THE FIRST HALF IN PICTURES

SHOOTING STUDS

Kobe Bryant, Lakers
Jan. 22 win vs. Raptors
81 pts, 28-46 FG,
7-13 3-pt FG, 18-20 FT

Vince Carter, Nets
Dec. 23 win at Heat
51 pts, 13-25 FG,
2-5 3-pt FG, 23-24 FT

Gilbert Arenas, Wizards
Nov. 12 win vs. Spurs
43 pts, 15-20 FG, 4-8 3-pt FG

FIRST-HALF STAT SHEET STUFFER

The Clippers haven't exactly been the talk of the town over the years; that other team in purple and gold often leads the Los Angeles hoops conversation. However, this season, with the additions of Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley, L.A. is nine games over .500 and owns the fourth best record in the West. But the biggest reason for the Clippers' turnaround is the transformation of Elton Brand from a solid player to a marquee stud. In addition to his top-10 ranking in 16 different statistical categories, Brand is, thus far, the only player to average 25-plus points and 10-plus rebounds per game. His most impressive game to date: Dec. 23 at the Bobcats. In a 97-88 win, Brand tallied 38 points, 20 boards, five assists, three blocks and a steal. With lines like that, it's clear that those M-V-P! chants at STAPLES Center aren't just for Kobe.

LIGHTS-OUT ROOKIE

This year's Road to ROY should have started in New Orleans, but after Hurricane Katrina forced the Hornets out of the Big Easy, all signs so far are pointing to Oklahoma City, where Chris Paul is doing things no rookie point guard has done in more than a decade. CP3 is the only player to rank in the top three among rookies in points (16.2), rebounds (5.6), assists (7.7) and steals (2.17) per game; his six 20-point, 10-assist games tie him with Dwyane Wade for fourth most in the league; he is second in the NBA in steals and sixth in assists; and his Hornets are a legit playoff contender just one season after an 18-win campaign. Not bad for a 20-year-old, huh?

LOCKDOWN OF THE FIRST HALF

Utah entered the break with 25 wins, matching its total from all of last season, and a main reason for the improvement is Andrei Kirilenko's defense. AK-47 has been a pest to opposing players, averaging 2.81 blocks a game (fourth in the league) and 1.62 steals a night. He has had several stellar singular performances as well -- including an eight-block game against Portland on Dec. 14 and a six-steal effort in a win over the Lakers on Jan. 3. In the victory over L.A., Kirilenko also tallied a rare five-by-five with 14 points, eight rebounds, nine assists, six steals and seven blocks.

D-LEAGUE STAR TO WATCH

The NBA Development League underwent a facelift in the offseason. In a setup closer to a true minor league, three or four NBA teams were assigned to each of the eight D-League franchises, allowing big-league squads to send down prospects so that they can gain pro experience in sustained game action. Minnesota’s Bracey Wright has taken full advantage of the opportunity. He is the D-League's third leading scorer at 21.8 points a game for the first-place Florida Flame, while also playing two games with the Timberwolves.

GAMES OF THE FIRST HALF

In less than three weeks, the Suns were involved in arguably three of the best (and certainly three of the longest) games of the NBA season, and managed to lose all of them. On Jan. 2 in the Big Apple, Phoenix clawed back from a 13-point deficit to tie in the final minute of regulation, but four Suns fouled out, leaving Steve Nash (28 points, career-high 22 assists) and Shawn Marion (career-high 39 points, 14 rebounds) as the only members of the starting unit on the court in the Knicks' 140-133 triple-OT win. Eight days later in Denver, Phoenix watched Carmelo Anthony score the last two of his 43 points on a go-ahead jumper with 2.9 seconds left in the third and final overtime of the Nuggets' 139-137 victory. On Jan. 22, it was the Suns' turn to host a (double-overtime) thriller, but it did them no good as Ray Allen capped off the highest-scoring NBA game in 11 years with a 32-foot 3-pointer as time expired to lift the Sonics, 152-149.

QUOTE OF THE FIRST HALF

"Hustle, heart, will, quickness, speed, intensity and passion."

- Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy, on what was missing from his team's approach after a 102-82 loss at Boston on Nov. 13. The injury-plagued Rockets are 16-8 with both Yao and T-Mac in the lineup. When one or both members of the All-Star duo misses action, Houston is just 6-23.
(Note: Both were in the lineup for this 20-point undoing.)

