Around the NBA (Thanksgiving Break Edition)

Each week at The Buck List we'll do our best to steer you to all the most important goings on in the NBA.  In the spirit of the holidays, our inaugural Around the NBA will feature those things that TBL is currently most thankful for in the Association:

1. Trade rumors. Is Tracy McGrady really headed to the Knicks?  Do the Hornets want to dump cash despite their insistence to the contrary? Probably not, but the rumors still make the first couple months of the season a lot more fun to discuss.

2. Ron Artest.  We don't care what happened at Auburn Hills, Ron Artest should be everybody's favorite NBA player.  From yesterday's incredible shirtless appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live to pro sports' best Twitter account, there's little this guy does wrong.  Well, except for signing with the Lakers.

3. The Spurs. First for smacking down the Bucks last night to remind all of us that rookies are rookies, and yes defense still wins the day in the NBA.  Second for giving rise to this tremendous post over at Yahoo's Spurs blog Pounding the Rock.  The guys at Pounding the Rock map the Spurs' road to success in such a fantastically complicated and technical fashion that we wish we could see them chart out every team's past.

4. Greg Oden. Who else could have made getting dunked on so charming and funny? Twice

5. Nate Robinson. The two-time Slam Dunk champ continues to be one of the league's most outrageous players. With half a second remaining in the first quarter in the Knicks win over the Nets on Saturday, Robinson attempted and made a turnaround three on his own basket.  The shot didn't count, but Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni still exploded on Nate when he returned to the bench. Honestly, though, can you stay angry at someone who once did this?

6. The Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks, led by the talented trio of Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, and Al Horford, are the surprise team of the young season. With a record of 11-3 and road wins over Boston and Portland, the Hawks have joined the Magic, Celtics, and Cavs as a fourth contender in the suddenly exciting Eastern Conference.

7. Premature comparisons. Is Brandon Jennings really the next Allen Iverson or is he actually just Flip Murray? Or is it Nick Van Exel? No one has any idea. So let's argue about it.

8. Steve Nash. For the first time since the ill-fated Shaq trade, the Suns are back as the league's most enjoyable team to watch, thanks to the stellar play of the 35 year-old Nash.  In addition to averaging 11.7 assists per game, Nash has turned several teammates on to the "Nash Diet,"which really just seems like a normal, healthy diet.

9. The New Jersey Nets. The 0-14 Nets make the Knicks look like the '95-'96 Bulls. And that makes us happy.  We hope that all the fair-weather Knicks fans who switched to the Nets in recent years are enjoying themselves now.

10. Dirk Nowitzki. Dirk and the Mavs are off to a 10-4 start.  More importantly, Dirk's golden locks look more ridiculous than ever.