National Basketball Association

Spurs on top, but Lakers lurking

Published Dec. 9, 2010 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

At the quarter mark of the NBA season, the team to beat in our book is sitting pretty, in third place in its conference.

No, we're not talking about the Miami Heat, but the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.

While Miami has been written and talked about to death, the Lakers, like everyone else, have been flying under the radar and doing pretty well, considering that Kobe Bryant hasn't even started playing like an MVP candidate and they're still waiting on Andrew Bynum to man the middle.

But the Lakers, at 16-6, aren't even the best story in their own conference.

The Spurs were supposed to be on their last roundup in the Tim Duncan era, saving their best for the playoffs -- if Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker could hold up for that long. And all the Spurs have done is open by winning 18 of their first 21 games and putting themselves on a pace to win 70 games. Who'd have thunk that when the season started?

All the talk back on Halloween was whether the Heat's super-star studded trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh would challenge the Bulls' record of 72 wins. Not a chance, as the Heat, after 20 games, were a wobbly 12-8, compared to the '96 Bulls, who broke out of the gate at 18-2. Other than Miami's early-season struggles, we had the return of pro basketball to New York after a decade's absence, and Boston has shown no sign of slippage coming off last year's trip to the Finals.

So, drum roll please, as we’re here to give out some awards:

MVP

For starters, the two-time defending MVP isn’t on our ballot. That’s right, LeBron needs to pick it up to get into contention. The Hornets’ Chris Paul is doing miracles with a suspect supporting cast. The more you see Rajon Rondo, the more you understand that he makes the Celtics go. The Magic’s Dwight Howard, Lakers’ Pau Gasol, Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook and Knicks' Amar'e Stoudemire are all in the mix. One word of caution on Amar’e: As the Knicks have turned their season around, nine of their 11 wins have come against teams with losing records. Their only wins over teams with winning records (at the time the Knicks played them): Golden State and New Orleans.

Our winner: Dirk Nowitzki. During the Mavs’ ridiculous 18-4 start, they’ve posted wins at San Antonio, against Boston, at Denver, against New Orleans, at Atlanta, at Oklahoma City, at Utah and against Miami. Against those division leaders and quality opponents, Nowitzki has been a scoring machine, averaging 27 points.

Best Free-Agent Signing

You know the high-profile candidates by heart, starting with LeBron and Chris Bosh in Miami. But what have they done so far, other than to underachieve, and in LeBron’s case, resort to some classless behind-the-scenes sniping at Heat coach Erik Spoelstra?

The Bulls’ Carlos Boozer gets a medical deferment because he missed so much time after breaking his hand in training camp. The player who got the most money last summer, Atlanta’s Joe Johnson, didn’t exactly take his game to a new level before recently requiring elbow surgery that will keep him on the shelf until the New Year, at least.

So here’s where we’ll show Stoudemire some love. With his high energy, scoring (25.7 ppg), board work (9.1 rpg) and shot-blocking (1.9 pg), he has rejuvenated one of the sorriest franchises in the NBA. So far, you have to say that he has been worth the $100 million he received last July. When the Knicks started off at 3-8, he never once wavered in his role as the team’s new leader. You bet that didn’t go unnoticed by the team’s coaching staff and front-office brass.

Most Underrated Acquisition

The Bobcats figure in both of our top candidates, which might help to explain why Larry Brown’s team is headed for the lottery after making the playoffs last spring for the first time in franchise history. Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton played for Charlotte last season and are shining in their new homes.

Chandler (8.8 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 1.4 blocks in only 26.6 mpg) has given the Mavs a defensive presence in the middle that they’ve long been seeking. After they gave Stoudemire the keys to the franchise, the Knicks went looking for a point guard. They decided to sign Felton, but to only a two-year deal, since they've got eyes for Chris Paul and Deron Williams, each of whom turns free in 2012.

In going with Felton over Steve Blake and Luke Ridnour, the Knicks have gotten career-bests in scoring (18.6 ppg) and shooting (47%) from Felton, with 8.6 assists per outing and some hellacious on-the-ball D. But with the Mavs’ torrid start against better competition, we’ll go with Chandler.

Worst moves

It’s a good thing the Bucks’ John Hammond won Executive of the Year last season, because let’s just say his signings and trades haven’t worked out very well this season. The Bucks imported Corey Maggette, Drew Gooden and Chris Douglas-Roberts to give them depth and scoring, but the Bucks have been one of the most disappointing teams, losing 13 of their first 21. The loss of Carlos Delfino’s 13 ppg, along with John Salmons and Brandon Jennings each shooting under 40 percent from the floor, has not helped Scott Skiles’ cause.

Coach of the Year

Jerry Sloan lost a key component when Boozer left Utah for Chicago, but the Jazz have not lost a beat with a 16-7 mark. Who knows, Sloan might even be good enough to get Al Jefferson, Boozer’s replacement, to start playing the kind of defense that Utah is known for. The Jazz’s sweeping of games at Miami, Orlando and Atlanta in a four-day stretch and all of the comeback variety, is hard to top. Included in that was Paul Millsap's astounding 46-point night against Miami's Big Three, perhaps the top individual effort of the season so far.

Trade They’re Gonna Regret

When the Hornets either are forced to deal Chris Paul or lose him to free agency in 2012, they’re going to wish they never traded Darren Collison to the Pacers in landing Trevor Ariza from Houston. Collison has been exactly what the Pacers have needed in putting a winning team on the floor.

Rookie of the Year

It’s a bad year for John Wall to be a rookie … and everyone else who was drafted last June, for that matter. The Clippers’ Blake Griffin is one of those rare players who will make the All-Star Game right out of the box. He’s got the whole package _ the game (20 ppg on 51 percent shooting, 11.7 rpg,) , the off-the-charts athleticism that leads to some of the most eye-popping dunks in all of basketball, and a winning personality. Now if we can just find him a legitimate franchise to play for …

Glad to See You Back

It seemed as if Richard Jefferson went through the motions last season, his first with the Spurs. But in giving San Antonio 14.6 ppg on 49 percent shooting, and 43 percent on 3-pointers, he has been one of the reasons the Spurs have jetted to the top of the West.

Most Regressed Player

Since heading to the bench on Nov. 20, Memphis’ O.J. Mayo is averaging only nine points per game and hasn’t exactly embraced his role as a reserve for Lionel Hollins. That’s less than half of what he averaged two years ago as a rookie and well down from his production last season (17.5 ppg). The Grizzlies were expected to challenge for the eighth playoff spot, but are in 10th place in the West and five games under .500.