In the offseason, the Charlotte Hornets lost their best player in guard Eddie Jones, and a key veteran in Anthony Mason, but have managed to find a way to lead a weak Central Division early in the season. Despite having no all-star players on the roster, the Hornets have gone 11-7 by utilizing a balanced scoring attack.
Jamal Mashburn, who came to Charlotte as the Miami Heat's third leading scorer in the trade for Jones, is now leading the Hornet brigade with 20 points per game this season. Not far behind the former Kentucky Wildcats star are Baron Davis and David Wesley, scoring 13 and 18 points a night, respectively. P.J. Brown, another member of the Heat trade, is doing his part, grabbing boards for 8.4 rebounds a game.
The Toronto Raptors and the Cleveland Cavaliers are both playing respectably, tied for 2nd at 9-7. The Raptors have greatly benefited from the free agent signing of assist expert, point guard Mark Jackson from Indiana. He is the perfect compliment to the high scoring and highflying Vince Carter, who is second in the NBA with 27.5 points per game. Jackson, who is known for his flashy passes and unselfish play, is tops in the NBA with 10.1 assists per game.
The two biggest disappointments in the Central have to be the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks. Last year these teams provided a phenomenal, five game showdown in the 1st round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Now all they have to show is a combined 13-18 record. The Pacers desperately miss all-star forward Dale Davis, who was traded to Portland, and Jackson. The Bucks' woes are not as easily explained. Despite consistent play from the dependable trio of all-star guard Ray Allen, forward Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson and point guard Sam Cassell, the Bucks have managed a mere 6 victories. The season is young, though, so there is plenty of time for these teams to turn it around.
The best surprise thus far has been the Detroit Pistons. Despite the departure of superstar Grant Hill, the Pistons, picked by many to be the worst team in the NBA, are a decent 7-9. Jerry Stackhouse has played lights-out basketball, leading the NBA in scoring with 28.7 points a night. The addition of Joe Smith, who was not allowed by the league to resign with the Minnesota Timberwolves, has given them some added punch up front. If Smith can live up to his billing as a former number-one overall draft pick, the Pistons might finish over .500 this year.
If the Central Division is considered a lightweight, then you'd have to consider the Atlantic a featherweight. The East has only two teams over .500 this year and don't look for that to change much.
Despite the disappointments of some teams in the Atlantic, no team has surprised people more than the Philadelphia 76ers. While flashy shooting guard Allen Iverson gets most of the press, the Sixers wouldn't be near 14-2 if it wasn't for point guard Eric Snow and forward/center Theo Ratliff. Snow has been contributing 12.8 points and 6.5 assists and invaluable on-court leadership, while Ratliff has emerged as one of the top centers in the league, scoring 12.3 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and swatting 4.3 shots per game.
The Atlantic is weaker than ever this year, which means that Iverson and company may have enough talent to hold off the perennial contenders like the New York Knicks and Miami Heat. Don't expect the big trio of the Knicks to bow out any time soon, however. Allan Houston and Glenn Rice - two of the premier shooters in the game - and Latrell Sprewell are talented enough to challenge Philly for the division.
What's left in the Atlantic are a bunch of teams playing far below their potential. The Miami Heat after suffering three years of regular season success and postseason disappointment at the hands of New York, are struggling to win without center Alonzo Mourning, who is sidelined for the season with a rare kidney disease. The Heat are a far better team than their 7-10 record indicates, but to prove that, Tim Hardaway is going to have to be more consistent, and Eddie Jones, Brian Grant, and Anthony Mason are going to need some help from the bench.
The Boston Celtics are struggling early on at 7-9, and to make matters more desperate, coach Rick Pitino has made it clear that if his team does not improve defensively this season he is taking his coaching skills back to the college ranks. Paul Pierce has been an inspiration, though, recovering from a pre-season stabbing to lead the Celtics in scoring and vie for his first All-Star appearance.
