NBA Fact or Fiction: Playoff-Bound Teams

After a week's worth of basketball, it would only seem right to decide which teams are looking good enough to make the playoffs and which aren't.

I've always considered it wise to wait until at least a month or two into the season before we separate the contenders from the pretenders. However, with a short, congested season, we can begin seeing which teams are going to be good or bad much earlier. While we can't see that now, give it a few weeks after a few more back-to-back sets before we see which teams are serious about making a playoff run.

Lucky for you, we were able to take a look into the future and see where each team was going to finish. We give you their preseason prediction of where they were going to finish, and whether it will end up as a true or false statement.

It's obvious to see that the lockout has caused teams to be a lot more lethargic than a usual 82-game season. There are only five teams averaging above 100 points per game and four teams averaging fewer than 90 points per. To put that into perspective, take note that 11 teams scored over 100 points per and zero teams averaged fewer than 90 points per game last season.

Even with the lethargic start, we are still witness to some incredible plays being made.

With that being said, let's take a look at which teams will live up to preseason expectations.

Atlanta Hawks

Fact or Fiction: The Hawks will finish with a top-four seed

Who would have guessed that losing your sharpshooting, former Sixth Man of the Year recipient would be the key to immediate success?

Let's not get too ahead of ourselves though. The Atlanta Hawks have started off this season on the right foot with a 4-2 start that's come complete with an eight-point victory over the Miami Heat on the road. They came a few missed free throws away from beating the Chicago Bulls the very next night.

Aside from their games against Miami and Chicago, the Hawks have yet to truly make a statement as two of their wins came against New Jersey and the other against a winless Wizards team. Their other loss came against Houston, which was their fourth game in the opening week.

The Hawks appear to be a dangerous team, as they have looked over the past few seasons. They've never truly been ready to break the threshold of becoming an elite team and have been recognized as a middle-of-the-pack team for several seasons. However, there's something about this Hawks team that may make them into a contender for the first time.

With six players currently averaging 10 points or better, Marvin Williams suddenly springing to life and Jeff Teague filling in well at point guard, the Hawks are in solid position to possibly eek in as a fourth seed.

They'll have to compete with the Boston Celtics for that seed, and it'll go down to the wire on which team wants it more.

Fiction

Boston Celtics

Fact or Fiction: The Celtics will finish with a top-three seed

Are we through with the overreaction of the Boston Celtics' 0-3 start? Good, because it was pointless and ridiculous to even think that this team was going to continue suffering.

With Paul Pierce back now, the Celtics are once again ready to make another legitimate push towards a top seed in the Eastern Conference, as well as another shot at contending for a championship.

However, this will be their toughest year by far. Not only do they worry about their age and health problems possibly creeping up on them, but they also need to be concerned with the heightened challenge of a division rival in the New York Knicks, who already lead the tiebreaker after a season-opening win.

The Celtics may boast the chemistry and the pure point guard, but the Knicks could counter that with two stellar scorers and a solid inside presence. This race towards the Atlantic Division title will be a tough one as Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett look towards finishing in the top three for one last time.

Of course, the new talented crop of squads will have something to say about that, and it may result in the Celtics dropping to second in the Atlantic Division by a game or two at the end of the season.

Fiction

Charlotte Bobcats

Fact or Fiction: The Bobcats will finish with the eighth seed

After winning by one point in their season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Charlotte Bobcats have come back down to earth by losing four straight.

Given that three of the games came against Miami and Orlando, and the other was on the road against Cleveland, but the Bobcats have lost their past three games by a combined 74 points. So much for having a defensive mindset too, as the team has given up at least 100 points in the past three games, including 129 to the Heat and 115 to the Cavaliers.

Face it, the Bobcats aren't any good. They have some quality pieces in two quick guards, but the rest of the team is abysmal. They don't have any legitimate scorers that can take over a game, no inside presence and no depth. Coach Paul Silas is doing as good a job as anyone can, but it takes talent along with the right coach to make something like this work out.

Charlotte was lucky enough to get two games out of the way against Miami in the opening week, which means they'll only have two more games against them for the rest of the year. However, it won't get any easier as their next opponents are set to be Atlanta twice, New York, Indiana and Houston.

Sorry to the strong Bobcats fanbase, but the team isn't going anywhere this year.

Fiction

Chicago Bulls

Fact or Fiction: The Bulls will finish with the No. 1 seed

The Chicago Bulls made themselves into one of the NBA's most complete teams when signing Richard Hamilton, and they are now completely ready to make a second consecutive push towards the No. 1 seed in the East.

The Bulls finished 62-20 last year which was good enough for the NBA's top record, but came up short on their trip to the finals as they hit a snag in the conference finals. Any issue that they faced, they made sure to fix the problem by having veteran shooting guard "Rip" Hamilton replace defensive specialist Keith Bogans.

It's a tremendous improvement. Even though Bogans' defense will be missed, it pales in comparison to the offensive influence that Hamilton is set to provide for the team on a daily basis. The 33-year-old has built a career on his elite mid-range game and is a perfect filler for a team that's attempting to make defenses lose their focus on Derrick Rose.

