THE first week of the 2010-2011 Big Three rebound from Game One lossexcitement and expectation ablaze. The defending champions, the LA Lakers have started strong but teams from both conferences have recorded victories highlighting that a three-peat will be much harder than initially anticipated.

Heat looking the part

Eastern Conference

WITH expectation brimming, the Miami Heat powered their way through the first week of the 2010-2011 NBA season.

Despite the 88-80 loss on the opening day to the Boston Celtics, the Heat quickly turned the week around and continued their winning streak into this week with a 101-78 win over the New Jersey Nets on Sunday. The Atlanta Hawks also had an impressive opening week brushing aside the Memphis Grizzlies, Philadelphia 76ers and the Washington Wizards to remain flawless from their three games.

Last season’s Eastern Conference surprise team, the Charlotte Bobcats, are also enduring a period of disappointment as they, too, along with the 76ers have lost the three games that they had in the opening week. While the season is still young, a continuation of this trend will certainly create turmoil within the respective franchises. The Cleveland Cavaliers are still trying to find their footing without LeBron James as they ended the week on a two-game skid after claiming their opener against the Celtics.

The loss to the Cavs was the only defeat that the Celtics suffered last week as coupled with the Heat, the New York Knicks was also a victim of theirs. In the game against the Knicks, talisman Rajon Rondo claimed a triple-double inclusive of 24 assists which is a NBA record.

Hoping to erase the disappointment of last season, the Indiana Pacers rallied from the 122-109 season opening defeat to the San Antonio Spurs to end the week with two consecutive wins. The loss to the Heat was the only hindrance to the Nets’ opening week as they began with wins over the Pistons and the Sacramento Kings.

Hornets, ‘Blazers start strong

Western Conference

THE controversy and contention related to Chris Paul during the summer break seems to have had little impact on the New Orleans Hornets as they recorded three wins from three in the opening week. ‘CP3’ has led his team to wins over the Milwaukee Bucks, the Denver Nuggets and the San Antonio Spurs averaging 20 points and 9.3 assists thus far.

The Portland Trailblazers are wasting no time in showing their intentions as they easily dispatched last season beaten conference finalists, the Phoenix Suns on opening day and followed up with two more victories.

Kevin Durant and company continue to bring joy to Oklahoma City as they claimed two wins from two defeating the Chicago Bulls and the Pistons. The defending champions, the LA Lakers, are also off to a pleasing start as they brushed aside the Suns and the Houston Rockets on opening day and then the Suns. The Kings and Nuggets ended the first week of the 2010-2011 season with two wins and a loss from their three games.

Despite the return of Yao Ming, the Rockets have had a disappointing start to their season has they have failed to record a win from their first three games. With much expected of them, the Utah Jazz and the LA Clippers are also giving their fans heartache losing their first two games of the season. Deron Williams has not been able to find his scoring touch thus far and despite the anticipated debut of Blake Griffin, his contributions have not been able to hand the Clippers a win just yet.

— Devaro Bolton