Including Andrea Bargnani as an object in a fantasy novel.
Every week, the NBA gets closer and closer to the playoffs, at which point whatever team has LeBron James will win the championship. Just kidding! It's like way more exciting and complicated than that (we hope). Here are the five most fascinating stories of basketball season as it currently stands.
As The Lakers Flounder On, Steve Nash Goes Dark
Image by Carlos Osorio / AP
Between Kobe Bryant's Twitter and Dwight Howard's bid to be the Howard Stern of the NBA, the Lakers are more than present in the drooly media churn of the sports world. However, over the course of the team's 23-27 start, in which they've settled at 10th place in the West and made the word "disappointing" part of the climate of greater Los Angeles, one thing that's gone relatively unaddressed is the silence of Steve Nash, veteran point guard and gadabout fan-favorite. Nash has been remarkably subterranean so far in 2012-13 despite having a 50-40-90 season, the gold standard for shooters. His assists per game are down, and his veteran chemistry locker room intangibles haven't stopped the Lakers from being a total clownshow. Nash ostensibly joined the Lakers to get a ring. Not only is that not happening: that is so far from what is happening! The Lakers suck! Everyone clearly hates each other! It's like going from having your own talk show to being a cast member on Jersey Shore. Nash must be frustrated, confused, and feeling a little let down by the whole broken-piñata stupidness of everything. The low profile might be the only thing he can do to keep himself from trying to employ an Los Angeles Times reporter in a scheme to fake his own death.
What The Hell Is The Celtics' Deal?
Image by Jessica Rinaldi / Reuters