Round Ball Rock

Earlier this summer and into this fall, basketball fans worldwide were in fear of the word all sports fans despise: LOCKOUT.  Now that the NBA is back, let's take a look at some contenders, some not-so-hot teams, and some shockers.

Who's Hot?

Oklahoma City Thunder- Following their appearance in the Western Conference Finals, where they would eventually suffer defeat at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks, the Thunder are now owners of the NBA's best record at 16-3. Led by all-stars Kevin Durant (26.3 points per game) and Russell Westbrook (20.8 PPG), as well as Sixth Man of the Year candidate "The Beard" James Harden (16.9 PPG), this Thunder team has been great so far. With the players they have, and the energy of their fans, this Thunder team may be ready to play for a title.

Chicago Bulls- After finishing with the league's best record last season, the Bulls have continued their success by grabbing the best record in the Eastern Conference. Point guard Derrick Rose is playing at a MVP level once again, as he is carrying this young but experienced team on his shoulders. However, this year he is not doing it alone. Before forward Loul Deng went down with a wrist injury, he was a great second option as he was averaging 15.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for the not so offensively strong Bulls.

In addition to being a great scorer, Deng's defense is also a key to the Bulls success. The Bulls other starters are not exactly scrubs either. With Carlos Boozer, Richard "Rip" Hamilton, and Joakim Noah in the lineup every night, the Bulls may be capable of beating this next team in playoff action.

Miami Heat- Aside from the Los Angeles Lakers, the Heat are arguably the most disliked team in the NBA. The Heat are also one of the best teams in the NBA. Despite not having a healthy Dwayne Wade and his 19.9 PPG for nine games, the Heat have achieved a record of 15-5 behind the superb play of Chris Bosh (21.4 PPG) and the always tantalizing LeBron James, who at 29.5 PPG is only behind some guy named Kobe Bryant for the league's scoring title. With a full year under their belts, the acquisition of the defensive stalwart Shane Battier, and what seems to be a more productive bench, the Heat could be on their way back to the NBA Finals.

Disappointing Teams

Los Angeles Lakers- The Lakers are not the dominant team that they once were out west. After being swept by the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Semi-Finals, the Lakers underwent many off-season changes. The most important of which was the hiring of former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach, Mike Brown. When the team hit the floor on Christmas Day against the Chicago Bulls things were looking great until the Bulls exposed the holes in the Lakers armor in a comeback victory.

One of the problems is that the Lakers lack a good point guard. With all respect to the veteran Derek Fisher, his offense has declined a lot as he is only averaging 5.4 points a game. Fisher's defense has also taken a hit in this his sixteenth year as a pro. At 12-9, the Lakers are not out of the playoff picture just yet. To improve, the Lakers cannot rely solely on the play of Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol to carry them. Whether it's Andrew Bynum, Metta World Peace, or even (if they make a trade for him) Dwight Howard, someone else must step up and take on some of the scoring load for the Lakers to win.

Boston Celtics- In 2008, the Boston Celtics "Big Three" of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were able to carry the team to its first championship since 1986. Now, three years later, each of these men is now in their mid-thirties and showing signs of wearing down. With a record of 9-10, the Celtics are in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2007. But there is hope for the folks in "Beantown" as the Celtics possess one of the best pure point guards in the game in Rajon Rondo.

While his jump shot has been questioned ever since his days at the University of Kentucky, Rondo has not let the criticism side track him. Before spraining his wrist in a January 18 contest against the Toronto Raptors, Rondo was averaging 15 points, 9.4 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game. Hopefully for the Celt's, Rondo's return will bring about better results. If things do not change, expect to see some moves being made by General Manager Danny Ainge.

New York Knicks- The Knicks have struggled mightily out of the gate this year. After finishing 42-40 and making the playoffs for the first time since '03-'04 season, the Knicks come in currently with a record of 7-13. This should not be the record for a roster that includes two all-stars in Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. However, with ‘Melo being out with wrist, thumb, and ankle injuries, the Knicks do not have a lot of their firepower on the court. Couple that with "Stat" (Amare Stoudamire) only averaging 17.6 ppg (career avg 21.8) and you see at least a part of Knicks issues.