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The prognosticators picked Detroit, Miami and San Antonio, but who picked the Phoenix Suns? They claimed every award imaginable at the All-Star break, and they found the prize and biggest surprise in the league's new MVP, Canadian-born Steve Nash. Dallas actually had a good season without Nash, as former college back up Jason Terry fit a role. Denver and the rocky mountain high were on a low until they brought George Karl to coach a talented under-performing squad. The underappreciated Allen Iverson had an MVP year, and got overshadowed by the hype of Steve Nash. It was a race between Phoenix and Seattle the entire season, with nobody expecting that either team could keep it going. In the end, they were proven right.
The Heat played a great regular season. Which does beg the question why do we play the regular season anyway? Well it is economically purposeful, and where would I spend my hours in that I use on the season pass? Certainly not watching NHL. It does separate the weak from the strong, even though the playoff style ball of defense first does always shine through in the end. Proof is Detroit led by Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace, and San Antonio led by Bruce Bowen, as both boast no offense whatsoever.
Living 1,800 miles away from my home team, I did catch every Bulls game I could, and what a turnaround. They showed that they still have horns, even if it seems like an eternity since I last saw them. I wish that Luol Deng and Eddy Curry hadn't got hurt. But Scott Skiles, who deserved the Coach of soccer jerseys
the Year, has now shown the NBA that the Bulls can play in the postseason.
It's hard to believe that the hype surrounding LeBron James hasn't gotten them into the playoffs, but perhaps Kirk Hinrich, Carmelo Anthony and Dwayne Wade may be better team players or certainly they are on better teams. This was the great sophomore season of Dwayne Wade. Nobody knew his real talent until the playoffs. Shaq was hurt and Wade picked up the team. Should an NBA team be playing in Atlanta? No one ever goes to the games.
Some teams clearly improved as the year progressed, remember the Bulls started out 0 for their first 9, and trade deadline helped teams improve like the Golden St. Warriors, who picked up Baron Davis. So look to the draft, and 2006 to be an even better season. For awhile there, we feared there would be no 2006, but now we get to sit and watch the return of the Zen Master, the next attempt to humble Kobe, and the final chapters of the Lovable Shaq.