After one week of NBA action, things have gone as planned in the Atlantic Conference: the Miami Heat are struggling without Alonzo Mourning, the New York Knicks have played erratic basketball after trading Patrick Ewing nonsensically in exchange for another swingman, the new-look Orlando Magic have impressed even with an injured superstar, and the top team in the league is the young Philadelphia 76ers.
The Heat are 1-2 and dropped a close one to the Sixers on Monday, 84-82, on Eddie Jones' missed jumper with nine seconds remaining. Jones, a newcomer, and Tim Hardaway headline a Miami squad that will struggle to make up for Mourning's presence. Brian Grant, another recent acquisition, starts at the four spot, but has to handle guarding the big men a lot of the time, since aging starter Duane Causwell hasn't and won't get much game time. Grant's size is needed and his 11 rebounds a night will more than make up for the departure of P.J. Brown. If anything, the Heat are lucky that the East is essentially center-less, meaning they will certainly be able to compete with smaller teams like the Knicks and Sixers.
Philadelphia (4-0), meanwhile, is at its best since the Charles Barkley days, and opened up the season by emphatically disposing of the Knicks, 101-72. Philly, like Miami, is undersized but remains strong defensively, especially with Theo Ratliff's presence in the middle and George Lynch's improved rebounding ability. Allen Iverson remains the controversial centerpiece of an offense that topped 100 points in its first two games but could not break the 90-point mark in the latter two. The Sixers have already disposed of the Atlantic's other three top teams ? the Knicks, Heat, and Magic ? beating each team on the road. But the Sixers haven't won by double digits since opening night.
In New York, headlines are being made off the court more so than on the court, as Latrell Sprewell was forced to talk to the NBA Front Office this week because of comments he made about bringing Chris Webber, a free agent in the coming off-season, to the Big Apple. Sprewell also made headlines because his $30 million lawsuit against the NBA and the Golden State Warriors was not reinstated by a federal appeals court. Moreover, speculation abounds about whether the Knicks intend to stick with the three-pronged attack of Sprewell, Allan Houston, and Glen Rice, or make a move, especially in light of Atlanta's shopping Dikembe Mutumbo around. Rice has been the loser of the contribution battle so far, receiving under 30 minutes of game time a night and putting in an average of just over ten points, while Houston has by far taken most of the Knicks' shots. Marcus Camby is another undersized center in the Atlantic, but has so far only had to deal with Ratliff, Atlanta's Alan Henderson, and Washington's Jahidi White, prompting fans to once again ask: where have all the centers gone?
They haven't gone to Orlando, where the Magic are also expected to be among the East's top teams in spite of starting an inexperienced big guy in John Amaechi. Still, Amaechi has impressed in his second year with the Magic, and put together 20 points in the team's 110-99 victory over Seattle on Monday. That win came without Grant Hill, who will remain out will an injured ankle until coach Doc Rivers deems him healthy enough to play.
Hill and youngster Tracey McGrady were expected to dawn a new era in Orlando, and likely will, but last year's success with a virtually unknown group of players proved Rivers' ability to get his players going, so the temporary loss of Hill shouldn't prevent the Magic from staying afloat in the tight Atlantic Division. Hill has missed three of five games. In those contests, Amaechi has averaged 14 points and Armstrong has been good for the same, while McGrady has been dominant in the two games he's played without Hill. But McGrady missed Saturday's game because of an altercation with Eric Snow in last week's loss to Philadelphia; missing both Hill and McGrady, the Heat topped Atlanta with the help of Armstrong's 21 points.
One week of play has, as expected, demonstrated the upside-down nature of the East this season. Hell, even the Celtics are above .500.