Speaking of Rose, he'll be attempting to make a second run at an NBA MVP after becoming the youngest player in NBA history to win the award last season. He's started off that campaign well as he is currently averaging 22 points and eight assists per game, while also converting on two three-pointers per game at a 38 percent clip.

Their biggest competition towards the No. 1 seed will be the Miami Heat, who finished four games back last year. With chemistry now on their side and a healthier bench, the Heat may be too much for the Bulls, even with the addition of Hamilton. The Bulls have a number of key advantages, but the Heat's talent level is just too much for Chicago to match up with.

Fiction

Cleveland Cavaliers

Fact or Fiction: The Cavaliers will make a strong push towards the postseason

Let's not get too hyped up over the Cleveland Cavaliers' 3-2 start. Don't forget that the 19-63 Cavs from last year started the season 7-9 before going on to lose 36 of their next 37 games.

Still, this Cavaliers team that we see today is much more improved from the awful team we saw last year. Thanks in part to the team's draft picks in Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson, the Cavaliers currently find themselves above .500 and with a future to actually look forward to.

Irving and Thompson may not be LeBron James, but they're just what this city needs to eradicate the always-prevalent thought of losing James and last year's horrific campaign. Irving's superb ability to dictate the tempo of the offense and Thompson's shot-blocking prowess has brought back life into the Quicken Loans Arena and the distraught city of Cleveland.

Give it a few years before we can even begin talking about the Cavaliers being a postseason team. Thankfully they're in the Eastern Conference, so any team could possibly contend for a No. 7 or 8 seed. That means teams like Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Detroit, Washington and Cleveland could all possibly contend for those final two spots.

Don't expect that to happen this year, but do expect a strong improvement and a possible late push to the playoffs.

Fact

Dallas Mavericks

Fact or Fiction: The Mavericks will finish with the No. 1 seed

Just like the Boston Celtics, there's no reason to overreact over a slow start.

Could we give the Dallas Mavericks some leeway here? They just lost out on Tyson Chandler and DeShawn Stevenson among others and have to find ways for newcomers in Lamar Odom, Vince Carter and Delonte West to adjust, while facing off against Miami, Denver and Oklahoma City in their first three games.

Seriously, give this team a break. Their entire lineup is over the age of 30 and they're all coming off an extended offseason, so of course it's going to take a little longer than usual to get up to speed and back in the habit of playing basketball for 48 minutes.

However, that doesn't mean we should still raise some red flags over this team, because there are problems that will keep them from obtaining a No. 1 seed. For one, it's obvious that losing out on Chandler is going to hurt. They currently start Brendan Haywood, but are swapping him with Ian Mahinmi, who was rarely used prior to this season.

They will also be lacking on their defense along the perimeter. Stevenson may not have provided much on offense, but he was the type of defender that could keep his man in front of him and have him frustrated while doing so. Without him, the Mavericks now need to rely on the likes of West, who is still a solid defender, but not one of the caliber of Stevenson.

Dallas will win their division, but will not obtain that No. 1 seed in the West.

Fiction

Denver Nuggets

Fact or Fiction: The Nuggets will finish with a No. 4-6 seed

Who needs J.R. Smith and Wilson Chandler when you have Ty Lawson and Al Harrington leading the show?

Those are two names you would have never expected to be leading an NBA team, especially Harrington, who was believed to be an afterthought by this stage in his career. At 16 points per game, however, Harrington is second on the Nuggets in scoring and is showing great improvement from last year's disappointing stint with Denver.

Lawson, on the other hand, was expected to become a star and he's well on his way. Currently leading the Nuggets in scoring at 18 points per game, Lawson's agility and speed make up for his small stature. Equipped with a stellar mid-range game that allows him to be deadly from outside as well as inside, Lawson could be the new face of the Nuggets following the departure of Carmelo Anthony.

Even without Smith and Chandler, the Nuggets can still boast one of the deepest teams in the NBA. With the likes of Andre Miller, Rudy Fernandez and Corey Brewer coming off the bench and helping to support this well-balanced team, the Nuggets could look towards consistent scoring from eight different players.

Once Smith and Chandler make their returns in March or April, the Nuggets will be a scary team to play against.

Fact

Detroit Pistons

Fact or Fiction: The Pistons will sneak in as an eighth seed

Another Central Division team attempting to convince us that they're better than what their roster indicates, the Detroit Pistons also are off to a hot 2-3 start with quality wins over Indiana and Orlando.

Those two wins came after a three-game losing streak to start the season. They dropped games to Indiana, Cleveland and Boston, but have since began this minor winning streak with wins over possible postseason teams.

The Pistons are winning their games on the defensive end. They recognize that they don't have the offensive firepower to run at a fast pace, so they slow it down and have their opponent play into their hands. Thus far, the Pistons have given up 100 points or more once, and have held their opponents to fewer than 90 points in the two wins.

Detroit may not have the best roster at the moment, but they do have one that's capable of competing. Equipped with young talent in the likes of Brandon Knight, Jonas Jerebko and Greg Monroe, as well as veterans in Ben Gordon and Tayshaun Prince, the Pistons may have a team that's capable of making some noise later on in the year.

Speaking of Gordon, he may just be the spark to help generate some explosiveness to this team. He's been awful since he arrived in 2009, but is off to a great start this year averaging 18 points and converting on 41 percent of his three-point attempts.

