NBA’s first month features plenty of intrigue

LeBron James loves his new teammates and Ron Artest is playing nice with his old ones.

Speaking of homecomings, it’ll be a while before either Phil Jackson or Larry Brown can start enjoying theirs.

The first month of the NBA season has offered plenty more for fans, such as a duel between Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson for the scoring lead, and a first-place team in Los Angeles – just not the one anyone is used to seeing.

The duds may be a little more dapper, too. But one thing looks all too familiar: Everyone is still chasing the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons.

Detroit brought in Flip Saunders to sit on its bench, the Spurs added Michael Finley and Nick Van Exel for scoring off theirs. So far the moves are paying off, and an NBA Finals rematch seems possible – even if the defending champs aren’t ready to look that far ahead.

“We have to play 82 and hopefully win another 16 (beyond that),” the Spurs’ Manu Ginobili said. “There’s a long way to go. We want to worry about playing better and getting better.”

Some unfamiliar teams are among the ones looking ready to stand in their way.

Cleveland made changes designed to get James into the postseason for the first time in his three-year career. Larry Hughes, Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall have fit in nicely, James has been superb while winning Eastern Conference player of the month, and the Cavaliers have stayed near the top of a Central Division that could be the NBA’s most competitive.

“For the first time I feel great because our team is playing real well,” James said during Cleveland’s strong start.

So are the Clippers, who surged to the top of the Pacific Division – that other team in Los Angeles has been at the bottom – after adding guards Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley to play with forward Elton Brand.

The Pistons are just as happy with the move they made in hiring Saunders to replace Brown. Already one of the league’s best defensive teams, Saunders has turned the Pistons into a pretty good offensive club as well. The players quickly embraced him, no doubt helped by their 8-0 start.

“Flip is one of those guys that doesn’t get too excited about teams making runs, or us coming down and not getting a basket in two or three times down the court,” Detroit’s Ben Wallace said. “It’s so rare in this league for a coach to be that calm.”

The Spurs aren’t quite as pleased, but they look nearly as good. San Antonio players don’t think their defense has been up to its usual high standard, but they seem to have enough offense to overcome an occasional lapse.

“I think the record talks about us better than we are actually playing,” Ginobili said. “We don’t think we’re playing that great yet, but it’s good to not play good and be winning. That’s a good thing because we know we have a long way to go and improve, and we’re still winning.”

Some teams aren’t – at least as much as they expected – and they’re not happy about it.

With Tracy McGrady hurt most of the month, Houston fell to the bottom of the Western Conference. The Rockets lost the first eight games they played without their leading scorer.

“Right now we’re the junior varsity game on everybody’s schedule,” Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said late last month.

The Miami Heat haven’t been as bad, but they haven’t been sharp enough for Van Gundy’s brother, Stan, after losing Shaquille O’Neal to an injured ankle.

“Right now, we’re not a team that has shown consistency of energy or intensity,” Stan Van Gundy said during a recent losing streak.

The Pacers got back the services of a better-behaved Artest after he returned from his suspension from last season’s brawl, and the Hornets picked up thousands of fans upon moving to Oklahoma City after being forced out of New Orleans because of Hurricane Katrina. They have been led by Chris Paul, who has been the best of a thus far unspectacular rookie class.

Plenty of early intrigue comes from the Northwest Division.

The SuperSonics, last season’s surprising division champions, lost coach Nate McMillan during the off-season and haven’t been as good – or happy – under Bob Weiss while tumbling into last place.

Vladimir Radmanovic, who flourished as a sixth man under McMillan, has been particularly unhappy.

“I think you’ve got a few guys in there that are not real happy with their roles. It is just a different team,” Hornets coach Byron Scott said of the Sonics.

Kevin Garnett hasn’t been entirely pleased, either.

The Timberwolves star caused a stir by criticizing general manager Kevin McHale’s handling of the team last season, when McHale fired Saunders and took over as coach before Minnesota missed the postseason.

Garnett isn’t sure if things will be much better this season.

“Are we a playoff team? I don’t know. It’s only November,” Garnett said. “Talk to me in March.”