
- Keyon Dooling has the worst shooting form of any professional basketball player I have ever seen. I want to vomit every time he shoots the ball. I will never understand how it ever goes in. Just ew.
- The Celtics are 0-2, but they will be just fine. Their two losses are by a combined 10 points versus two of the top 5 teams in the Eastern Conference (Knicks and Heat). And they are doing all of this without Paul Pierce, who has for years been their go-to guy in the clutch situations, and newly signed Mickael Pietrus, who will in all likelyhood be one of the Celtics' key reserves once his knee is healthy. You cannot expect Pierce's heel injury to nag him throughout the season, as it is only a bruise, however one must wonder about the continued health of Pietrus and KG's knees, and Jermaine O'Neal's everything. If they all stay healthy, this team will be as good as any in the east, and even without Pierce, they are still a competitive team.
- There is a direct correlation in the NBA between strong defensive centers and championships. Andrew Bynum and the 2009 and 2010 Lakers, Kendrick Perkins and the 2008 Celtics, Shaq and the 2006 Miami Heat and 2000, 2001, and 2002 Lakers. Even going back farther, Bill Russell and the 11 championship in 13 season Celtics of the late 50's-60's, and the 80's Lakers and Celtics with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Robert Parish. A defensive center can be the kryptonite of any great scorer in the league. This is why the Dallas Mavericks will not repeat as champions this year. Last year, with Tyson Chandler holding down the paint, they were dominant. They stopped teams on defense, because they had Chandler as the last line of defense before the basket. Without him, the Mavericks, although victims of a tough early season NBA schedule as well, are 0-2. Although the Mavericks will still be competitive, without their defensive star they will be more like the Mavericks of the 2000's then the Mavericks of 2011.
- Which brings me to my next point. DEANDRE JORDAN. Literally drooling everywhere. What he did in Lob City's first game of the year was fantastic. This Clippers team will get better as the season wears on, and the youth of the team combined with the growing chemistry will allow this team to be at its strongest come playoff time, but they will go as far as two players will take them. Player one is Chris Paul, because, as he has proven in the past and proved in the fourth quarter of the game versus Golden State, he can take over a game when he wants to. The other player? Not Blake Griffin, lest in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, he is a fantastic player. But what DeAndre Jordan showed in that first game is that he has the potential to change games with his defense. I mean 8 FREAKING BLOCKS?!?!?!?!?! I don't get 8 blocks in a game with a whole team in NBA 2K12. He is my (very) early upset pick to unseat Dwight Howard as defensive player of the year. Lookout Superman, there's a new superhero in town.
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