I was going to do an RW Power Rankings for the 2010-2011 NBA Season but that meant I would have had to think about teams like Toronto or examine 8 or 9 GM's who haven't made a coherent move in the last five years.  That would have been torture for both you and me.  So instead, we'll look at the story lines that will define the season.  I'm sure I'll miss a few and I'm sure you'll let me know.  As always, feel free to drop me a line at eric.rudin@gmail.com.  The RW Mailbag is well overdue.  I have some good questions on file to make it happen.  But until then, here's the NBA Season as I see it:

HONORABLE MENTION - How much more excited are you for the first week of the NBA season than the World Series?

Words can not describe.  Sorry, I wanted a slam dunk Q & A to start things off.  I need to get in the flow.  Let's just say that Rupert Murdoch will get the ratings he deserves with a Rangers/Giants World Series. 

Note:  The World Series is just above the NHL Power Rankings on ESPN right now.

10.  How will this year's rookie class fare?

This one is very interesting because there are some dynamic players and personalities in this year's class.  I haven't been this excited about rookies since Kevin Durant.  Derrick Favors is better than people realize and while Evan Turner and Wes Johnson may not do much of anything, the top three rookies have the potential to be All-NBAers in short order.  DeMarcus Cousins does have attitude/maturity issues.  But if someone can get through to him, he is a beast in the making.  On top of that, his personality shines through, for better or worse, and he will absolutely be a story line one way or another.  Then there's Blake Griffin.  This "rookie" could very well make the all-star game in his first season barring some bad Clipper inflited luck.  He has been a force in the preseason.  While I think he needs a lot of polish, his stat lines should be impressive.  And that brings me to my pre-season obsession, John Wall.  If you only knew what I turned down for him in a keeper league.  John Wall is a level-headed Allen Iverson.  He's got charisma the likes of which we haven't seen in a while for such a young guy and he will wow you night in and night out.  And yes, there's a rap song about him and his dance already:  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meYIbAt2iaQ).

9.  Do the TNT guys have another MVP season in them?

I believe so, and I even enjoy the Chris Webber cameos.  Webber is clearly bright, brings some insight, and isn't afraid to mix it up with Chuck.  And I know I don't have to sell E.J., The Jet, and Sir Charles to you.  TNT's studio show is secretly one of my favorite parts of the basketball season, hands down.  I'll watch Toronto play Charlotte just to catch the halftime show if they're on TNT.

8.  Do the old guys contend or is this the year they decide to blow it up?

The Spurs scare me every year until their entire roster hits the injured list.  But here it is, another preseason, and I can't help but to be scared of the Spurs.  Logic and reason tell me that these fears will be gone in three months when they roll in the oxygen machines, but for now, Duncan, Parker, Manu & co. are legit, especially with Splitter and Blair spelling Duncan.  On a side note, how long before the Mavs blow their situation up?  They're on the decline and Dirk isn't getting any younger.  Cuban promised him a ton of help.  We'll see what that means.

7.  Where does Carmelo land?

This isn't quite LeBron watch, but Carmelo could give the Knicks or Nets new life, not this year, but in the new future.  I'm not sold on Amare, but Carmelo and Amare doesn't sound half bad.  Brook Lopez, eh.  Lopez and Melo for the next several years?  Hmm. . .  On the flip side, Denver had its chance and is now done.  That's what they get for upsetting the Mamba.

6.  Is there a sleeper lurking out there?

I wish the Bulls were a sleeper because I love their chances to take down some giants in the East, but you can't be a sleeper when everybody is picking you to win your division.  So with the Bulls off the board, I'll say yes, there is a sleeper, and it's the Washington Wizards.  You already know how I feel about Mr. Wall, and while I don't see the Wizards contending for a title, I absolutely see them going from 26-56 to close to .500, which means a 7 seed in the east.  Blatche, McGee, and Yi form an underrated front line.  Gilbert is of course a wildcard, but the Wiz had a sneaky pickup in Kirk Hinrich.  He's a gamer with some experience.  Sign me up for the Wizards bandwagon.  I'm getting on board early.

