That's the question on the tips of NBA observers' tongues three weeks into the season, as fans have been subjected to one brick-fest after another to start the season. Saturday night was the piéce de résistance, as the Nuggets scored 29 points in the first half against the Pistons -- and had the lead at the break.
That half ended 29-28 and was the lowest-scoring in NBA history. But it wasn't the day's only unsightly game. The Wizards, for instance, set a franchise record by holding the Heat to 65 points. Of course, the Heat have eclipsed the 90-point barrier only once all year and are averaging a meager 82.6 points per game.
Yet Miami is still an offensive juggernaut compared with the Nuggets, who played three games last week and didn't score more than 79 points in any of them. Denver's average of 76 points a game is the fewest since the 1953-54 Milwaukee Hawks netted 75.3.
Overall, there are seven teams -- nearly a quarter of the league -- averaging fewer than 90 points a game this year. The league as a whole is shooting 42.4 percent from the field and committing 16 turnovers a game. Last year, by comparison, the league average was 44.5 percent from the field and teams turned it over just 14 times per contest.
The results are plain to see on the scoreboard. Last year the league average was 95.5 points a game, but this year it's fallen to a sad 91.9. We haven't seen basketball this ugly since the 1998-99 lockout year, and at least that season there was an excuse.
So why can't teams make a basket this year? Fans and writers have been quick to denigrate the decline of fundamental basketball, but there's a more logical cause of this year's abrupt decline. Coaches have had a year to figure out the best way to utilize last season's rules changes that more or less permitted zone defenses, and the results have wreaked havoc with teams' offenses.
Scoring has been in slow, steady decline in the NBA for the past two decades, so the drop this year isn't a huge surprise -- just its magnitude. But here at The Glance, we remain hopeful that the huge dip in scoring is a result of the defensive rules and that offenses will make the necessary adjustments over the next year or two.
Hubie's back
It wasn't a big surprise when Memphis Grizzlies coach Sidney Lowe resigned after the Grizzlies' 0-8 start. What was a shock was who Jerry West named to replace him -- Hubie Brown. Brown, 69, is a veteran TNT analyst who last coached with the Knicks in 1986-87. Just for some perspective, he was named NBA coach of the year in 1978, before eight players on his current roster were born.
Break up the Mavs!
Dallas shrugged off injuries to Raef LaFrentz and Nick Van Exel and won two tough road games over the weekend to improve to 10-0 on the year. In beating Boston and New Jersey -- last year's Eastern Conference finalists -- the Mavs showed off a vastly improved defense, thanks largely to the rehabilitated Shawn Bradley's presence in the middle.
Charlotte gets closer
Charlotte moved closer to getting an NBA expansion franchise to replace the departed Hornets when the city council approved a new arena to replace the outdated Charlotte Coliseum. The next step is to choose an ownership group for a team that would begin play in 2004-05.
BRICK: Kenyon Martin
After breaking his nose, Martin is still learning how to play while wearing the Mike Myers mask that teammate Lucious Harris made so popular during last season's playoffs. As a result, he averaged just eight points and four rebounds a game during the week, finishing with nearly as many turnovers (eight) as field goals (nine).
SWISH: Troy Murphy
The Warriors' second-year forward scored a career-high 24 points and threw in 12 rebounds, six assists and no turnovers during Golden State's shocking 135-92 disembowelment of Orlando Saturday night. The performance capped off a strong week in which he averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds and shot over 50 percent from the floor.
BRICK: Ricky Davis
The Cavs' leading scorer stole a page from Isaiah Rider's playbook Tuesday night, going AWOL for the second half of Cleveland's loss to Indiana after coach John Lucas yanked him six minutes into the game. Davis came back in time to commit seven turnovers in Saturday's loss to the Spurs.
SWISH: Ron Artest
Artest is as responsible as anyone for the Pacers' seven-game winning streak. In addition to his usual stellar defense, he was a surprisingly potent offensive force as well. He made 23 of his 36 shots on the week (64 percent), averaging 20 points and nearly five assists a night.
BRICK: Tim Duncan
Duncan's slow start continued Saturday night against Cleveland. He fouled out in only 21 minutes and scored a meager six points in the Spurs' win over the Cavs. The league's reigning MVP shot just 41 percent from the field and a Shaq-like 51 percent from the line on the week and didn't hit double figures in rebounding in any of the four games.
New Jersey Nets at Boston Celtics, Wednesday, 7 p.m. EST It's a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference championship game when the Nets meet the Celtics on Wednesday night. Last year's six game series featured the greatest fourth-quarter comeback in league history by the Celtics in Game 3, and while Wednesday night's game won't match that, it should be entertaining.