Still, the Pistons just won't be able to compete in the long run. Not enough experience and not enough weapons will prove to be their downfall.

Fiction

Golden State Warriors

Fact or Fiction: The Warriors will make it as a No. 6-8 seed

A new coach and a new philosophy to play under, this young, inspired Golden State Warriors team should be a playoff team once they're ready.

It all rides on if they're ready to commit to rookie head coach Mark Jackson's defensive-minded philosophy, and if they're willing to sacrifice offensive stats in return. As exciting as it was to watch the Warriors' run-and-gun offense, it's time to let go of the past and move on to bigger things such as being a perennial playoff team.

That's exactly what Jackson aims to do with this team. He was a tough, defensive guard in his days with Indiana and New York and he'll be looking to transition that same attitude to a Warriors team that boasts zero players at the age of 30 or older. This is a team that's aching to learn and looking for a direction, and the Warriors made the right choice by allowing a young head coach to take over.

As for the roster, the Warriors are lacking severely in depth and individual defensive stoppers. They possess a well-rounded starting lineup with two speedsters in the backcourt, a three-point threat at the 3, a 20-10 guy at the 4 and a shot-blocker in the middle, but there's a huge drop-off at that point as the Warriors are left scrambling for players that could possibly produce on either side.

Brandon Rush has been one of the few surprises off the bench. Averaging 11 points per game and hitting more than 50 percent of his three-pointers, Rush is one of the few individual perimeter defenders on the team that can contribute to the new defensive philosophy.

It may not mean much to a team that's 2-3, but the Warriors have allowed over 100 points three times, all of them losses. Let that tell you something about what defense could do for you if you commit.

Fiction

Houston Rockets

Fact or fiction: The Rockets will make it in as a No. 6-8 seed

Sorry Houston, but Samuel Dalembert isn't going to be the answer to a huge hole in your frontcourt.

After Yao Ming left, the Houston Rockets were left with some huge shoes to fill in the paint. Their only suitable backup was the 6'6" Chuck Hayes who made due, but recently left for Sacramento over the offseason. Next to Dalembert, the Rockets have Jordan Hill and Hasheem Thabeet to look to as their possible centers.

In other words, it's just not going to work out. The team is already lacking on the defensive end in their frontcourt with the likes of Chase Budinger at the 3 and Luis Scola at the 4, which means a large presence was needed at center. While Dalembert is a solid shot-blocker and defender, he's just not going to be able to address all of the problems that currently lie in the second line of defense.

It's not all bad for the Rockets, however. They still sport a crafty post threat in Scola, a stellar scorer in Kevin Martin and a brilliant surprise in point guard Kyle Lowry.

We were left questioning the Rockets' motives when they gave up Aaron Brooks, but we now see what they were going for. Lowry has been one of the NBA's biggest surprises early on and is currently averaging 15 points, 11 assists and seven boards per.

He recently set a career high in assists with 18 in a win against Atlanta, and then followed that up with a 22-point, 10-rebound and nine-assist performance in a loss to the LA Lakers.

The Rockets may have a great young point guard, but they're going to need some defenders in the low post if they're looking to make it back to the playoffs, especially in a conference as competitive as the West.

Fiction

Indiana Pacers

Fact or Fiction: The Pacers will make it in a No. 4 seed

The Indiana Pacers always had the capability to become a dangerous team. They had defenders, shooters and slashers alike, but were always that one key piece away from becoming truly dangerous.

Enter David West. The former New Orleans Hornets has fit in perfectly with this young Pacer team and has led them to one of their best starts in ages at 4-1. Of course, they've been aided with a schedule that's given them Detroit twice, Toronto, Cleveland and New Jersey.

It won't be until the next two weeks—when they have games against Miami, Atlanta and two against Boston—that we'll be up to correctly gauge this team.

At this point, however, the Pacers are looking to be a formidable team. West may be averaging only 12 points per game on 41 percent shooting, but it seems that every consistent player is struggling at the moment. The lack of training camp and a preseason has hurt each and every one of these NBA players, as they're using the first few weeks of the regular season to get back into basketball shape.

West may not be performing up to his usual standard, but he is a huge upgrade at the 4. He's joined by sharpshooter Danny Granger, shooting 40 percent from three, and Roy Hibbert, who is quietly having a terrific start to the season averaging 13 points, 10 boards and two blocks per.

With players like Tyler Hansbrough, George Hill and Darren Collison also offering huge lifts, the Pacers should be in good shape to contend for the fourth seed come the end of the season. However, they'll have to beat out Atlanta and Orlando, who are also in good shape at the start.

Tough to gauge this team now based on who they've faced so far, but we'll be able to separate this team as a pretender or contender within the coming weeks.

Fiction

Los Angeles Clippers

Fact or Fiction: The Clippers will be in the top three

As I stated before, the worst part of the early season is the panic that's instilled into the fanbases of elite teams that start out playing average basketball.

Take, for instance, the Los Angeles Clippers. While not yet considered elite, the Clippers have the pieces to become one after reeling in Chris Paul in a deal that sent Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman and Al-Farouq Aminu out to New Orleans. It was a solid deal for the Clippers as they now possess arguably the league's top point guard, without having to give up Blake Griffin.

