| Admit it, the first thing you did when the 2004-05 | | | | should be well-received. Nash might wonder why he |
| NBA schedule came out last week was check to see | | | | didn't get a better offer from Cuban, though, when |
| when Shaq and the Miami Heat would visit Kobe | | | | he sees his former owner giving a million bucks away |
| Bryant and the Lakers. It probably didn't take long to | | | | to a complete stranger sometime this fall on The |
| find that game, though, as we all know the NBA | | | | Benefactor. |
| marketing machine would slate it for big time ratings | | | | December 14, 2004 - Knicks at Nets before the New |
| on X-Mas day. Kobe and Shaq won't be the only | | | | Year looks pretty innocent on paper, but chances are |
| hyped-up, intriguing match-up of the season, though, | | | | Tim Thomas doesn't feel the same way. Thomas is |
| that's for sure. With such an active off-season, the | | | | still bitter over a flagrant foul by New Jersey's Jason |
| 2004-05 season is sure to be loaded with must-see | | | | Collins in last year's playoffs and has vowed revenge. |
| games. Here are some of the games I'm looking | | | | Thomas never got a chance to deliver his payback in |
| forward to... | | | | the playoffs and who knows if he'll cool down by the |
| November 2, 2004 - Opening night always brings | | | | time this December meeting rolls around. |
| some interesting games, but, with this year's season | | | | January 20, 2005 - Tracy McGrady heads back to |
| opening on the first Tuesday of November in an | | | | Orlando to face his old team. If you're playing |
| election year, I'm sure a lot of viewers are going to | | | | fantasy basketball and you can update your roster |
| be watching something else. That's too bad because | | | | daily, I'd think about adding T-Mac right about this |
| they'll be missing a solid lineup of 3 games to start | | | | time of year. It wouldn't surprise anyone if he drops |
| the season. The new-look Rockets, headlined by Yao | | | | 40 or even 50+ against his former team. We'll also |
| Ming (now in his third season) and last year's scoring | | | | get a look at how Francis, Mobley, Dwight Howard |
| champ and newest Houston arrival, Tracy McGrady, | | | | and the young Magic are progressing. |
| will head to Detroit to take on Rip Hamilton, Ben | | | | February 13, 2005 - Kenyon Martin will lead the |
| Wallace, and the defending champion Pistons, who will | | | | Nuggets against New Jersey. No bad blood, here, but |
| be receiving their rings. We'll also get to see the Kings | | | | it's always interesting to see a guy like K-Mart return |
| with-or-without Peja Stojakovic take on the | | | | to his old city. You've got to wonder if Jason Kidd will |
| Nash-less Mavs. And, Kobe and the new-look Lakers | | | | be still a New Jersey Net when this one rolls around. |
| host Denver. | | | | March 15, 2005 - It's too bad we have to wait until |
| November 4, 2004 - Francisco Elson apologized for | | | | the middle of March to see Carlos Boozer return to |
| making some derogatory comments about Kevin | | | | Cleveland, but better late than never, right? The city |
| Garnett during the playoffs, but it's safe to say KG's | | | | of Cleveland isn't going to forget. If Boozer were to |
| probably got payback coming in the form of a huge | | | | wait five years before stepping foot in Gund Arena |
| game as his Wolves face off agains the Nuggets. | | | | again, I'm willing to bet he'd get booed. It's going to |
| Also, it's worth noting the Charlotte Bobcats tip off | | | | be pretty ugly up there. Now, why isn't this game |
| their franchise history against the Washington | | | | scheduled to be on national TV? To add to the |
| Wizards. | | | | interest factor, Lebron might be positioning the Cavs |
| November 16, 2004 - Just halfway into the first | | | | for a late-season playoff push. |
| month of the season and Steve Nash will head back | | | | April 20, 2005 - It's impossible to know exactly what |
| to his old stomping grounds to take on the Dallas | | | | the playoff situation is going to be late in the year, |
| Mavericks. The good money says Mavs owner Mark | | | | but Spurs at Wolves on the last day of the season |
| Cuban and Nash won't be bickering by then, and Nash | | | | sure does look interesting. |