Phoenix Suns at Sacramento Kings, Friday, 10 p.m. EST To the shock of even their own fans, the Suns have started the year 5-3 and are looking down smugly on teams like the Lakers and Trail Blazers. Are they for real? They'll get a good test on Friday night, when they visit the league's most raucous arena and take on one of the favorites for the championship.
Seattle SuperSonics at Dallas Mavericks, Saturday, 8:30 p.m. EST Lost in the hubbub over Dallas' 10-0 start has been Seattle's 8-2 romp out of the gate. These are two of the league's highest-scoring and best-shooting teams, and the meeting Saturday night in Dallas figures to be one of the year's more palatable contests. This one and two road games the following week against Indiana and Detroit are the Mavs' biggest obstacles to a record-breaking 16-0 start.
Two of the top three draft picks finally showed a pulse this week, giving fans in Houston and Golden State reason for encouragement. Top pick Yao Ming showed off his potential for the Rockets, playing 51 minutes on the week and scoring 37 points while missing just one shot. Meanwhile, after struggling mightily with his shot, the Warriors' Mike Dunleavy hit five of his 10 3-point attempts this week. The third pick in the draft scored in double figures for the first time Saturday, raising his field-goal percentage to a slightly less embarrassing 25 percent.
Wondering what Hubie Brown will do with the Grizzlies on your fantasy team? Off the Glass has the answers, explaining that Hubie will get these guys to finally play some defense. He also dips into his mailbag to further expound on the joys of owning Vince Carter.
This is the part where we ask you, the reader, to stop waving that towel on the sidelines, pull off the warmups, get on the floor and take some shots. Each week we'll ask a question and post the best responses a week later.
Last week WAAG asked which team has been the biggest disappointment so far. The Lakers were an overwhelming choice, but several other Western Conference teams were popular as well, including the Trail Blazers, Grizzlies and Kings:
Even the Nuggets have fared better than the Lakers. It's almost as if the team depends on one guy. Very disappointing. Will Lantz, Franklin, Ind.
The team formerly known as the Lakers. Travis Burns, Sacramento, Calif.
Portland Trail Blazers. They have five quality starters and a good bench but they still can't show consistency. Rod Gray, Milwaukee
The Lakers (front office) have been disappointing. Even if Shaq returns healthy, they'll need to improve their point guard and power forward positions. Leonard L., Quezon City, Philippines
The Lakers. Sure, Shaq is hurt, but they've played without him before and they were still at least .500. Kobe can't do it alone. Todd Williams, Fort Valley, Ga.
Portland, for the nth consecutive year. What did they bring Arvydas back for anyway? Mon Samarista, Manila
The Clippers should be better than their record indicates after adding Andre Miller to a strong cast of players like Brand, Olowokandi, Odom and Richardson. Scott Dart, Ilderton, Ont.
The Trail Blazers! When are they going to realize you need a top player rather than a bunch of OK players? Pierre Larroche, Dunedin, New Zealand
By far the Portland Trail Blazers, although every year is a disappointment, this year takes the cake. Adrian, Portland
The Clippers are definitely top 10 talent with their roster but probably won't make the playoffs. They exemplify everything that's wrong with the NBA today! Matthew Curry, Washington, D.C.
The Portland Trail Blazers have so much talent and just can't get it together. They just flat out stink this year. Arthur Flowers, Milwaukee
The fact that the winless Grizzlies lost to Denver is a clear indication that Jerry West has one of his biggest challenges to date. Scott McCrea, North Pole, Alaska
Although Stockton and Malone are ancient enough to turn to dust if hit hard enough, I would never have expected such a pathetic start for what once was a consistent team in the upper echelon of the league. Kevin, Portland, Me.
The Lakers. C'mon, they get blown out by the Cavs? Wait ... is that Shaq on the horizon? Alonzo Maestas, Albuquerque, N.M.
Sacramento. Sure it's early and they've had key injuries, but they're one of the deepest teams and they've shown a SERIOUS lack of killer instinct. Brian G., Berkeley, Calif.
This week's topic: Who should coach the U.S. Olympic team in 2004?
John Hollinger covers the NBA for CNNSI.com. "Week at a Glance" appears each Monday during the season.
Two of the top three draft picks finally showed a pulse this week, giving fans in Houston and Golden State reason for encouragement. Top pick Yao Ming showed off his potential for the Rockets, playing 51 minutes on the week and scoring 37 points while missing just one shot. Meanwhile, after struggling mightily with his shot, the Warriors' Mike Dunleavy hit five of his 10 3-point attempts this week. The third pick in the draft scored in double figures for the first time Saturday, raising his field-goal percentage to a slightly less embarrassing 25 percent.
