Catching Up at Center Court

With three weeks of the season completed, it's time to take a brief holiday break and take a look at what's been going on throughout the NBA.

From my point of view, it's been an interesting first few weeks of a much anticipated season.

Standings are not my main interest (playing is), but in the end, we know they have an importance so today I am beginning a brief (in some cases, very brief) run down on standings from my seat at Center Court.

A brief disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author at the time she wrote them. Although great care is given to the opinions expressed, at times they may be less well thought out than others.

Today's Focus -- Eastern Conference, Atlantic Division

Philadelphia (7-6)

Currently the Sixers rank third in the Eastern Conference behind Detroit and Miami. It's not a surprise that Philly is behind the Detroit and Miami, but given the Sixers' success in the early pre-season (they were initially 3-1), their losses are a bit of a disappointment. Recognizing that they are still transitioning under the direction of new coach Maurice Cheeks, however, this is understandble.

The Sixers went through a rough slump but seem to be fighting to remain back on track. If they can maintain consistency, they may be able to make up for some of those Ls, but in the end I doubt they will pull ahead. Maintaining a strong third place will be no easy feat nor would it be cause for shame.

Consistency will be key along with teamwork. AI's, Iguodala's, and Webber's names are all over the "high score/high rebounds" list, but their prowess alone will not ensure those wins. Look at the Turkey Eve game against Milwaukee: AI scored 45 points (out of the teams 97) and the Sixers lost to the Bucks' 108. They have the talent; they just need to make it work better more of the time.

I am optimistic and will be watching them closely the next few weeks, hopefully from a good seat at center court.

New Jersey (5-6)

Currently the Nets rank seventh followed by the Wizards. Being ranked this early is a good thing. New Jersey has the talent to move higher and the ability to "share the game" among its players. At this point, they need to garner and spend that extra edge. Quite a few of their Ls are a basket or two short of having been Ws. A loss is a loss as a win is a win, but losses that are close suggest a little extra push, often either early on or during the third quarter, is enough to capture the W.

I see no reason why New Jersey, if they move the ball right and keep their rhythm as a team, can't move up to fifth place. This season I don't see them moving any higher than that unless something goes wrong for Cleveland or Indiana.

Boston (4-7)

Right now, Boston is winning and losing when you least expect it. A glance at the stats suggests basically a one-man approach to scoring and rebounding. Not a good approach, to say the least.

Like New Jersey Boston has talent, but right now it does not have the dynamic. Their roster is a mix of semi-vets and young talent. They need to focus this season on team dynamics, consistency, and sharing the game. I cannot forget the days of Larry Byrd so I guess I will always be a little tougher on the Celtics. They have the coaching talent and the court talent. They just need to put it together and keep it together. That is, if they want to do so.

New York (3-8)

New York, New York, New York.

New York has an opportunity of a lifetime: Coach Larry Brown. In the NBA, I view that there are two opportunities of a life, Larry Brown and Hubie Brown. Each different, but definitely opportunities. Memphis remade itself under the brilliance of Hubie Brown now I look forward to New York's renaissance under Larry Brown.

It's not surprising that a team in the remaking would suffer losses under the direction of a new coach. There's a new game to be learned, that's a given. However, for Brown I imagine, these losses are really hard --- he's not used to losing. His program works like magic. In the case of New York, the problems, the deficiencies, are bigger than usual and will take more work.

Isiah recognized something big needed to be done and he fortunately was able to get Larry Brown to join the Knicks Organization. With patience and hardwork, the Knicks of the next few seasons will be unrecognizable to us who have watched them recently. In the meantime, however, every person in that organization needs to make a firm commitment to the common good and a decision as to whether he (each individual) wants to be part of that success. No one should stand in the way of the organization's success in this case for the sake of his own self.

With the right focus and team approach, Brown's program will work. Little by little we will see the W tally increasing and the L tally levelling off. In the first half of the season, the Knicks should be satisfied with approaching .50, that in itself with be a feat. If they work it right, the second half will be .60+ for a season tally of approximately .52. This won't come easy, but it's possible if they all work at it and work at it together.

Toronto (1-11)

For teams like Toronto, it can take several seasons to recoup the loss of players like Vince Carter. That said, a Carterless Raptors' roster is not an explanation for their standing. One of the obvious things about their Ls is that they have a combination of close games and not close games so they face multidimensional issues.

Experience and the energy that comes with it a major factor as I see it. The Raptors have an extraordinarily young roster experience-wise. They likely are talented and able players but they need to get control as a team of their game (kind of a recurring theme here I realize). In some ways, they face challenges similar to those facing Boston.

It's not youth alone that is the problem, but the dynamics of a generally new team. Yes, they have a number of seasoned players (7-10 years each), but they have not cultivated that team identity that brings with it the energy that is essential to controlling the court and the game rather than the court and the game controlling them. It will take several seasons and a lot of work on consistency (along with exploring the play and player rotation) to move the Raptors up the standings, but it can and should be done.

I have always said, usually when speaking about high school basketball, that players need to learn that basketball is as much a mental sport as it is a physical one. That is one of the tools that will enable the Raptors to move themselves forward and pose the challenge that they have the potential to be. I am optimistic that it will and the fans should hang on and support their efforts.

For a full and up-to-date view of current standings, visit NBA.com.

More later. In the meantime, I'd like to hear what you think.