After a few miscues early on, Paul has seemed to locate his bearings and is currently averaging 16 points, 10 assists, three rebounds and three steals per game. He's fitting in well with his new athletic team, but it's still going to take a few more games before he truly gels with his young, athletic teammates.

Griffin has had no trouble adjusting to the shortened season. Following up a first year where he won Rookie of the Year, he's already playing above expectations once again and is currently averaging 26 points, 10 boards and three assists per. We're still looking for the mid-range game and the defense, but this Blake will have to do for now.

The Clippers have a strong core that also features the likes of Chauncey Billups, Caron Butler, DeAndre Jordan and Mo Williams. With so many veterans mixed in with so many athletes, there's no reason for this team to fail.

However, there still lies problems in terms of the depth off the bench and on defense where the Clippers currently rank 28th in points given up per game. Before we crown this team the new kings of LA, let's at least wait for them to gel and get their defense in check.

Expect the Clippers to have a tight race with the Lakers, but for it to ultimately end up in the hands of the usual victors.

Fiction

Los Angeles Lakers

Fact or Fiction: The Lakers will make it in as a top-three seed

I said it before, and I'll say it again: Andrew Bynum is the key to the Los Angeles Lakers making another title run.

Without Lamar Odom coming off the bench, the Lakers find themselves extremely short-handed. They brought in Troy Murphy and Josh McRoberts to help fill the vacancy, but they hardly provide the offense and the versatility that Odom brought into every game. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year was a perfect fit for a Laker team that didn't have much support off the bench.

Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol won't be able to do it all, which means a third man will have to step up. Don't look towards Metta World Peace or Derek Fisher either. The Lakers have a supreme advantage in the middle with Bynum. If he can remain healthy, Bynum proves to be the X-factor. He's too tall, too wide and too lengthy to contain for about 90 percent of the league's starting centers.

It's been so far, so good for Bynum. Since coming back from a four-game suspension, Bynum has averaged 23 points, 17 boards and two blocks per game, including the first 20-20 game of his career when he recorded 21 points and 22 boards against Houston. He also had a 29-point game against Denver in his first game back.

With Kobe limited by injury, the Lakers are going to need Bynum to become the player that they always hoped him to be. Perhaps with three quality showings in his first three games we may begin to see that center.

Fact

Memphis Grizzlies

Fact or Fiction: The Grizzlies will make it in as a No. 4-6 seed

Things are getting a little hairy in Memphis.

After a dream postseason run where they upset the San Antonio Spurs and pushed the Oklahoma City Thunder to the brink and facing big expectations for the 2011-12 season, the Grizzlies have come out a little flat. Not only have they started out 2-3, complete with a 40-point loss to Chicago, but they will now have to play the next six to eight weeks without Zach Randolph.

Randolph tore his MCL in the first quarter of the Grizzlies' loss to Chicago, and there's no doubt that Memphis will miss his presence in the middle. He's a perennial 20-10 player that can score from inside and out. With the team already missing Darrell Arthur for the season, we should expect to see plenty of playing time for Dante Cunningham, Josh Davis and the recently acquired Marreese Speights.

Perhaps the Grizzlies could work out another miracle like they did last year. Without Rudy Gay for the end of the regular season and the entire postseason, Memphis was playing the best basketball of the season as Randolph and Marc Gasol stepped up in Gay's absence.

Memphis will have to look towards O.J. Mayo, Mike Conley and Gasol for added support on the offensive end. At the moment, however, it's going to be Gay that has to take over this team until Randolph makes his return.

Originally, Memphis was an easy No. 4-6 seed. Without Randolph, however, it's going to be difficult to believe that the team is able to play quality ball without their top rebounder.

Fiction

Miami Heat

Fact or Fiction: The Heat will be a No. 1 seed

There won't be a 9-8 start this year. Neither will there be a players-only meeting. Instead, you're seeing Miami Heat basketball the way it's supposed to be played.

For the first time since they were brought together, you're witnessing LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade exert some chemistry. This isn't a team based on talent anymore. They're committed to playing off of each other and becoming better teammates, as well as becoming better individual players.

As you can tell by the hot 6-1 start, the Heat are off and running on their journey towards a second consecutive finals appearance. They're winning in every kind of way too. Not only are they beating up on the elite teams of the league in Boston and Dallas, but they're also winning games in the fourth quarter, as you saw with Wade's game-winners against Charlotte and Minnesota.

You can tell by the way the team is playing that there is a different mentality. They're attempting to bring it to the rim as close as possible, whether it's by driving or posting up. In fact, James and Wade have attempted a total of two combined three-pointers. That's saying something for two players who are currently averaging 19 points per game or better.

Aside from getting back Udonis Haslem and signing Shane Battier, the Heat have also seen significant improvement in Bosh. Playing with more aggression, Bosh is reminding us of his Toronto Raptor days when he wasn't as tentative.

They'll be hotly contested by the Chicago Bulls for the No. 1 spot, but they should pull away if no key injuries take place.

Fact

Milwaukee Bucks

Fact or Fiction: The Bucks will sneak in as a No. 7-8 seed

Poor Milwaukee. After an unbelievable 2009-10 campaign where they became the hottest team in the NBA, the team has yet to match that run of success since due to a series of injuries to just about every player on the team.

