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Well, if you predicted that the Jazz would be this good, there's no way that you knew the Heat would be this bad ... or that AI would be calling Denver home. What's your Biggest Surprise?
Maurice Brooks:
Everybody knows that repeating as champion is not an easy thing to do but what's going on in Miami is borderline ridiculous. Shaq is known to miss games because of injuries, but the big man has only appeared in four of Miami’s 41 games. Dwyane Wade has been in and out of the lineup because of injuries and head coach Pat Riley is on a leave of absence with hip and knee issues. The Heat have a record of 19-22.
Jeff Dengate:
The fact that 18 players have scored 40 or more points in a single game 36 times this season and not once was that player named LeBron James is astonishing. Then again, James is stuffing the stat sheet again this year, putting up 27.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 6.1 apg, for the Central Division leading Cavs.
John Hareas:
And I thought a quiet offseason on the Lakers’ acquisition front would spell doom for their regular-season chances in the mighty Western Conference. Never underestimate the coaching genius of the Zen master and the all-around play of Kobe. I won't ever again.
Dave McMenamin:
Allen Iverson was supposed to retire a Philadelphian. Seeing him go from a rookie crossing up Jordan to a young man stepping over Ty Lue on the largest of stages at The Finals, I felt like I grew up with A.I. Seeing him leave for Denver all seemed surreal and wrong. Sort of like when the casting directors on Fresh Prince of Bel Air stuck in a new Aunt Viv and pretended like nothing happened.
Rob Peterson:
Who knew Eddy Curry could be such a force? Apparently Isiah Thomas did, and Thomas' faith in the Knicks center has paid off. Curry's turning in the kind of season everyone expected from him when he was drafted No. 4 overall by the Bulls in 2001. He's averaging career highs in points 19.3 points and 7.2 rebounds. Most astonishing still, Curry's shooting a robust .583 from the field. Not bad for a guy who, if he doesn't make the Eastern Conference All-Star team, it would be a crime. After all, right now, he's the best center in the East.
Chris Rosenbluth:
After missing the playoffs for each of the last three seasons, the Jazz look like a safe bet to finish toward the top of their conference. And they’re doing it with roughly the same roster that needed a 7-3 April to finish at .500 last season. I thought they’d be better, but I didn’t expect them to be this good this fast.
John Schuhmann:
I'm a big Deron Williams fan. I love AK47's game. I knew Boozer was a nightly double-double guy. And Mehmet Okur's ability to hit big shots has always left me impressed. But somehow, I couldn't have predicted that the Jazz would lead their division by five games at the midway point.
