1. The Clippers could be the best team in Los Angeles. They acquired star point guard Chris Paul in a trade, signed free-agent wing Caron Butler and snagged Chauncey Billups off the waiver wire. The Lakers, meanwhile, traded away forward Lamar Odom for a draft pick and aging superstar Kobe Bryant is dealing with a wrist injury suffered during the preseason.
2. Kris Humphries, not LeBron James, is the most hated player in the NBA, according to a survey by Nielsen and E-Poll Market Research. If it seems strange that a relatively unknown player won the dishonor over James, consider that Humphries' short-lived marriage to Kim Kardashian likely earned him ire from casual fans of the NBA who are hardcore fans of celebrity gossip.
3. Chris Bosh bulked up. Miami's All-Star forward put on some muscle so he can play center, a role has has resisted for the last few years of his career. Miami will need him to man the middle at times again this season because its other options are underwhelming: Joel Anthony, Eddy Curry and Dexter Pittman.
4. Celtics forward Jeff Green will miss the season because of heart surgery. During the routine physical that all players undergo, Green was discovered to have an aortic aneurysm. He had surgery and is expected to resume his career next season but the Celtics were counting on Green, 25, to provide energy for an old team.
5. Kevin McHale is coaching the Rockets. The former Celtics great was the general manager and then coach for Minnesota until he was fired following the 2008-09 season. After McHale worked two seasons an analyst for TNT and NBA TV, the Rockets hired him to replace Rick Adelman.
6. Mike Brown is coaching the Lakers. After getting caught in the wake of the LeBron James drama in Cleveland, Brown resurfaces with a franchise where drama is a way of life. Brown has an aging team with bubbling chemistry issues after the league nixed a trade for Chris Paul.
7. Mike Woodson is an assistant coach for the Knicks. Atlanta let Woodson walk after he led the team from the doldrums to two consecutive appearances in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Woodson sat out last season and now will try to help improve New York's lackluster defense.
8. The “rip-through” move no longer will be called a shooting foul. The maneuver, widely practiced by stars like Bryant, Dwyane Wade and Kevin Durant, involves the offensive player swinging the ball into the outstretched arm of a defender and then attempting a shot after contact has been initiated. The move will now be considered a non-shooting foul if contact occurs before the shooting motion begins.
9. The shot clock has a new look. The final five seconds will show tenths, allowing players to see more precisely how much time they have left to shoot. The clock will also now switch from 24 seconds to 23 when .1 second has passed and, as a result, the eight-second backcourt violation will now be called when the shot clock reads 15 seconds instead of 16.
10. The Washington Wizards look like the Washington Bullets. In a homage to the franchise's past and its location in the nation's capital, the Wizards have returned to a red, white and blue color scheme and a uniform design that evoke the Bullets. In another nod to the Bullets, the uniform's secondary logo is “D.C.” in lower case letters with the tip of the “D” featuring a hand stretching for a basketball.
About the Author
