All Star Break

NBA All Star Weekend is here at last. Here are the 10 things I've learned about the NBA at this date

1. Los Angeles Clippers really tried to built a team around rookie PF Blake Griffin, But his season ended in pre-season due to a broken knee cap. Clippers were 3 games under .500 with a 18-21 before the news was official on January 19th Griffin was lost for the season. Reality set in as the Clippers are now 21-31 entering the break.
2. My favorite team the Dallas Mavericks aren't as bad as the sports experts thought they would be, even though the Denver Nuggets slaughtered them on Tuesday night by 36 points. Mavs record is 32-20
3. Oklahoma City Thunder...a surprise to many NBA fans, except me. Thunder had great draft picks around PF Kevin Durant and SF Jeff Green in final season as the Seattle SuperSonics in 2008, and drafting Russell Westbrook in first season in Oklahoma. Also adding veterans like Kurt Thomas and retaining Nick Collison after relocations has helped this team make strides. Thunder are dead last in scoring defense and youth could catch up with this team on the rise in the Western Conference with a 30-21 record.
4. Charlotte Bobcats have ever progressed in a Tampa Bay Rays pace, but this season seems to be the first playoff appearance in franchise history as the team finished 26-25 at the break. Bobcats need a young, and physical low post player to compliment SG Raymond Felton, SG Gerald Wallace and SF Stephen Jackson who was acquired from Golden State earlier in the season.
5. Toronto Raptors are likely to reach final playoff appearance with cornerstone PF Chris Bosh (assuming he leaves as an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season) with a 29-23 record. Acquiring Hidayet Turkoglu in 4-way trade in the summer was a wise move to give Jose Calderon open shots and double teams.
6. Boston Celtics are getting old, except for Rajon Rondo, he's three years younger than me. Celtics were swept by the rising Atlanta Hawks 4-0 and lost season series to the NBA Finals finalist the Orlando Magic 3-1. Ray Allen is not the reason why the Celtics are as old as Rip Van Winkle, they need a solid bench behing Rasheed Wallace and Eddie House.
7. New Jersey Nets as a cinderella team turned to NBA Finals contenders is not only over, but I don't think they'll make contenders again. The record is an appalling 4-48, this was a team that were playoff contenders as Lawrence Frank was the head coach, as the team reached consecutive NBA Finals as Byron Scott was the head coach. Jay-Z (I can't stand him but his impact on the franchise has helped the growth of the players) and ownership group are still hoping to built an arena in Brooklyn, but not having to share the Prudental Center in the 2010-11 season (Nets originally said no to sharing the arena with the NHL New Jersey Devils, even though they were invited to move as a tenant, God forbid). What has happened to the team from the New Jersey swamp?
8. Cleveland Cavaliers have the NBA best record at 43-11. The acquisition of C Shaquille O'Neal will determine how far the Cavaliers will fair in the playoffs.
9. San Antonio Spurs 3-way trade of Richard Jefferson didn't work out at all, FOX basketball columnist Charley Rosen and I knew the trade wouldn't work as Jefferson only scores baskets, but can only guard screen players but not one on one =no defense. Drafting DeJuan Blair to take the pounding away from PF Tim Duncan was a great gem in the ruff as the Spurs always draft well. Spurs are due to a first round series loss in the playoffs if defense (except Jefferson) improves in a hurry as the record is 30-21.
10. Sad  story for the Washington Wizards SG Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenden. Both players suspendend for the remainder of the season by rampage of gambling and extorting money against each other led to both players to draw guns on another, and keeping them in the locker room. Wizards franchise are screwed fro yeard to come as trade rumors involving SF Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler are only increasing by the hour as the record is 17-33. Terrible example for their children, indeed and a terrible black cloud in the NBA.