Here we go with the first NBA Top 10 for the New Year.
1. Spurs - 29-4, best record in NBA by 3.5 games over the Celtics. Team has very balanced scoring as nine people average more than seven points a game and five of those players average in double figures. It is pick your poison with this team.
2. Celtics - 25-7, struggled as of late. Dropped their last two games of 2010 and lost KG for a couple weeks to rest his balky knee. Celtics welcomed Rondo back from his ankle injury, and he should be ready for the Wednesday showdown in Boston with the Spurs.
3. Mavericks - 25-8, snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Cavaliers. Caron Butler looks to be out for a long period of time with a knee injury and with Dirk being still held out the Mavericks will be relying on Shawn Marion (Editor's Note: Is Marion still fatter than hell?) to pick up the slack.
4. Heat - 26-9, smoking hot in December and with D Wade going for huge offensive numbers the Heat look to keep up the pace in 2011. LeBron is averaging career highs in rebounding and assists so far this year. I would not be surprised if the Heat took over the top spot in the East before KG gets back to action.
5. Bulls - 22-10, team has really surprised me since losing Noah to the broken bone in his hand. The offseason signing of Carlos Boozer looks like exactly what the doctor ordered for this club.
6. Jazz - 23-11, with Okur finally getting back to action and my sources tell me there was even a Gordon Hayward sighting in the Jazz starting lineup for a game. Deron Williams finally have some pieces to the puzzle around him.
7. Magic - 21-12, I initially thought the trade with Phoenix was all Suns. So far after a couple weeks the Magic are on a five-game win streak now and the Suns can't even beat the Kings. One concern for the Magic in the New Year is Dwight Howard's technical fouls issue. He is very close to a mandatory one-game suspension.
8. Thunder - 23-12, they have played as tough of a schedule outside of Phoenix so far in the season. Thunder with their big two of Durant and Westbrook as good as any 1-2 punch in the league. Depth is going to be the downfall for this club into the New Year.
9. Lakers - 23-11, lost four of the last six and the losses are not even close games. Kobe threatened the team after Miami came to LA and delivered coal in the Laker stocking but that seemed to fall on deaf ears as the Grizzlies went to Staples and blew the two-time defending champs out on Sunday night. Are the Lakers tired and this the year they make an early exit in the playoffs?
10. Nuggets - 19-13, Carmelo is back from leaving the team to be with his family and his trade rumors finally settled down. Looks like the Nuggets are going to make one last run with Carmelo and company.
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