Today on www.BetUSradio.com - Around the NBA in 60 secondsby Eric WilliamsKidd & Nets are hot Well, it's about time. For all you NBA fanatics out there - like myself - the seemingly never-ending regular season is finally about to come to a close. Here is my latest update as the 2005-06 season gets set to really begin. Eastern Conference Atlantic Nets The Nets are the hottest team in the league right now and are looking like a very real threat to at least, make the eastern conference title game. Nobody in the east wants to face this team right now. Sixers The Sixers have been one of the biggest Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde teams in the league all season. Inconsistency and underachievement have been the trademark of this team all season. It's a shame too because they have one of the league's fiercest players in former MVP and scoring champ, Allen Iverson. Celtics The C's are another team that has been plagued with inconsistent performances from nearly every player on the roster not named Paul Pierce. The Celtics have several talented young player littering their roster - possibly, too many. Raptors I expect things to get much better in Toronto next season with the arrival of new general manager, Bryan Colangelo. The Raptors had better find a way to keep Chris Bosh and Mike James. Other than that, I'd say everyone is expendable. Knicks With all of the Knicks problems this year, I wonder if Larry Brown is yearning for a reunion with former antagonist, Allen Iverson. Expect a different roster for the Knicks next season - if they can sucker someone into taking some of the ridiculous their multitude of underachievers are receiving. Central Pistons The Pistons have been waiting all season for the playoffs to roll around. Now we'll get to see how good they really are when they kick their games up another notch. Oh boy, I can't wait. Cavaliers The Cavaliers are going to the playoffs for the first time since the Ice Age. Okay, I know it hasn't been that long, but it should be interesting to see the continued development of LeBron James and the improved Cavs. I expect this team to be even better next year. Oh, and if the Cavs get starting shooting guard Larry Hughes back before the playoffs, watch out. Bucks The Bucks are another perplexing team - albeit one that is going to get better with each passing game. I expect big things out of this team in another year or two, but as of right now, the Bucks could use whatever playoff experience they can gather. Pacers The Pacers have been beset this season with more Ron Artest drama and another series of devastating injuries. However, they are finally getting healthy with the return of Jermaine O'Neal and Jamal Tinsley. This is another team that a lot of eastern conference teams don't want to face right now. Bulls The Bulls are surging right now and could possibly vault past the 76ers for the final spot in the eastern conference playoffs. However, this young team is still n the process of learning how to win consistently. Last season was a huge step forward and this season has been the proverbial two steps backwards. This team is getting there, but they've still got some lumps to take. Southeast Heat The Heat have underachieved all season long after their extreme makeover this past offseason. However, any team with Dwayne Wade and Shaquille O'Neal has to be considered a legitimate contender. Now, if only they can get Antoine Walker to stop jacking up all those wild threes. Wizards The Wizards are another team that has been on a roll lately. Although they aren't receiving as much national attention as the Nets, they have been nearly as hot. If this team ever played any defense, they could actually be a tough out come playoff time. With Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison on the roster, scoring is not a problem. Magic The Orlando Magic have been getting stellar play recently form one of my favorite players - former St. Joe's Hawk, Jameer Nelson. Now if only they could play some defense as well. P.S. they had better get their act together before they lose both Nelson and man-child Dwight Howard, when both will be eligible to file for free agency in a couple of years. Hawks Let's see. The Hawks have 75 small forwards on their roster and no legitimate center. Joe Johnson has been steady all season long, but if he's worth 14 million a year, then I guess Steve Nash is worth 28 million since he's twice as good. I guess Johnson will be happy on the golf links while his former team, the Suns, are leaving skid marks on their first round opponent. Bobcats I love the direction that Bernie Bickerstaff has given this franchise. It is obviously going to take a few seasons to get this team where they want to be, but they are off to a great