The Rajon Rando era begins !!!  The NBA season kicked off in full gear last night.  Being a celtic die hard fan... lets just say that it could have started out a little better.  One would think with the inspriration with the passing of Red Auback, the home court, and star (NOT a superstar yet) in Paul Pierce that the Celtics would be able to beat the Hornets.  But nope... wasn't the case.  Telphair, west and rando really couldn't stop his penetration at all for the most part and Paul ended up with Paul-like game of 20, 10, 5.   I have said it before and I'll say it again he is the BEST ALL AROUND PG RIGHT NOW!  Ok.. had to get that off my chest. 

They really need to get rid of Doc and hire someone like Phil Jackson.  I must say that he has done a remarkable job with the Lakers without Kobe.  I really think that they could be a playoff team and a decent one at that without Kobe.  Let alone with Kobe.   I've watched their first two games and must say that they looked very tough and very deep.   They work as a team, move without the ball and play with energy.  Thats really all you need and what you should do if you don't have a lot of good players.  They have a bunch of mediocre players.  Their offense really puts players in positions to suceed.  Its very medthodical and calculated.  They really put on a display.  The defense is a little sorry and they need to work on that a lot.   But the offense really doesn't have too many flaws.  I'm the last person you would call a Laker homer cause i'm from Los Angeles becuase I hate the Lakers and rejoiced when Raja closelined him last year.  But you have to be objective and give props when its due.  Man have they looked good.  Maybe John Hollinger wasn't on crack for having them finish 3rd in the West afterall......

Here's a look at my predicted award winners for the season:

MVP:  Tim Duncan (cause they'll win the championship)

ROY:  Brandon Roy cause the man can really just do it all.  Remind me why we traded a pick where we could have drafted him to get Telphair instead?

Sixth Man:  Sam Cassel ...if you measured the temperature of his blood, it would be like -3484738404 degrees.  There are people with ice water in their veins, and then there is Sam.

Defensive player of the year:  Gerald Wallace because AK just won't say healthy

Coach of the year:  Jerry Sloan.  He'll have a team that will win 50 games and make the playoffs.  But only cause his players are healthier this year than last year.  NOT cause of any actual coaching.  It should go to Phil Jackson in my opinion after watching these first two games and i stand by that comment.

West winner:  San Antonio

East winner:  Detroit

Champion:  San Antonio