MVN: Most Valuable Network

I understand that it is a rather bold assertion to make at the quarter point of the season, but it seems that the NBA regular season is already, as the phrase goes, all over but the shouting. At least it certainly appears that way in the once-again weak Eastern Conference, as both the Celtics and the Cavaliers are already far outpacing the rest of the conference.

Cleveland's loss to Atlanta tonight was the first in three and a half weeks for either team, a stretch during which Boston and Cleveland have posted a combined 23-1 record. It hasn't been close very often, either, as 19 of the wins have been by 10 or more points, and eight by 20 or more. To take it a step further, three games into the season these two squads were a combined 2-2 (excluding their game against each other in the opener), and since November 1st, they are a combined 41-3.

Forgive me if I find such dominance rather absurd and difficult to grasp. Last season, the Cavaliers won 45 games and wound up as the #4 seed in the playoffs. This season, they have only the second best record in the league, but they could play .500 ball the rest of the way and still finish with 50 wins, probably enough to take the division and the second seed - right behind the Celtics, of course.

These two squads play three more games the rest of the season, and you would be hard-pressed to convince me that either of these teams are likely to lose to anyone besides each other. The Celtics do it through the same complete starting lineup they used last season, accumulating 54 points, 19 rebounds, and 9 assists per game from the big three. A continued improvement in the play of point guard Rajon Rondo, who is doling out seven assists a night, and big man Kendrick Perkins, who is actually blocking more shots that Kevin Garnett,have this looking like a team likely to repeat.

Cleveland is possibly the only thing standing in their way. Sure, Detroit is no slouch in this conversation, as they hold claim to being the only team to drop the Cavs during their current 18-of-19 winning streak, but they're still growing for the future with their young talent and aren't dominating teams the way the Cavs are doing, as Wednesday's game against Philadelphia is the only one in their 11-game win streak decided by less than a dozen points.

The Cavs finally picked up another scoring weapon to compliment Lebron James in the form of Mo Williams from Milwaukee, and the team now boasts three players (the third being Zydrunas Ilgauskas of course) who can drop 15-plus points a night. Add in Ben Wallace returning to defensive form while managing to avoid turning into a complete black hole on offense and Delonte West running the point capably if not spectacularly, and they are as well rounded as one could hope.

Granted, it would be nice if some other teams would care to be competitive, as the Pistons are (just barely) the only other team in the conference on pace to win more than 45 games, but I guess fans of the Eastern Conference can at least enjoy three games the rest of the year - the remainder of the Boston Celtics - Cleveland Cavaliers conference final preview.