Five games in and no catastrophic injuries yet, the Bucks find themselves at 2-3 in a suddenly competitive Central Division. With Chicago and Indiana set to pace the field, and Cleveland and Detroit improving, the Bucks are going to need to remain healthy if they want to remain a possible playoff contender.

At the moment, they're struggling a bit. Brandon Jennings is shooting below 40 percent (again), Andrew Bogut is shooting a dismal 43 percent and the recently acquired Stephen Jackson has yet to adjust. Jackson was brought in as a needed boost for the offense, but has only caused disruption amongst the organization.

His 33 percent shooting isn't helping either.

Still, the Bucks have a great defensive mind in coach Scott Skiles leading the way, as well as a terrific shot-blocking center in Bogut. The Australian is coming off another injury-plagued season and is currently averaging 14 points, 10 boards and two blocks per game. He'll be a key player if the Bucks look to make a playoff run, as his health will ultimately decide if the team makes it or not.

My guess? The team remains healthy, Jackson takes some pressure off of Jennings and they sneak in.

Fact

Minnesota Timberwolves

Fact or Fiction: The Timberwolves will make a strong push towards the playoffs

A 2-4 start for the Minnesota Timberwolves? You honestly couldn't ask for more.

To be honest, no one thought that this team would be serious. They're locked up in the tougher conference and in the NBA's toughest division, which already gives them a negative. They sport a backcourt that starts Luke Ridnour and Wesley Johnson, and the focal point of their offense is Michael Beasley. If Kevin Love wasn't a monster around the basket, this team might never win a game.

But it's always the darkest before the dawn, and they're certainly not going to let a 17-win season deter them. The team with 32 combined wins in the past two seasons has actually become one of the league's scarier teams since the arrival of Spanish import Ricky Rubio. After drafting him in 2009 and then having to wait for him to finish his time in Europe, the Wolves finally got the Spanish version of Pete Maravich.

Scouts weren't lying when they called him that either. Just like when he wasn't scared of the Americans in the Beijing Olympics as an 18-year-old, he has shown no fear going against the NBA's most talented squads either. The point guard is a passing genius and is making plays in Minnesota that no one has seen in a long time.

However, let's not get too high off of his flashy passes. Rubio is still extremely turnover-prone and does not like to make the fundamental pass. It's one-handed pass or bust for Rubio, which won't fly for too long in a league with athletes like the NBA. Teams will eventually catch onto this, and they will be ready.

For now, we'll continue to ride it out because the Timberwolves actually look good. Love is playing extremely well again, Beasley continues to be a solid scorer inside and out, and Rick Adelman is giving his new team some direction.

Fact

New Jersey Nets

Fact or Fiction: The Nets will make a push towards the playoffs

It's sad to say, but I think the New Jersey Nets may be in for another 12-win season.

I want the New Jersey Nets to do well. Seriously, I do. It's just that the team has absolutely no weapons outside of Deron Williams and Brook Lopez. Their roster is depleted and now that Lopez is out with a broken foot, it's only making the situation worse. The Nets will now have to rely on MarShon Brooks or Kris Humphries as a second scoring option.

We've see superstars with bad teams manage before. Kobe Bryant won 40-plus games with Lamar Odom, Chris Mihm and Kwame Brown, and Dwyane Wade won 40-plus games with Udonis Haslem, Michael Beasley and Jermaine O'Neal, but it is a completely different story when it comes to Deron Williams.

Arguably the league's top point guard, Williams can perform miracles, but he's not going to begin turning water into wine. Without Lopez to score in the middle and mid-range, Williams has absolutely no reliable second option to look towards. The rookie out of Providence in Brooks has been a bit of a bright spot averaging 14 points per game, but who else is there to look to?

Humphries can't be that guy. Neither can Mehmet Okur, Anthony Morrow or Sundiata Gaines. Until Lopez returns, the Nets will be the worst team in basketball.

And when he does return, they'll still be pretty bad.

Fiction

New Orleans Hornets

Fact or Fiction: The Hornets will make it in as a No. 6-8 seed

It's a little early to decide if Eric Gordon and Chris Kaman are keys to the New Orleans Hornets making it to the playoffs, but the obvious prediction here is no.

Look, Gordon, Kaman and Al-Farouq Aminu are solid players, but they're not game-changers or facilitators on both sides of the ball like Chris Paul was. For years, CP3 was the only reason why the Hornets were even coming close to the postseason. He was scoring over 20 points per night, dishing out 10 dimes and recording two steals per game, stats that none of these players will be able to match.

Gordon is easily the top player of the bunch the Hornets received in the deal. Overshadowed by the exploits of Blake Griffin, Gordon had a breakout year when he averaged 22 points per game, while converting on two three-pointers per game for the third consecutive year. He drew comparisons to Dwyane Wade in terms of his athleticism and his ability to explode when given a lane.

If Gordon decides to re-sign with the Hornets next season and continues to develop, hope may not be lost for basketball in New Orleans after all. He's not going to be Chris Paul, but he is capable of being a franchise player if he can resume his scoring onslaught. As long as New Orleans surrounds Gordon with some talent, the team should be fine.

