The Miami Heat
This team is scarier than I imagined. Despite below average offensive performances from LeBron so far, they are killing teams with defense.
Given their current scoring margin (and granted the N is only 5), you can predict that their winning percentage will be 92.6% -- meaning they are expected to win 75.3 games, destroying the 95-96 Chicago Bulls' record of 72 wins. I whipped out the good ole' binomial distribution to estimate that they have a 94% probability of at least matching the Bulls' record (although in truth it is probably considerably lower than that given the relative softness of their early schedule and the likelihood of injuries, etc.)
As of last week, Vegas was giving the Heat a ~37% chance of winning the NBA Championship. I suspect that will rise.
The LA Lakers and the Boston Celtics
It's possible (though unlikely) that two teams could at least match the 95-96 Bulls' 72 wins this season. The Lakers are clearly the second best team in the NBA and are probably better than last year. With their current scoring margin, they are expected to win 69.7 games and have about a 12% chance of winning at least 72 games.
The Boston Celtics would be considered a championship favorite almost any other year. These three teams are historically good. (Then you have Orlando, Oklahoma City, and Chicago behind them that are also potentially very good.)
Rajon Rondo
A point guard known for his defense and his awkwardly long arms is on pace to shatter the NBA assists record. Tonight he had 17 assists and 0 turnovers.
Kevin Durant
Never has scoring looked so effortless. The guy is undefendable. And with Westbrook running the point, Oklahoma City is a joy to watch.
The Rooks
Blake Griffin will eat you for breakfast. He and Dwight Howard are two of the most athletic bigs the NBA has known.
Here was (Raleigh's own) John Wall's line from tonight: 29 points, 13 assists, 8 turnovers, 9 steals. And he can dance.
Golden State
Okay, so no history in the making here, but they are damn fun to watch. You would not call them a formidable defensive unit, but with Steph Curry, Monta Ellis, and David Lee, this is an exciting team.
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On a side note, I have been trying to figure out how to be productive at night given all the NBA excitement. I've found that while it's near impossible to effectively read or write while watching a game, I can safely watch a couple of games and listen to a podcast or watch a TED talk (or some such) at the same time.
