The Heat’s first loss had to come some time, and an 8-point loss to Atlanta will likely be preview of a great division rivalry in this lockout-shortened season.  What’s that? We get to run it back on Thursday?  Consider me couch-bound.

There are still some issues to work out with the lineup, as Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer are struggling to find the same space on the floor once again.  But none of that seems to matter when Derrick Rose scoring 17 fourth quarter points to overcome a 19-point deficit and win against teams as good as Atlanta.

The real test for OKC will be how the team deals with the new media attention.  The Thunder are no longer a cute team or likable story, they are legitimate NBA title contenders and will be treated as such.  At their best, they are undoubtedly one of the best teams in the NBA.  The only challenge will be maintaining a high level through the tough stretches of this short season.

Going to hop on this bandwagon and label Portland my dark horse Western Conference title contender.  They have faced one of the toughest schedules in the NBA and jumped out to a 4-1 start.  Health and depth are my only concerns with this squad, but if they can catch some breaks with both this might be a special season in the Rose Garden.

This new-look Nuggets squad  continues to impress, even leaning on Danilo Gallinari and their defense to pull out a tough win against the Bucks.  We knew this Denver unit could score, but if that defense shows up more often they could prove to be one of the best in the West by season’s end.

Sunday’s victory over the Trail Blazers might have been more meaningful than we realize.  The high-scoring Clippers slowed it down and exhibited the ability to win a gritty game against one of the league’s better teams, in my opinion.  Billups returns to the lineup this week, as LA exits the honeymoon period in Lob City.

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks couldn’t keep it together to pull off two huge conference wins back-to-back, giving up a 19-point lead to Chicago the night after handing the Miami Heat their first loss.  But this Hawks team is grooving, and now they get better with Kirk Hinrich returning to the lineup

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If Tony Parker is still healthy and penetrating into the lane the Spurs’ plethora of shooters will get their opportunities in space.  Manu’s broken hand is a huge blow for San Antonio’s fourth quarter “need a bucket” possessions, but they are still one of the better teams in the Western Conference without him.

The Pacers are playing tough defense in their 4-1 start, as the 3rd best team in the NBA holding their opponents to just 40.9% shooting from the field.  In addition to that David West has changed the dynamic of the offense, and for the better.  The schedule has been light, but the Pacers have looked good.

Spencer Hawes continues his surprising fast start down low, and along with a healthy Elton Brand and productive Lou Williams have the 76ers playing some ball better than their record indicates.  If this lineup stays healthy and cohesive, I like the way it takes pressure off Iguodala and allows them to play more as a team.

The Celtics have traded a now-active Paul Pierce for a now-sitting Jermaine O’Neil, but thankfully Brandon Bass has shown the ability to give quality minutes off the bench.  Upcoming showdowns against the Nets and Pacers should give Boston an opportunity to climb over .500.

With Zach Randolph suffering a bruised knee, the Grizzlies are in talks to try and bring Marreese Speights to Memphis and firm up the front court.  The offense hasn’t’ quite kicked back into gear statistically, but there is not a ton of concern as long as Z-Bo’s injury is minor.

Amar’e Stoudemire’s absence from the lineup on Monday due to a sprained ankle led to an embarrassing loss against the Raptors.  Considering the front line, you wouldn’t expect the Knicks to be putting up just 93.0 points per game and ranking dead last in the NBA in rebounds per game.

The Magic have a new look, with Glen Davis and Ryan Anderson stepping into significant roles this season alongside Dwight Howard.  But the new look seems to be working, as Orlando is off to a 4-2 start and looks prepared to tussle in the now hyper-competitive Southeast Division.

Despite the 2-3 start, the Rockets definitely have reason to believe they could be a playoff team by the end of the season.  The depth down low is a concern at the moment, but there are enough talented pieces to try and improve the rebounding once Kevin McHale figures out his rotation.

Dallas Mavericks

The title hangover continues into the second week as the Mavericks are still struggling to figure out their new lineup.  Monday’s win over the Thunder was a good start though, particularly for the re-energized Ian Mahinmi.  The big man could be the missing piece in getting Dallas back on track.

The Jazz looked nice against the Bucks on Tuesday and are hoping to keep that style of play alive. They look to have a nice balance of offense and defense, and are hoping to develop their youth without sacrificing too much in the loss column. A few winnable games on the schedule this month should have them feeling confident.

Rubio, Rubio, Rubio. The town has Rubio fever and for good reason. The kid is exciting to watch and it looks like he’s fun to play with. Minny may become the latest “lob city” at this rate. With that said Kevin Love is demanding an extension by the 15th of January or he is threatening to play out his contract and leave. Distractions anyone?

The Raptors snapped a three-game losing streak thanks to a Amar’e-less Knicks, but the loss to Orlando exposed that lack of a firm defensive big man.  Bargnani has played well, but they need someone to help Amir Johnson with the dirty work inside.

The Suns are caught in a transition phase right now.  They have talented young players, middle-aged role players poised to breakout, with Steve Nash and Grant Hill serving as the experience.  The pieces aren’t meshing well together, but if they do the Suns will at least have a shot to be competitive in the West.

Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson thrived in a victory over Charlotte to put the Cavs back over the .500 mark for the first time in quite a while.  There will likely be a lot of setbacks for this young group, but those two have quickly proven to be great building blocks for the future.

It’s hard to describe the Warriors as much more than middling right now.  There has been some good, and some not so good.  Curry has that nagging ankle, but Monta carried the show in a blowout defeat of the Knicks.  Warriors are a head-scratcher right now, but that’s not a terrible thing for first-year head coach Mark Jackson.

Detroit Pistons

There has been some signs of hope in Motown, with Jason Maxiell, Greg Monroe, and Ben Wallace finding ways to establish a dominating defensive presence in the post.  If Ben Gordon can keep producing offensively, this is a team you can’t look past on the schedule.  Just ask Orlando.

This current Western Conference swing comes at a poor time with Andrew Bogut leaving the team for undisclosed medical reasons.  The Bucks need as much health as they can get on the road, particularly offensively.

Eric Gordon was supposed to take this new opportunity in New Orleans to show that he can be an elite player in this league.  But the talented sharpshooter has missed four of the team’s first five games with a bruised knee.  Jarrett Jack has played well in spurts, but we won’t really know much about this team until EG gets healthy.

The elephant in the room that is Demarcus Cousins – not a fat joke, he has lost weight since last season – needs to be handled before the Kings can move on.  Whatever the future is for this team will depend on how this situation resolves.  With Tyreke Evans, Jimmer Fredette, and Marcus Thornton there is plenty of potent guard-play, but the Kings need reliable inside play to move forward.

The Bobcats are moving in the opposite direction after a competitive 1-1 start, and I struggle to find the positives in a 14-point loss to the Cavaliers.  The lineup has had pleasant surprises in streaks, but Paul Silas has yet to see everything come together this season.

Losers of five straight, the Nets are reportedly considering making a run at Demarcus Cousins.  That looks a little like a white flag on chasing Dwight Howard, unless they are planning to move Kris Humphries in the deal.

The last winless team in the NBA.  Color scheme hasn’t changed the direction of the trends, and Washington is right back to struggling for relevance in the East.