Around the Association

Hoops fans gather round the computer. It's time to travel around the association:

---Wow. The Lakers only played with effort for one quarter against the Jazz on Wednesday night, and they still got a blowout victory. As much as it pains me, there is no denying it: Phil Jackson's team is unstoppable right now.

---Still, isn't it about time the Lakers start playing on the road? Kobe and company have only played four road games thus far.

---I will be in attendance at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on December 29th when my Warriors take on the Lakers, and I will be all decked out in my Warriors gear. I fear a blowout loss, but I desperately hope that we can stun the Purple and Gold. Go Warriors! Beat L.A.!

---Remember when Brandon Jennings was the runaway favorite for rookie of the year? That seems like ancient history now, as the Bucks guard has cooled off recently. Now the favorite for rookie of the year is Sacramento point guard Tyreke Evans. Evans' inspired play and steady leadership have made the Kings a pleasant early-season surprise in the West.

---Another rookie to watch: Utah's Wesley Matthews. The Jazz signed Matthews as an undrafted free agent, and he has proven to be a key contributor for Jerry Sloan's team.

---Magic coach Stan Van Gundy is denying the rumors that there is any tension between he and Rashard Lewis. While the rumors may very well be entirely false, they do pose some cause for concern for Magic fans. As evidenced by his clash with Marcin Gortat last season, Stan Van Gundy's boisterous, outspoken coaching style doesn't sit well with some players.

---My goodness, the Cavs looked awful this week. They rebounded with a home win over Portland on Friday night, but LeBron and company looked inexcusably sluggish in losses to the Grizzlies and Rockets. Maybe they were too busy taking dance lessons from LeBron.

---I don't mean to spoil Allen Iverson's honeymoon return to the Sixers, but the recent play of the Memphis Grizzlies show why A.I. can be poison to a locker room. With all the distractions that The Answer brought to Memphis, the Grizzlies were one of the worst teams in the league. Now that A.I. has departed, Lionel Hollins' team is playing with a newfound sense of freedom, and they are showing significant signs of improvement.

---A sign of the weakness of the Eastern Conference: If the season ended today, the Charlotte Bobcats would be in the playoffs. That's right, the same Bobcats team who struggles to put up 80 points, the same Bobcats team that relies entirely on Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson-----those same Bobcats would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. They would meet the Celtics in what would be the most lopsided playoff series in NBA history.

---Speaking of the Celtics, congratulations to Ray Allen for becoming a part of an exclusive list of players that have scored 2,000 career points. Allen, one of the best shooters the league has ever seen, is a consummate professional and a class act, and he deserves the respect and admiration of every basketball fan.

---Blazers G.M. Kevin Pritchard continues to publicly voice support, confidence, and optimism regarding Greg Oden, but that is simply a disguise. Deep down, Pritchard has to harbor deep-seated disappointment regarding Oden's failure in the NBA.

---I'll end with some words of advice for Dirk Nowitzki, who sported a headband in Tuesday's game against the Suns: Never repeat that look. Spare our eyes of that fashion faux pas.