NBA 2010-2011 Season

The hype is over... rated! It's time for the grit and grind. Lebron James of the new big three scored 31 points, but the other 2/3 combined for only 21 points in their first game of the NBA 2010-2011 season losing to the Boston Celtics' original big three 88-80.

Dwayne Wade on their dismal first game, said, “This is one of 82. Sorry if everyone thought we were going to go 82 and 0. It just ain’t happening.”

Celtics coach Doc Rivers also is convinced the Heat will progress into a championship contender and offered some encouraging words: “They’re going to be great,” he said.

When that happens for the new Miami Heat, we'll find out in the next 81 games of the NBA 2010-2011.

For now, the Boston Celtics are still the team to beat in the Eastern Conference and the Los Angeles Lakers are still the NBA champs. Kobe and Pau combined for 56 points as Lakers cap ring night with win over Rockets 112-110.

Nicolas Batum made three 3-pointers down the stretch in their own game opener against the Phoenix Suns. Batum also had 11 rebounds to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 106-92 victory.

The games can be watched on NBA.com for free.

The NBA finally announced Tuesday the marquee basketball games in the 2010-2011 NBA season. The NBA is banking on three of the hottest teams in the NBA today and the return of one of the NBA's marquee centers to kick off the 2010-2011 NBA season on October 26, 2010.

For the first nationally-televised basketball game in the NBA season 2010-2011, its Big Three against Big Three. Then versus now. Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Lebron James and the newly revamped Miami Heat goes up against the 2010 NBA finals runner-up lineup of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo and the proven Boston Celtics.

There's still some bad blood left over from these two teams and Lebron James still hates the Celtics for being his nemesis in his Cavaliers years, so this Heat Vs. Celtics match-up is going to be one heck of a first basketball game in the NBA 2010-2011 season.



The second NBA season 2010-2011 game will feature the 2010 NBA finals champions Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Ron Artest and the rest of tinseltown's Los Angeles Lakers versus the Houston Rockets and the returning Wall of China, Yao Ming, in his first NBA game back from a foot injury since the 2009 playoffs.

It's finally here. The summer of shock is over. The preseason of patience is done. In just a couple of hours, the Miami Heat begins its most anticipated season in franchise history. It starts with a road game befitting of such a circus this grand experiment has already become. The Heat begins the NBA 2010-2011 regular season at 7:30 p.m. against the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics on their home turf.

"It seems like it's taken forever to get here -- I know that,'' said Heat forward Udonis Haslem, who, along with guard Dwyane Wade, was named a team captain on Monday. ``And it's not a coincidence we're starting off against Boston. Don't let anyone tell you it is. There's a reason we're starting off against Boston at Boston. There's a lot of hype built up around it.''

The story line is obvious. Boston is the Eastern Conference's reigning champ and Miami, with its roster built for greatness, is the weight class' top challenger. It's only October, but Tuesday's environment will surely feel like late May. TD Garden will be a violent sea of Celtic green. Heat forward LeBron James, the player everyone outside of South Florida now loves to hate, will be welcomed to Boston accordingly.

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The lights will dim and music will blare. Another banner will rise to the Staples Center rafters and the giant video screens will fall from the scoreboard to the floor to bring reminders of the Lakers' run that won the new championship rings handed out minutes earlier.

The Rockets will be there, invited to attend, but not to join in, like seat fillers at one of those Hollywood award ceremonies across the street.

The Rockets will have their own goals, their own season to open tonight against the Lakers, complete with their own reason to celebrate with the return of Yao Ming.

"There will be a lot of attention," forward Luis Scola said. "They will receive their rings, and everything. We don't have to think about that. It's just one game. Just focus in.

"It could be fun, but we got to win."

They have before. The Rockets opened the 2008-09 season with a win in Los Angeles against the Lakers. They opened their playoff series against the Lakers with another win in Staples Center.

They'll be reminded tonight about everything that has happened since, but also of how much they want to start over.

"We opened out there two years ago and it was just a great atmosphere," said Battier, who clinched the season-opening win with a corner 3. "We were able to sneak one by them and escape with a win. I'm hoping to do the same thing.

"They can have all the fanfare and all the rings they want. We just want one little win and we'll leave."

Boston Celtics
Less than five months after losing to arch-rival Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, the Celtics and coach Doc Rivers worked extra hard during the off-season to get better. And get better they surely did with the acquisition of Shaquille O’ Neal (from Cleveland) and Jermaine O ’Neal ( Miami).

With the original ‘Big Three’ of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen back, the Celtics have another legitimate shot at a record 18th NBA title. Age remains the only question mark for the Celtics, but Rivers proved it’s not a huge concern w ith the way he ran the team last season.

Toronto Raptors
With Chris Bosh and Hedo Turkoglu no longer around, expect the Raptors to try to make the most out of what’s left to its otherwise strong line-up. Even with Leandro Barbosa joining the team, the team will find it hard to compete as a rebuilding team. In fact, it could take many years to get the franchise back to respectability.

New York Knicks
With Amare Stoudemire and Raymond Felton, the Knicks have suddenly become a title contender again with coach Mike D’ Antoni at the helm. The only significant losses are David Lee and Cris Duhon, but Stoudemire and Danilo Gallineri could easily make up with huge numbers day in and day out.

Philadelphia 76ers
Forget about four-time scoring champion Allen Iverson, who decided to pack his bags and play in Italy, but the 76ers will find life difficult against the much-improved teams in the East. Coach Doug Collins will depend a lot on Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand and rookie Evan Turner but little is expected from a team which finished with a 27-55 record last season.

New Jersey Nets
Coach Avery Johnson’s Nets hope to contend for one of the bottom-place playoff spots in the East with rookie Derrick Favors and newcomers Troy Murphy and Jordan Farmar in the line-up. But Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov should be happy to see an improvement from a 12-70 season.