Then again, we said the same thing when talking about the Hornets surrounding Paul with talent. Let's just hope that they don't sign Bonzi Wells.

Fiction

New York Knicks

Fact or fiction: The Knicks will be a top-three seed

Did the New York Knicks seriously just lose to Charlotte at home? Yes.

Does that mean we should be worried? A little. It's way too early in the season to decide how any team will fare, but it should raise a red flag that the Knicks just gave up 118 bleeping points to the Charlotte Bobcats, a team whose top scorers happen to be Corey Maggette and Boris Diaw.

To make it worse, this came after a loss to the Toronto Raptors. Against one of the league's worst defenses, the Knicks only managed to score 85 points with 34 of those points coming in the first half. Given that Amar'e Stoudemire wasn't playing, but there's no excuse to score 85 points against a defense as inept as Toronto's.

Even in their game against the Bobcats where Stoudemire returned and scored 25 points, the defense was a huge concern. The team gave up 118 points to one of the league's worst offenses and allowed them to shoot 55 percent from the field. If Boris Diaw is scoring 27 points on 12-of-15 shooting and B.J. Mullens is dropping 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, there is a problem.

You can throw $15 million at Tyson Chandler and expect him to solve all your defensive woes, but sometimes that's not enough. You need a collective team effort, as well as a balance on both sides of the ball. I know it's early in the season, but giving up 118 points to Charlotte and scoring 85 against Toronto is foreshadowing a big problem in the future.

It's early in the season so we won't make any assumptions, and I still have the Knicks taking the Atlantic, but they need to make some adjustments and fast.

Fact

Oklahoma City Thunder

Fact or Fiction: The Thunder will obtain the No. 1 seed in the West

Located in the toughest division in the NBA, the Oklahoma City Thunder aren't going to let the hot starts of Portland, Denver and Minnesota deter them from their goal of making it to the NBA Finals.

After a five-game series loss to the Dallas Mavericks in last year's conference finals, the Thunder couldn't be more motivated to make a return. The young team had a chance to walk away from the WCF with a win, but instead blew a fourth-quarter lead in every loss. The team failed to execute down the stretch, while Dallas took advantage of their opponent's miscues.

Aside from lacking a fourth player who could consistently score, the Thunder also faced the problem of who was the alpha dog of the team between Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

Even though Durant had established himself as a clear and evident threat in late-game situations, Westbrook was still taking a large majority of the shots. It eventually led to some tension, and it seems that it has spilled over once again with the two getting into another argument on the sideline early on in the 2011-12 campaign.

These two are making it work on the court at the moment, but this isn't something that can persist through the postseason as well. They can't be deciding on who's the top player on this team, when it's already obvious that Durant is the offensive leader and the player who takes the big shots in the crucial moments.

As long as Durant and Westbrook are at ease, James Harden is converting on his perimeter shots, and Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka are manning the fort down low, the Thunder should be able to see themselves in the No. 1 spot at the end of the season. The roster is incredibly well-balanced with slashers, perimeter threats and defenders alike.

Fact

Orlando Magic

Fact or Fiction: The Magic will be a top-four seed

So far, it's not looking all that bad for the future of Orlando Magic basketball.

After a tumultuous offseason that featured Dwight Howard demanding a trade and nearing an exodus towards the New Jersey Nets, the Magic have managed to maintain their focus in the regular season and have started out 5-2. Since losing on the road to the Thunder in the season opener, the Magic have taken five of the next six games.

Basically, they're taking advantage of an extremely easy schedule. Aside from the Thunder, they have yet to face a team that's going to most likely finish with a record above .500. The teams that the Magic have defeated so far happen to be Houston, New Jersey, Charlotte, Toronto and Washington. It's certainly not good company, but it's at least allowed the Magic off to a hot start.

They'll face their first test shortly with a game against the Chicago Bulls on Friday.

This time around, Howard doesn't appear to be doing it all. He's still averaging 19 points, grabbing 16 caroms and sending back nearly three shots per game, but he's receiving a huge boost from the likes of Ryan Anderson, who is currently leading the team in scoring at 20 points per game.

I doubt it will last, but Anderson is making nearly four three-pointers per game at a 46 percent clip. To go along with seven boards, Anderson has been one of the NBA's biggest surprises as he's finally had his breakthrough season after three quiet seasons.

Still, it's going to be tough for the Magic to retain the fourth seed. They're in good shape now, but they'll have to eventually face the elite teams which includes four games against the Miami Heat.

Fiction

Philadelphia 76ers

Fact or Fiction: The 76ers will make it in as a No. 6-8 seed

Thanks in part to Spencer Hawes getting off to the best start of his career, the Philadelphia 76ers have been able to maintain a hold of the division lead in the Atlantic.

Of course, they have been assisted with one of the easiest opening-week schedules in the NBA. They've only played five games so far and are actually coming off a stretch where they had three days without playing in a game. All of that comes to an end real soon, as they face a second week in January where they play five games in the span of a week.

Luckily, the schedule is still relatively easy. Games against Detroit, Toronto, Sacramento and a back-to-back with Washington are awaiting in the next week.

Thus far, the Sixers have played well against each and everyone of their opponents. Their two losses came by a combined seven points and they have two wins by 20 points or better. They've been boosted by their offense, which somehow currently ranks third in the league in points per game at a little over 102 per.

