The state of the NBA

I've tried telling people that don't watch professional basketball this, but it seems too out there for them. The NBA is actually awesome this year. Seriously. Better than maybe even football this year. The league is filled with a good collection of uber-talented players and good guys, young stars on the rise and old tigers trying to stay relevant. This year is completely unpredictable. This is easily the best NBA season in 10 years. You'd have to go back to the early 90s to find a season this good. Back then you had Jordan's Bulls, Ewing's Knicks, Barkley's Suns, Payton and Kemp in Seattle, the Mailman and Stockton in Utah, Run TMC in Golden State and Mr. Drexler/Dr. Clyde in Portland, and the Dream in Houston. By comparison this season we have Kobe's Lakers, Chris Paul and the surprising Hornets, the Big Three in Boston, Baron and Jax and Monta and Nellie running til they drop in Golden State, the Run and Gun in Phoenix, Dirk Diggler and the Mavs, Duncan and Manu in San Antonio, Boozer and Deron Williams in Utah, Superman in Orlando, Yao (Ow!) and T-Mac in Houston, Melo and Iverson in Denver and of course, LBJ willing the Cavs to the playoffs.

Here's what we know: the East is lousy, except for Boston, Detroit, Orlando, Cleveland and sometimes Toronto; the West is awesome, except for the Clippers, Minnesota, Sacramento, Seattle and Memphis.

That said, Boston or Cleveland could still come out of the East and win the NBA title. Not incredibly likely, especially in Cleveland's case, but not impossible. As long as LeBron is healthy, the Cavs have a chance to beat anybody. He's the rare super-hyped athlete that has exceeded expectations. He's that good. No team wants to play him in the playoffs.

And he might not even win MVP. Kobe Bryant has been playing like a man who can sense a championship ever since the trade for Pau Gasol, but even before that, he had started playing with more maturity than ever before. He's a terror on the defensive end for the first time in a good five years.

Then there's Chris Paul, who is the point guard in the league and is nearly unguardable. He's averaging a double-double and is the main reason New Orleans has a good basketball team.

All of this adds up to the most exciting buildup to the playoffs in a long time. Even in the East, watching perennial losers like the Atlanta Hawks try to make the playoffs is fun. The Hawks have a fun team to watch with players like Al Horford, Joe Johnson and Josh Smith. Horford has been a monster for them. I like Chicago even though their record stinks. I think they're better than that. If Deng ever comes around, they could be a tough matchup for anyone. Joakim Noah's been a rebounding force for them. Look at the core in Portland: Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Greg Oden when he returns next year.

For a league that has been boring and predictable, defined by selfish play and thuggish behavior on and off the court, this season has been a revelation. The NBA can be fun. Basketball can be beautiful. It is essentially the American version of futbol, creating beautiful art in motion with the hands instead of the feet.

when people say sports don't matter...

...they're wrong. Case in point, the outcry of angry and sad Seattle fans as they realize they're going to lose their beloved SuperSonics. Bill Simmons of ESPN.com has ask that people send their thoughts on the Sonics moving to him. It's a good look into the soul of sports fans and into how much sports really means to people.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/080229&sportCat=nba