STORYLINES OF THE FIRST HALF

1. It Takes Three to Tango
While there may be some dissent as to who is the NBA's best team, the top three are basically unanimous. At 37-5 on Jan. 29, the Detroit Pistons were on pace for a record-tying 72 wins, but have lost four of nine since and come out of the break at 42-9. Only it wasn't much of a break for them; four Pistons played in Sunday's All-Star Game, headlined by MVP candidate Chauncey Billups. Out west, two Texas teams are causing trouble. The Dallas Mavericks ran off an NBA season-best 13 straight wins thanks to a stingy defense that allows opponents less than 93 points per game and Dirk Nowitzki, who is leading the charge for the 41-11 Mavs with upward of 25 points per contest. Meanwhile, the defending champion San Antonio Spurs, 40-12 thus far, have gotten a boost from first-time All-Star Tony Parker in addition to the solid play of Tim Duncan to keep pace in the Southwest Division. In all, these contenders have occupied the top three spots in the NBA.com Power Rankings in each of the past 10 weeks.

2. Points O' Plenty
Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson and LeBron James are all averaging more than 30 points per game so far this season. The last time three players bettered 30 a night was 1982. Kobe (35.0 points per game) is scoring the most since M.J. averaged 35.0 during the 1987-88 season and his 81- and 62-point flourishes have made people believe that Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 can be reached. After 10 years of bumps and bruises, A.I. is averaging the most points of his career with 33.2 per game. And King James is at 31.2 in just his third season thanks in large part to his 52-point effort on Dec. 10. Don’t sleep on Gilbert Arenas, either, who is averaging a career-high 28.3, and if he keeps dropping 40-point games like he did seven times before the break, expect him to join the aforementioned trio.

3. The Elite Heat?
A dominant center, an explosive guard, a legendary coach and several reserves that have been stars in the not-too-distant past. Sounds like the ingredients of a championship-caliber team, doesn't it? However, despite a first-place standing in the Southeast Division, the jury is still out as to whether they deserve to be mentioned among the league's elite. Before rallying from a 13-point deficit for a thrilling 100-98 win over Detroit on Feb. 12, Miami had been 0-7 against the NBA's top four teams - the Pistons, Spurs, Mavs and Suns. But it's easy to forget that the Heat came within one game of reaching the Finals last year with both Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade at less than 100 percent. Detroit remains the favorite to come out of the East, but with Shaq and Wade healthy, and with Pat Riley now at the helm, counting out Miami would be a mistake.

4. Suns of a Gun
Proving that last year’s success was no fluke, Phoenix is back at it this season, posting the best record in the Pacific Division and fourth-best record overall. Without (repeat: without) resident stud Amaré Stoudemire. Praise has to go to reigning Coach of the Year Mike D'Antoni, but as well as D'Antoni has coached, reigning MVP Steve Nash -- who is arguably playing better this year than last -- deserves the bulk of the credit. Statistically, Nash has averaged four points per game more this year, as well as higher assists per game and rebounds per game averages. Nash may be poised for another MVP run ... if he doesn’t lose to teammate Shawn Marion. The Matrix has averaged 21.1 points per game; he is fourth in the league in rebounding (11.9 per game), third in steals (102) and top 15 in five other categories (including his league-leading 40 double-doubles). Factor in the emergence of Raja Bell and Boris Diaw, the inside stability provided by veteran Kurt Thomas and the not-so-far-off comeback of Stoudemire, and the Suns might be the team rising out of the West.

UPSETS OF THE FIRST HALF

Larry Brown's first go-round as coach of the Knicks has been a disappointing one so far, indicated by his squad's 15-37 mark at the break. But thing's haven't been all bad, as New York posted a pair of surprising victories over two of the NBA's elite teams to help start the new year with a six-game winning streak. Both games were thrillers with the Knicks pulling out a 140-133 triple-OT win over the Suns on Jan. 2 and a 117-115 triumph over the Mavs on Jan. 11. Stephon Marbury was vital to each victory, scoring 32 against Phoenix and 28 vs. Dallas. Unfortunately for New York, it could not maintain the momentum of the six-game run. Following the streak, Brown's bunch lost 16 of 17 before a Feb. 15 win over Toronto.

SUPER SIXTH MAN

The Hornets’ Speedy Claxton has been the top man off the bench so far this season, averaging 12.8 points, 4.7 assists, and 1.59 steals per game; he has also filled in marvelously when Chris Paul has needed a breather. With a name like "Speedy," it's no surprise that he ranks fourth in the NBA in steals per 48 minutes, and 14th overall in steals per game. And if Claxton keeps it up, it wouldn't be shocking if New Orleans/Oklahoma City were to swipe home-court advantage during a first-round playoff series.