10 Things We Learned from Abbreviated NBA Preseason

The preseason is just about over—all two games of it—but we were able to learn a few things form it. 

Of course this comes with the obligatory "preseason disclaimer" that "it's just the preseason." 

Generally, my rule when judging preseason performances is later games matter more than early games, but here there were only two, so they both tend to matter some. 

I also think that chemistry is something that grows, so great games by added players indicate something positive, but bad games don't necessarily mean much. 

Here are the top 10 lessons from the preseason. 

Knicks Fans Keep Up with the Kardashians

Kris Humphries, after being unceremoniously dumped by the love of his life, Kim Kardashian, in a way which could not possibly be more public, was roundly booed by the Knicks fans upon stepping on the court. 

That'll learn him to be used and dumped!

Ricky Rubio Is Going to Be Worth Watching

Ricky Rubio has been getting more than enough criticism for a man who has yet to play a regular season game.

Surrounded by players who can score in Minnesota, though, he's raised some eyebrows in his preseason game.

While he missed the second game with a mild injury, he was electric in the opener, bringing the fans to their feet with his passing on multiple occasions.

Rubio will make the T' Wolves a fun team to watch and will be worth keeping an eye on. 

The Knicks Are Looking to Improve Their Defense

In what may be the most surprising move of the offseason, the Knicks came from out of nowhere to land Tyson Chandler, the most coveted center in this year's free-agent class. 

It was surprising for two reasons.

First, it was surprising because there wasn't even a whisper about it happening until two days before the deal was done.

Second, it was surprising because Chandler is a defensive player, words which coach Mike D'Antoni may have never uttered before. 

While this has the potential to be a great move, and even better since the Knicks were able to pick up Baron Davis, it might be like a 90-year-old man sitting in front of a cutting-edge PC. If he doesn't know how to use it, it doesn't matter how nice the computer is. 

D'Antoni has to show how he knows how to incorporate a defensive star into his system, and if he does, the Knicks will be a top-three team in the East. 

Everyone Will Overreact to Anyone the Miami Heat Signs

When Shane Battier signed with the Miami Heat, the clouds parted, a ray of sunlight pierced from the sky and glowed about him, literally, as he wrote in golden ink.

Then angels sang an ode in his honor. 

Yes, I'm overstating things, but apparently for some people, you have to overstate anything related to the Heat. 

Let's put the Shane Battier signing in perspective.

They added a player who had a 12.2 PER, an opponent 14.6 PER, and was actually outplayed by his opponents last year. He gave up about 92 points per play on defense, good enough to be in the bottom half of the league. 

What they got is a below-average on-the-ball defender who is also a good-help defender who can shoot the three marginally well. Let's not pretend that .382 is an awe-inspiring percentage, though. 

So when on ESPN's 5 on 5, Rob Peterson of Hardwood Paroxyism says the Heat had the best offseason of any team, you have to laugh. 

"

Miami, just ahead of the Clippers, Celtics and Knicks. As chaos reigned throughout the league, the Heat projected an image of calm (which was quite the contrast to their previous offseason) and didn't overreact to last year's Finals loss. They answered any questions about Erik Spoelstra's job security by extending his contract and the Heat solidified their D by signing Shane Battier. Not bad for the defending Eastern Conference champs.

"

Let's keep things in perspective! This is going to be another year of the media way over-hyping anything Heat-related, even as they are now over-hyping the under-hyping of the team. 

Someone Has Bound and Gagged Donald Sterling and Locked Him in a Closet

The best offseason of any team has to go to the Clippers, who managed to land themselves a bona fide superstar in Chris Paul.

They added him to another in Blake Griffin. 

They also added Caron Butler in free agency.

They added Chauncey Billups through the amnesty waiver wire, and he has looked great next to Chris Paul. 

Clearly, there is only one explanation to all of this good decision-making in the Clippers front office. Someone has bound and gagged their owner, Donald Sterling. 

Vinny Del Negro is still patrolling the bench, though. Will stupid still find a way?

The Los Angeles Lakers Are in Trouble

The aggregation of woes visiting themselves upon the Lakers is inexplicable.

They found a team willing to give up their future for a year or two of mediocrity, and the whole thing fell apart.

Then, somehow, it didn't work out for the Lakers. 

They've been trying to work a trade for Dwight Howard, as their strategy for the last 40 years which has worked so well is to usurp the best big men in the league from other teams, and then win championships. But again, inexplicably, a team wasn't ready to just give away their best player.

Now the Lakers are stuck with the real possibility of getting older and not better with no one left to rip off. The Roman Empire is about to fall. 

Don't Play Chess with Larry Bird

The Indiana Pacers have been quietly having (what does that mean anyway? Is getting ignored by the media being quiet?) the second-best offseason in the league. 

They added David West and George Hill while keeping $14 million to spend and get even better.

One year ago, they were a horrible team that had a 17-27 record. Now they're sitting on the East's fifth-best team that has the money to get even better. 

All this with scarcely anyone noticing.

Larry Bird is a brilliant chess player. 

The Nets Are Not Yet Ready for Broadway

The Nets have been trying like crazy to get major free-agent names to go there.

They've been trying like crazy to land a trade for Dwight Howard.

Yet in the end, they have a roster that isn't all that different from the one that finished last year. 

Mikhail Prokhorov, the billionaire owner of the team, might be trying to be the Russian Mark Cuban, but he hasn't done it yet.

While the team might be ready to move to New York, the team isn't ready to compete with the Knicks until they get that second player to put alongside Deron Williams. 

Small-Market Teams Can Succeed

When the Grizzlies matched the offer on Marc Gasol, it said a lot about the team.

They were willing and able to spend the money to lock down a long-term winner.

Zach Randolph signing, too, says that a player with a choice could choose a small-market team. 

Right now, the three teams with the brightest future in the West are the Grizzlies, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Clippers.

It just goes to show that teams can still be built through smart moves and good drafts. 

David Stern Is Not a Lakers Fan

Not trying to dog-pile on the Lakers here, because this is more about David Stern than the Lakers.

For years, Stern has been accused of stacking the deck in favor of the most popular teams in the NBA. 

That's why I for one find it pretty funny that suddenly, he's being accused of colluding against the Lakers. 

Let's be realistic here.

If there was going to be any business sense to this, it would have been to give the Lakers the trade, not keep it from them. 

Clearly the only possible explanation is that Stern is not a Lakers fan after all.