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The opening week has surprises galore
NBA Update
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Following the beginning of the 2009-10 NBA season last Tuesday, arguments - both positive and negative - have began. The Cavs have already conceded at the Q while the Clippers, who were expected to achieve greatness, may just have to wait until next season.
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Griffin injury brings Clippers' demise
Western Conference
The Los Angeles Clippers after finishing first in the Western Conference during the pre-season has started the official regular season with a flurry of losses following the injury of their number one draft pick Blake Griffin.
Their city rivals the Los Angeles Lakers started with a win and a loss in their first two games losing to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Mavs, after losing their season opener to the Washington Wizards, bounced back with wins over the previously mentioned teams the Clippers and the Lakers.
The Kevin Durant-led Oklahoma City got their season off with two comfortable wins. Maturity and experience seem to be manifesting themselves now and they may be a harder team to defeat than in previous seasons. The Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns also started the season with uncontested victories.
Carmelo Anthony signalled his intentions to the league with a 42-point opening game before helping his team to squeeze a three-point victory after trailing in the fourth quarter in the second game. The Suns are back to its free-flowing, high-scoring style of play amassing over 230 points in their two games played.
The Houston Rockets without three of their stars; Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming (injury) and Ron Artest (traded to Lakers) in their opening three matches won two and lost one. Acquisition Trevor Ariza (from the Lakers) has settled seamlessly into the set-up of the Rockets and has thus far been an instrumental factor of their opening season success.
The San Antonio Spurs are still working to incorporate Richard Jefferson into their fold, but this does not give the impression that it will take much longer to do. The Portland Trailblazers, after winning their first game, lost their next two much to the disappointment of team and fans alike.
Celtics and Magic start strong
Eastern Conference
The Boston Celtics overcame their rivals the Cleveland Cavaliers in the season opener 95-89 and as they have in their previous two seasons began with a bang! In their first three games they have reaped the benefits of three comfortable wins inclusive of a 28-point win over the Chicago Bulls.
The Orlando Magic also began with three wins from three. In their opener they cruised past the Philadelphia 76ers 120-106 with new signing Vince Carter contributing with 15 points. Vince, on his return to the hard court New Jersey Nets, picked up an injury but the Magic still managed to record a comfortable win.
Against the Toronto Raptors, where they faced summer export Hedo Turkoglu, they reminded him and his new teammates of their abilities by crushing them 125-116.
The LeBron James led Cavaliers uncharacteristically lost their first two games of the season (they lost to the Raptors 111-106), but bounced back to win their next two.
D-Wade and company are looking to possess the determination to push them to glory and have already claimed two wins from their opening two as have the Atlanta Hawks. As expected the return of Gilbert 'Agent Zero' Arenas has reignited the hopes of the Washington Wizards and it has shown true as he has helped to two wins from three.
The Detroit Pistons seem to be struggling with the loss of Rasheed Wallace to the Celtics losing two consecutive games though winning their opener. The Nets and the New York Knicks have a lot of work to do to reshape and create good fortune for themselves, both losing their first three games.
NBA Profile - STEVE Nash
Name: Steve Nash
Team: Phoenix Suns
Position: Point Guard
Statistics: 14.4 (points), 8 (assists), 90 per cent (free-throw percentage)
Background: Born in South Africa, but raised in Canada, Steve has over a 13-year span grown to be one of the most recognised basketball players of all time.
Though offensively he is great on all cards - free-throws, 3-point shooting, etc - his niche is undoubtedly creating chances for teammates.
A 2009 survey rated Nash as the best passer of the ball and the player possessing the best basketball IQ. He currently stands in ninth place of the NBA's all-time leaders in assists.
His professional career began in 1996 when was he was selected as the 15th overall draft pick by the Phoenix Suns. His stay was short-lived as he only spent two seasons before moving on to the Dallas Mavericks. There he met up with Dirk Nowitzki and company and within the span of six seasons formed a deadly partnership, though the team never achieved the ultimate prize of an NBA championship.
He returned to Suns in 2004 and since then has made it to two Western Conference finals, while claiming back-to-back league MVP awards, being among only eight players to achieve this feat, as well as the only Canadian.
He was also the 2005 winner of the All-Star Skills Contest. He missed out on the play-offs for the first time since returning to the Suns last season, but seems to be ready to erase this disappointment from memory already recording a 20 assists game.
Outside of basketball he also plays football, ice hockey and rugby and is a committed humanitarian and philanthropist receiving the J Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (for outstanding citizenship and community service) in 2007 and the Steve Patterson Award for Excellence in Sports Philanthropy in 2008.
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