[AffiliateHound]

Boston beat Cleveland, Chicago is about to beat Milwaukee, and the Lakers are playing Portland, with the return of Andrew Bynum vs. the long-awaited debut of Greg Oden.

The Lakers should be much improved, with Bynum, Pau Gasol, and Trevor Ariza all (hopefully) for the full season, and I see them defeating the Celtics in a rematch for the championship.

[Trust]

Didn't even know it started today. Got the Lakers/Blazers game on TNT, going to watch and see how Oden and Bynum look. Agree with you on the Lakers. If Bynum plays like he did before he got injured, plus Ariza, they're going to be hard to beat.

[ChrisMiquel]

Looks like Oden's injured again... What's new. On the other hand the Lakers are looking very scary. They have the deepest basketball team I believe I have every seen. Add that to one of the best players, and we could be talking championship.

On another note, I'm really excited to see Dwayne Wade and the Heat this year. Wade was looking amazing like the Wade of old over the summer.

[David S.]

Yes, for Detroit fans the basketball season couldn't come soon enough! Don't forget about my Pistons, they've been to 5 straight Eastern Conference Finals. They should have at least won another championship during their nice run here, I still think they have one left in them. Plus they like playing the underdog role. Boston and L.A. can get all the attention, but we have championship experience and a couple new pieces that I think will give us as good a shot as any.

[AffiliateHound]

Originally Posted by ChrisMiquel

Looks like Oden's injured again... What's new. On the other hand the Lakers are looking very scary. They have the deepest basketball team I believe I have every seen. Add that to one of the best players, and we could be talking championship.

On another note, I'm really excited to see Dwayne Wade and the Heat this year. Wade was looking amazing like the Wade of old over the summer.

Glad to see Wade healthy again, but I still would not expect too much from Miami with Mark Blount and Joel Anthony instead of Shaq in the middle - that team needs a lot more to challenge. I think they do have some pretty good young talent in Michael Beasley, Daequan Cook, and Mario Chalmers, but it doesn't look like any of them have cracked the starting 5 yet.

The Lakers have an early test tonight vs. the Clippers. (heh heh). Actually, the Clippers should also be much improved this year, so long as Baron Davis is healthy.

Not only can every player on the Lakers' 12-man roster play, so can the 13th inactive guy, DJ Mbenga, and the last guy they cut, Coby Karl.

[Ronald Marva - SEOP]

I am looking forward to see a championship season for New Orleans. With all the young talent and cohesive plays, I think its ripe for them to go all the way this season.

I predict a Detroit-New Orleans Championship game at the end of the season.

[Brent E.]

The rest of the league had better hope Antonio Mcdyess doesn't sign on with the Celtics. He would be an amazing replacement for the hole P.J. brown left in our front line. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he will take what is left of our veteran exception and help us repeat!!!

[drumminlogan]

As a huge Blazers fan (and I am not saying I am fat) I was really disappointed in Greg Oden getting injured. I'm not holding my breath for him to play much this season before getting injured again. However, I believe they have a good enough team to start building without him. We are definitly going to make it to the playoffs this season, and by next season, world champions!!! (at least I can dream)

[David S.]

Sorry Brent, just heard the other day that Dice will be re-signing with the Pistons:

http://www.mlive.com/pistons/index.s...to_return.html

Although we have had a couple nice wins with the new squad, I hope that he will be able to add some consistency and help us avoid losses like the one to Minnesota on Sunday. Phew did they stink in that game!

[NicheGooRoo]

I'm a Laker Fan... hope they pull it off this season!

so far so good!!

[Trust]

So the season is almost 1/3 done and look at these records:

Boston 23-2 (15 straight wins)
Cleveland 20-4 (13-0 at home)
LA Lakers 20-3

Challengers to beat the best record of all time, the Bulls at 72-10?

Is it going to be Lakers vs. Celtics again? Or are the Cavs going to beat the Celtics. That's going to be a good series if they meet in the Playoffs.

[drumminlogan]

And don't forget Oklahoma City: 2-23. Can they beat Philadelphia's record for the worst NBA record ever?

[David S.]

Challengers to beat the best record of all time, the Bulls at 72-10?

I'd wait until the season is 3/4's over to start talk about that. They will really have to want it in order to reach this record. The thing with that bulls team in my opinion is that they had already done so much that this was one record they still wanted and obviously nobody could match Jordan's competitiveness. If these teams lock up one seeds early or just lose motivation, it will be very hard to match that record.

Or are the Cavs going to beat the Celtics. That's going to be a good series if they meet in the Playoffs.

I think that the Cavs and LeBron overachieved the year they made it to the finals, but his time is certainly coming soon, if not this year than next. It's just like all the great ones, he might struggle to make it past that final hurdle, but once he does it will be very hard to take it from him.