Predicted order of finish: Celtics, Knicks, 76ers, Nets, Raptors.




Cleveland Cavaliers
From a league-best 61-21 season with MVP LeBron James around, the Cavs will be happy enough to finish at .500 and make the postseason with a line-up led by Antawn Jamison, Mo Williams, Anderson Varejao and newcomer Ramon Sessions. But it will be tough, very tough. In any case, a 6-1 pre-season record is a good start for the rebuilding franchise.

Milwaukee Bucks
The addition of veteran swingman Corey Magette should make the Bucks a sure-fire playoff team. Brandon Jennings, John Salmons and Andrew Bogut remain as the team’s go-to-guys, but Bucks coach Scott Skilles has a great supporting cast at his disposal.

Chicago Bulls
A 41-41 season should provide enough motivation for the Bulls to improve this season. And despite the hand injury to All-Star Carlos Boozer, the Bulls are expected to hold their own against the ‘Beasts of the East’ with a line-up backstopped by Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson.

Indiana Pacers
Even with Danny Granger playing his usual best, the Pacers know they have to do a lot to finally end a four-year playoff drought. Coach Jim O’Brien admits the team can only contend for the bottom-place playoff spots in the crowded East but to do it, they have to get the most from the defense-oriented line-up.

Detroit Pistons
With the entry of Tracy McGrady and rookie Greg Monroe, the Pistons hope do better that their forgettable 27-55 record last year. The 31-year-old McGrady, who averaged 21.5 poiints in 14 injury-plagued years, is hoping to prove skeptics wrong. And Ben Godon, who missed 20 games last season, and Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton must stay healthy to come up with big numbers for Detroit to finally shed that underdog image.

Predicted order of finish: Bulls, Bucks, Pistons, Pacers, Cavaliers.




Orlando Magic
Despite failing to make the East finals last season, the Magic should be more than happy to have one of the deepest and most talented teams, led by Dwight Howard, Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis. Coach Stan van Gundy knows the Magic have learned their lessons well from last season’s disappointments and should be able to put things in proper perspective in order to regain their high billing.

Atlanta Hawks
A team still on the rise, the Hawks will improve their last season’s 53-29 record with a line-up one year better. But to contend for the East’s top prize? Even Hawks coach Larry Drew admits the road only gets tougher with all the makeovers done in Boston and Miami. Still, a line-up that counts on Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Mike Bibby and Marvin Williams can’t be totally overlooked.

Miami Heat
With certified superstars LeBron James and Chris Bosh joining Dwyane Wade in Miami uniform following a couple of blockbuster off-season trades, the Heat surely have what it takes to dominate -- and win -- the title this season.

James, the league’s most prolific player last season, and Wade, if he stays healthy, can form a devastating 1-2 punch who could present nightmares to rival teams all the way to the finals. Add to the mix a true All-Star center in Bosh and a supporting cast that include Jerry Stackhouse, ‘Z’ Ilgauskas and Eddie House and Miami coach Erik Spoelstra is now the envy of every NBA coach. (Except, perhaps, LA Lakers coach Phil Jackson).

Charlotte Bobcats
If majority owner Michael Jordan will have his way, the Bobcats should be one of the top teams in the East this season. But even in the ultra-tough Southeast Division, that could be mere wishful thinking even for the greatest player to ever play the game. Stephen Jackson, Boris Diaw and Gerald Wallace would have good nights, but these won’t be nearly enough.

Washington Wizards
The entry of top rookie John Wall and the return of veteran Gilbert Arenas inject fresh for the long-suffering Wizards to finally make the playoffs. But that is easier said than done in the vastly-improved East. Wall and Arenas can provide the spark on any given night, but the Wizards still lack the tools to keep pace with the Celtics, the Heat, the Magic and even the Bulls in the chase for the best record in the East.

Predicted order of finish: Heat, Magic, Hawks, Wizards, Bobcats.

Kevin Durant led the charge with 22 points in Team USA's second game in the FIBA 2010 World Championship and beat Slovenia 99-77.

Go-to-guy Kevin Durant came through with baskets whenever Team USa needed them and Kevin Love was a force to reckon in the paint adding 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Rudy Gay also had 16 points for Team USA while Russel Westbrook and Andre Igoudala each hall 11.

Team Croatia had nothing going for them against the strong defense and potent perimeter offense of Team USA at the Abdi Ipekci Arena.

Team USA routed Croatia by 28 points 106-78 in their first game of the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

The game was close in the first quarter, but Team USa clamped down defensively on Croatia in the second quarter then poured on the points with multiple fastbreaks and hot shooting from the perimeter.

Perhaps brought about by a bit of jealousy over his friends Lebron James and Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony also wants to leave Denver Nuggets for a better shot at the NBA Finals trophy. Carmelo Anthony's agents furnished the Nuggets front office with a short list of teams that Anthony would like to be traded to.

No amount of marketing, gimmick or pep talk could change Carmelo Anthony's mind from wanting out. Anthony wants to leave Denver and get his three-year, $65 million contract extension now. This partnership is rounding third and rapidly reaching disrepair. Denver is willing to trade Anthony, J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin, and start over again, sources said.

Shaquille O'neal just launched the second season of his reality show Shaq Vs. where he took on Dale Earnhardt Jr. in a NASCAR race.

The Boston Celtics WILL launch Shaq in an extended season in the NBA. Watch out folks! If the Celtics have brought Shaq to Boston, they feature an old, but pretty much formidable starting and second unit front line. With Shaq going green, alongside him in the Boston Celtics' front line would be Kevin Garnett, Jarmaine O'neil, Kendrick Perkins (when he comes back from injury), and Glen Davis.

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