start. Point guard, Raymond Felton has been eye-opening, to say the least the last two weeks Western Conference Northwest Nuggets The Nuggets are another team that many western conference contenders don't want to run into during the playoffs. Led by the outstanding play of Carmelo Anthony, the Nuggets have been playing some pretty good ball as they head into the playoffs and have been a much-improved team since the arrival of the enigmatic Reuben Patterson. Jazz I love Jerry Sloan and I think Utah has been playing very well over the last month or so. However, this team needs to get more consistent and stop wasting the inspiring play of Andrei "AK 47" Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur. Maybe the return of Carlos Boozer can beef up this team's soft interior. Then again, maybe not. Timberwolves Hmmm ... The T-Wolves have a one-man gang in KG, a nice young point guard in Marcus Banks and another nice young player in shooting guard Rashad McCants. Other than that, I say blow up the roster. Supersonics What a difference a year makes. Last season at this time, the Sonics were in the midst of their best season in ages. This year, they're back to the same underachieving group they had been since Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp were both in their primes. Trailblazers It's a shame that young point guard Sebastian Telfair is being indoctrinated in the ways of the NBA by a bunch of wack-job head cases. Once again, I say keep the young talent and ship off the underachieving nut-jobs like Darius Miles. Pacific Suns The Suns can outrun and outgun any team in the league. However, they are going to need an inside presence if they face the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs again this year. It's a shame that both Amare Stoudemire and Kurt Thomas are injured or the Suns would really be something to marvel - not that they aren't right now. Clippers What in the name of Sam Hill is going on? The Clippers are enjoying their best season since Bob McAdoo was lighting up the scoreboard in Buffalo nearly three decades ago. Sam Cassell and Elton Brand could actually help this team to win a round in the playoffs. Amazing. Lakers The Lakers are obviously in need of more talent and toughness. Kobe Bryant has been absolutely astounding this season. Too bad he's got one of the biggest underachievers in the game (Lamar Odom) as this team's second option on offense. Kings The Sacramento Kings got a huge steal when they traded jump shooting Peja Stojakovic for Mr. Do-it-all, Ron Artest, who has literally changed the mindset and makeup of this team. The Kings should only get better from here on in. Warriors The Warriors may be the league's biggest underachievers this season. After acquiring the talented Baron Davis right before last season's trade deadline - and showing dramatic improvements - big things were expected out of the Warriors this year. Unfortunately, this season has been a case of same 'ol Warriors. Until this team gets at least two more competent big men, they'll continue to be amongst the NBA's bottom feeders. Southwest Spurs Let's be real for a minute. Is there a team in the west that can beat the Spurs in a seven game series? Yeah, when a snowball freezes over in you-know-where. Until then, you can pencil this team in to meet whichever team comes out of the east - which will most likely be the Detroit Pistons. Mavericks Like most people, I am amazed with Dirk Nowitzki's game. He's the smoothest shooting seven-footer ever. However, until he can put the Mavs on his back - and really challenge Tim Duncan, He'll always be a bridesmaid instead of a bride. Grizzlies I really like what Mike Fratello has been able to do in Memphis. His team usually plays its heart out and is one of the best defensive teams in the league. Until Pau Gasol gets a little more help though, he'll be standing next to Nowitzki in the bridesmaid line. Hornets Byron Scott has permanently ended all the speculation of whether he can really coach or not and Chris Paul is a star in the making. The Hornets have been the feel-good story all season long with their unselfish, overachieving play. Give this team another year or two and they could be a contender. Rockets My God, has there been a more underachieving team in the league the past two seasons? No way. The Rockets - and more notably - Tracy McGrady have yet any games of consequence. But then again, when you're looking at the lottery each year, I guess every game is inconsequential. Eric Williams is a sports columnist for the Philadelphia Sunday Sun who can be heard every Wednesday on BetUsradio.com at 3:15 eastern. Contact him at Eklass66@yahoo.com. --- by BetUSradio at 1800-sports.com on April 05, 2006
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