Once again, this team relies on a strict balance between a few key players. Six players are currently averaging 10 points per or better with Louis Williams leading the way at 18 points per game off the bench.

He, Jrue Holiday and Andre Iguodala are also the team's top three-point threats with all three players are currently making near two three-pointers per game or better, as well as all of them shooting 38 percent or better.

You don't have to be an elite team to make it in as a sixth, seventh or eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Sixers made it to the postseason last year, and they should do so again this year.

Fact

Phoenix Suns

Fact or Fiction: The Suns will sneak in as an eighth seed

When two of your best players are 37 years old or older, the chances are likely that your team isn't going to fare that well.

It turns out that the theory is correct, because the Phoenix Suns aren't that good. Led by a 37-year-old Steve Nash and a 39-year-old Grant Hill, the Suns have started out the season at 2-4 with losses to New Orleans, Philadelphia, Oklahoma City and Dallas. They've had a rough stretch to start the season in terms of the caliber of their opponent, but it's still evident that they're not going to be able to compete in the long run.

The Suns just aren't that great anymore. Without Amar'e Stoudemire to receive and score off of Nash's passes, the team lacks a significant scoring threat that can score at will and become a game-changer. That role is currently being filled by Hakim Warrick, who is leading the team in scoring at 13 points per game on 48 percent shooting.

It seems that the team's offense has also taken a turn for the worse. Being in a run-and-gun offensive style, the Suns still find themselves ranked 23rd in the league in points per game. Nash may be the league's top offensive facilitator, but there is only so much he can do at his age and with the roster that surrounds him.

Currently, Phoenix doesn't have enough weapons to make it deep into the playoffs. Nash may have been able to lead a team with Boris Diaw and Raja Bell to 50-plus wins, but he's not capable of doing the same at this point.

Fiction

Portland Trail Blazers

Fact or Fiction: The Blazers will be a No. 4-6 seed

One of the NBA's hottest teams to start the year, the Portland Trail Blazers have yet to be significantly affected by the losses of Brandon Roy and Greg Oden.

Even though they've had to replace Roy with Wesley Matthews and Oden's currently being replaced by Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas, the Blazers still find themselves at 4-1 and recently coming off a win against the division-rival Oklahoma City Thunder. They may not have an All-Star-laden roster, but Portland will give any team in the NBA a tough contest because of their balance on both sides of the ball.

On offense, you have a number of weapons that can score from anywhere. LaMarcus Aldridge is following up a breakout 2010-11 season with an impressive start to the 2011-12 campaign averaging 22 points and seven boards per game. His ability to score at will from the mid-range and in the low post has made him a significant scoring threat, as he becomes extremely difficult to stop.

Helping him out on the offensive end includes five other players who are averaging nearly 12 points or better. Matthews, Gerald Wallace, newcomers Jamal Crawford and Raymond Felton, and Nicolas Batum are all contributing in a big way on the offensive end. With players that can slash and score from the outside, the Blazers have become a formidable, multidimensional threat to be reckoned with.

Even Kurt Thomas has been producing averaging four points on 71 percent shooting to go along with three boards per. His fellow retirement home roommate in Marcus Camby is averaging nine boards and two blocks per.

The Blazers won't keep pace with the Thunder throughout the season for the division lead, but they will be a good enough team to stay near them and obtain a seed in the middle of the conference.

Fact

Sacramento Kings

Fact or Fiction: The Kings will sneak in as an eighth seed

It's bad enough that the team is off to a less-than-impressive 2-5 start, but the fact that DeMarcus Cousins is creating tension in the locker room isn't helping either. The second-year big man is already reportedly demanding trades off the team. While the Kings publicly rescinded any offers from being made for Cousins, it's still highly possible that the team attempts to trade him.

This isn't the first time that Cousins has gotten in trouble with organization. Even in his rookie season, Cousins was reported to be having altercations with teammates and coaches alike. It's sad that it has come to this, but the Kings need to trade him away before he becomes even more of a problem. This guy is a team cancer, and it's already apparent in only his second season.

He may be a solid double-double threat, but it'll be worth it to the Kings once they have a peaceful setting. They don't need a player like Cousins to create tension. They're already having enough problems attempting to integrate Tyreke Evans at the 2 and Jimmer Fredette at the 1, so it's best that they don't have to deal with an attitude problem on top of that.

Speaking of Evans and Fredette, the two have been disappointing thus far. Fredette's averaging a little fewer than 10 points per game and while he is making a little more than a three-pointer per game, he's only converting them at a 32 percent clip.

Evans has been even more disappointing. After a terrific rookie season and an injury-plagued sophomore season, Evans has started off the season averaging 14 points, three assists and three boards per. Don't forget that this was the same player who averaged better than 20 points, five boards and five assists in his rookie season.

All of their losses have been by 10 points or worse. It's not looking too sunny in Sacramento at the moment.

Fiction

San Antonio Spurs

Fact or Fiction: The Spurs will be a top-three seed

The team is old enough as it is with Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker leading the show, but the San Antonio Spurs are now looking decrepit after losing out on their Argentinian shooting guard for the next two months due to a broken left hand.