5.  Everybody's talking about the Heat, but what about the Magic and Celtics?  Can either get the to the Finals?

I say yes, either can.  We'll examine the aforementioned Heat in a moment, but the Celtics, when healthy, are still as scary a team as there is.  They don't have to go through the gauntlet that is the West, and therefore, can take it easy and rest for the playoffs.  I'm pretty sure the Hawks, Bobcats, etc. don't scare them.  As for the Magic, if Dwight Howard has made some serious stride with his low post game, the Magic are an absolute contender (Hakeem School graduate).  There isn't a bigger force around the rim and that's an understatement.  He has a Secretariat sized advantage over second best in that conversation.  If his offense comes along, the Magic have the type of guy (think Kareem/Hakeem/Robinson/Shaq/Duncan) that can make the game a whole lot easier for everyone around him.  As always with Dwight, it will be fun to watch.  You have to love the Fast Don't Lie ad.

4.  What is going to happen with the Collective Bargaining Agreement?

The owners and Stern have their game faces on already.  We're seeing assertions about as credible as those made in 2010 political campaigns come out.  Funny arithmetic is ruling the day, and what's worse is that it might work (I'm not buying their losing revenue argument when the Warriors sans arena sell for $450 million).  The owners know that the players live paycheck to paycheck all too often and can't survive a lockout. What's more, outside of the big market teams, some owners can absolutely live without some regular season games, at least in the short term.  I just hope that the owners realize that the fans will leave them just as they did the MLB and NHL in the last two decades.  While MLB was lucky to fall into Cal Ripken and 2131 then the steroid Home Run Derby, the NHL has yet to recover.  The NBA, as was reiterated to me recently, has a legitimate competitor in the NCAA.  People who love basketball will still get to watch the game.  March Madness makes a lot of things better for the basketball loving world.  With that in mind, I think we'll see a pro-owner agreement where max deals drop by another year.

3.  Will the new Big-3 experiment work?

No.  I have yet to see a major basketball team win when there is no set half court offense.  The Heat have to spread the ball and won't figure out how to soothe egos.  Remember the Yankees' inability to win because of the lack of role players?  There are times you need to bunt, but what were you going to do, have A-Rod lay one down?  Can't do it, and that's where the problem lies with the Heat.  They have one proven winner in D-Wade, and my Mavericks readers will dispute that.  LeBron hasn't won anything and Bosh is the luckiest person alive to have fallen into this money and marketing dream.  The only way I see the Heat working is by throwing convention completely out the door.  They have to go 1990 Loyola Marymount and run teams out the door, literally.  Hire Paul Westhead, go fast break all day, and be the better version of the Phoenix Suns.  LeBron can run the point.  Wade runs the two.  Mike Miller runs the 3 when he comes back.  Bosh goes to the 4, and Udonis to the 5.  That would be a lot of fun to watch.  It won't happen with Pat Riley in the house.  He's a defensive coach despite his Showtime days.  I see the Heat coming up short in the East.

2.  Will the Lakers repeat?

Yes.  Again, barring injury, I don't see a reason why not.  Pau is in his prime.  Kobe is still hungry, and he's Kobe.  Artest and Lamar are, well, Artest and Lamar.  The Lake Show already made it happen with an injured Bynum.  And Kupchak made a savvy move in picking up Steve Blake.  He is a gritty defender who can distribute the ball and knock down an open jumper.  Lakers fans will love Steve Blake.  It is the Lakers' Championship to lose.  More analysis is not needed until the Western Conference Finals.  I promise you that.

1.  How good will Kevin Durant and the Thunder be?

"Taking my talents to South Beach" may have been the catch phrase of the off-season, but while all that was happening, Kevin Durant was winning gold medals, learning more about the game, and spending every waking moment in a gym.  Kevin Durant is the #1 question on this list because we may see the best player of the next decade come into his own this year.  Ask any Lakers fan how scary that series against the Thunder was.  OKC is as tough an arena to play as any in the league (my friend who lives there said he had a headache that lasted for days after Game 3).  The Thunder have some building blocks in Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green, and some potential guys in James Harden, B.J. Mullens, Serge Ibaka, and Eric Maynor.  If I had to pick the next dynasty, it wouldn't be the Heat, it would be the Thunder.  The Thunder may not look as great on paper, but you cannot sum a guy like Durant up on paper.  You've heard it from me before, but we haven't seen a guy his size with his game, pretty much ever.  Combine that with the will of those like Magic, Bird, M.J., and Kobe, and you have the next best player in the league . . . if I'm right.

Enjoy the season!