Did I mention that Ginobili happens to be left-handed? Yeah, this is a pretty bad scene for a Spurs team that was looking to make this year one of their final moments at achieving NBA Finals glory for the last time with this core. Since Duncan is looking older than ever averaging 11 points and six boards per game, it's going to be difficult for the team to find a replacement for Ginobili.

They'll have to dip into their bench for a temporary answer. Players like James Anderson, Danny Green and Cory Joseph are going to have to fill in for one of the league's craftiest drivers, as well as one of its best perimeter threats. This is the second significant injury Manu has dealt with in the past few months as he also dealt with an injury to his arm in the playoffs last season.

A lot of slack is going to be need to be picked up after the team lost out on their leading scorer. That means players like Tony Parker, DeJuan Blair and Richard Jefferson are going to need to become premier scorers. We've seen Parker go off for as much as 55 points and Jefferson has been known to go off as well, but Blair is still a question mark as a go-to scorer.

Because they're so well-coached and balanced, the Spurs will be able to manage over the next two months. However, we shouldn't expect too much out of them come playoff time when their core players are drained and weary.

Fact

Toronto Raptors

Fact or Fiction: The Raptors will make a push towards the playoffs

Predicted to be one of the league's worst teams, the Toronto Raptors are defying the odds by playing .500 basketball in their first six games.

They've been lucky enough to face the Cleveland Cavaliers twice, but they're also giving some elite teams a run for their money. They took a game against a predicted division winner in the New York Knicks, and just barely lost to the likes of Indiana and Orlando. Only their loss to the Dallas Mavericks was disappointing, but even then, the Mavericks needed to pull away late.

At the moment, the Raptors aren't that bad. But that doesn't mean we should expect them to begin making significant pushes towards the postseason. The team's offense is still greatly limited beyond Andrea Bargnani and DeMar DeRozan, and they also happen to possess not one defensive stopper anywhere in the roster.

The fact that they continue to start inept defenders such as Bargnani and Jose Calderon gives enough reason to recognize that the Raptors won't be able to keep their heads afloat. They need legitimate defenders at those two key positions, and they'll continued to be burnt at the 1 and 5 as long as those two are starting.

Toronto better take advantage of the next week's worth of basketball because their schedule gets extremely difficult later on in the month. There's a stretch where they'll be taking on Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, Portland and the LA Clippers in the span of a little more than a week.

We'll see if the Raptors are at .500 following those games.

Fiction

Utah Jazz

Fact or Fiction: The Jazz will make it as a No. 6-8 seed

The Utah Jazz are a strange bunch. In a league where big men are so valued for their size and expertise around the rim, you would think that the Jazz would be an elite team based on the talent they have in their frontcourt.

However, even with Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter, the Jazz are a .500 basketball team that's, most likely, only going to get worse. They dropped all three games against their elite opponents in Denver, the LA Lakers and San Antonio, but have seen their three wins come against average or below-average teams in Philadelphia, New Orleans and Milwaukee.

This isn't the Jerry Sloan-coached Jazz anymore. Even with all the post threats, the Jazz don't have many offensive weapons to look to on the perimeter or to drive. Aside from the driving prowess of Devin Harris and C.J. Miles, the Jazz are extremely lacking when it comes to players that can use their speed or strength to drive down the lane.

When you have so many post threats, you want to surround them with players that can shoot. It seems simple since you have so much attention being taken in the post. Having shooters to remain vigilant and ready along the perimeter only seems like the best idea.

Instead, Utah ranks 27th in the league in makes per game from beyond the arc. Harris and Miles are the only players on the team currently averaging a three-pointer per game, and not one player is shooting 37 percent or better.

Utah has the potential to be a quality team with all of the post threats they have, but they need some elite shooters and slashers in order to make it back to the playoffs.

Fiction

Washington Wizards

Fact or Fiction: The Wizards will remain relevant halfway through the season

It just didn't feel right to give this team any sort of prediction on how they'll fare in the postseason when they don't even look like they want to be there.

Six games into the season and they've already checked out. Isn't that what every coach wants from their young team? Head coach Flip Saunders truly has his work cut out for him this year with the number of selfish players he has on his team. With guys like Nick Young, Jordan Crawford and Andray Blatche more concerned about scoring than anything else, Saunders is facing trouble with a team that doesn't like to pass the ball.

John Wall happens to be the team's top passer, but he is off to a dreadful start to his second year. Following up a stellar rookie season where he averaged 16 points and eight assists per game, Wall has started off the season averaging 14 points on 33 percent shooting to go along with seven assists, four boards, two steals and a staggering four turnovers per.

Wall is still coughing up the ball as bad as he was in his rookie year. He's an extremely talented player with the capability of going out and getting your team 20 points and 10 assists. At the moment, however, he's just in a slump and his selfish teammates aren't helping out all that much.

To show how selfish this team is, take note that they rank 29th in the league in assists per. Crawford is the only other player not named John Wall to be averaging at least two assists.

I knew that the Wizards wouldn't be that good this year, but I at least thought that talent alone would help them be a near-.500 team. Instead, it's just a squad of individuals who have no knowledge of the game game and couldn't care less about winning.

Sorry, Flip.

Who cares? The Wizards sure don't