On the anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game, Joel Embiid took center stage and eclipsed one of the many NBA scoring records held by Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain.

Embiid scored 70 points in just 37 minutes on the court to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 133-123 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. It was the most points scored in a single game by a Sixer since Chamberlain scored 68 points on Dec. 16, 1967. Embiid, who also grabbed a personal-best 18 rebounds, made 24 of 41 field goals and 21 of 23 free throws. The reigning NBA MVP outdueled much-hyped Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama, who scored 33 points in 29 minutes.

“My mindset is to attack, dominate offensively and defensively, so tonight was no different,” Embiid said after the game on the local TV broadcast. The Sixers center was surprised to hear afterwards that Wilt “The Stilt” never had a 65-point, 15-rebound, 5-assist game in his Sixers career.

“Wilt never never did this? I don’t believe that,” Embiid said with a smile. “Some of those world records, you know, we still gotta see. I’m sure Wilt has done it at some point.”

Embiid’s reaction to accomplishing something Chamberlain never did is a testament to the great career of the man they called The Big Dipper. The NBA record book begins and ends with Chamberlain. He still holds the single-game record with 100 points, a record that may never be touched. Wilt was playing for the Philadelphia Warriors when he set the mark. Kobe’s 81 points is the second-highest scoring game.

Prior to Embiid’s 70-point game, Chamberlain held three of the four best single-game scoring marks in 76ers history. Allen Iverson is only other Sixer besides Embiid and Chamberlain to score over 60 points. Iverson scored 62 in 2005.

Embiid had tied his career high of 59 points through three quarters and re-entered the contest with 6:38 left and Philadelphia ahead 118-104. With the record in sight, the 76ers were feeding him the ball at every opportunity.

“Obviously he can score in so many ways, just his sheer size gets him a lot of stuff around the basket, gets him a lot of free throws,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said. “The shooting touch is the skill part. The way he moves, the skill he has, the size he is, and he gets motivated like that, anything can happen I guess.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich joked before the game that the Spurs’ plan against Embiid was to “hammer” him. “I told Wemby to back him down over the rim and just throw him through the rim,” Popovich playfully told reporters.

But it was Embiid who backed down the young Frenchman to the hoop early and often. He had hit going early with 24 points on 8-for-12 shooting in the first quarter. Once Embiid got rolling, there was no stopping the big man.

Christmas Day for basketball fans is the unofficial start of the “real season,” when contenders begin to separate themselves from the pretenders.

Seven of the top 10 teams and seven of the 10 best players in the NBA are playing on Christmas Day. There’s no shortage of star power when ABC starts its live marathon live coverage at noon ET.

But this year there’s major competition.

The NFL has a three-game slate on Dec. 25. Aaron Rodgers’ Green Bay Packers take on the Miami Dolphins at 1 p.m. ET followed by the Denver Broncos-L.A. Rams at 4:30 p.m. ET. The prime-time game at 8:20 p.m. ET features Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Arizona Cardinals.

Football is king when it comes to TV ratings, so the NBA will have to compete for viewers on a day when it usually owns the viewing audience. To help solve this viewing dilemma, OneManFastBreak.net has tagged three must-see NBA games. The other two games, well, let’s just say you’re fee to switch channel to the NFL games.

Must-see games
Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks (noon ET, ABC/ESPN) — The Knicks enter Christmas Day as one of the hottest teams in the league. They’ve won eight in a row and now currently sit among the top six teams in the Eastern Conference. The offseason acquisition of point guard Jalen Brunson has solidified New York’s once shaky backcourt. Brunson is the perfect tough-as-nails leader head coach Tom Thibodeau has been seeking since his days with the Chicago Bulls. Brunson takes the pressure of forward Julius Randle and knows how to win close ballgames, which was a big problem last season. The Sixers have been coasting so far, but they still have MVP candidate Joel Embiid. When Embiid decides to take over a game, there are few people on planet Earth who can slow him down. Madison Square Garden will be rocking for this sexy matchup.

Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks (5 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) — This could very well be a preview of the East finals. Both teams enter the colossal showdown with their full compliment of players. Khris Middleton, who missed last year’s playoff series with a knee injury, is starting to get back into shape. Middleton is the Robin to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Batman. The Celtics welcome back center Robert Williams, who was vital to their run to the NBA Finals last season. Jayson Tatum is enjoying an MVP season and his running mate, Jaylen Brown, is making a strong case to make the All-NBA squad. Celtics had owned the league’s best record until a rocky West Coast trip tripped them up and allowed the Bucks to gain ground in the standings. The Bucks’ game in Milwaukee starts at 5 p.m. ET, well after the kickoff for Packers-Dolphins game. Wisconsin fans will be able to watch their Packers and their Bucks on Christmas Day.

Phoenix Suns vs. Denver Nuggets (10:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) — The Suns-Nuggets game is the last NBA game on the Christmas Day schedule. The first quarter of Suns-Nuggets might be a skip since most of us will be watching the end of the Buccaneers-Cardinals game when Brady leads the Bucs to victory over a depleted Cards squad. Once the NFL prime-time game is over, you can tune in to Suns-Nuggets. Both teams don’t like each other. During the 2021 playoffs, the Suns swept the Nuggets and Nikola Jokic was ejected in the clincher for a hard foul on Cameron Payne. Jokic and Devin Booker had to be separated after a heated exchange. Jokic’s brothers got involved in the bruhaha when they yelled at Booker from the stands. We could see fireworks again.

Skip these games
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Golden State Warriors (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) — A once promising matchup turned into a sour showdown after reigning Finals MVP Steph Curry injured his left shoulder and will be sidelined for a few weeks. Without Curry, the Warriors are a shell of themselves. There’s some bad blood between the Grizzlies and Warriors, so this could have been spicy. The Dubs-Griz game will be going head-to-head with Bucs-Cards, and we all know America will always choose football over basketball. It’s OK. This game could get ugly, anyways.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks (2:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) — Not even LeBron James and Luka Doncic can save this awful matchup. The Lakers won’t have All-Star Anthony Davis and the Mavericks are struggling to find four other guys to play with Doncic. If LeBron was playing Luka one-on-one, then this game actually be interesting. But as currently constructed, it’s a battle of two teams closer to the bottom of the conference.

Kawhi Leonard’s Raptors and Kyrie Irving’s Celtics will compete for top spot in the East. (AP)

When LeBron James left The Land and took his talents to Hollywood to play with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Eastern Conference finds itself in virgin territory. Teams from the East are finally free from the chokehold King James has put on the conference the last eight years.

The floodgates are wide open and the team is breathing the biggest sigh of relief has to be the Toronto Raptors. The Raps have had their hearts broken by LeBron in each of the last three postseasons. And last season was arguably the most painful of them all as LeBron’s Cleveland Cavaliers ended the Raptors’ historic season – a year in which they owned the East’s best record at 59-23 – with an embarrassing 4-0 sweep.

Now that The King has moved West, there will be a new king of the East and the West just got even tougher – unless you’re the Golden State Warriors.

OneManFastBreak.net predicts the eight playoff teams in the East for the 2018-19 season.

Eastern Conference

1-Toronto Raptors – General manager Masai Ujiri made a couple of big moves this offseason. First, he fired the reigning Coach of Year Dwane Casey and elevated assistant Nick Nurse to head coach. The second big move Ujiri made was trading All-Star DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs for All-Star forward and former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard. The move was definitely an upgrade as Leonard brings toughest to a Raptors team that at times plays a bit soft. The Kawhi addition should only make a 59-win team only better. The Raptors could end up with the best regular-season record, but it doesn’t mean they will represent the East in the NBA Finals because the team right below might be more battle tested. Prediction: 60-22

2-Boston Celtics – Speaking of that battle-tested team …. Brad Stevens showed why he’s the best coach in the NBA by taking a patchwork Celtics roster to the conference finals and got within one win of reaching the NBA Finals despite losing Gordon Hayward minutes into the season and having Kyrie Irving for only 60 games. Stevens will have his roster intact for this season, with another year under the belts of young studs Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Boston has one of the best benches in the league, a scrappy unit that includes Terry Rozier, Marcus Smart, Aron Baynes, and Marcus Morris. Prediction: 58-24

3-Philadelphia 76ers – The Sixers will go as far as Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid will take them. The duo got the young Sixers to the conference semifinals before getting schooled by the Celtics. Embiid is predicting an MVP season, while Simmons looks to build off his Rookie of the Year season. The big question for Philly is solving the Markelle Fultz puzzle. His well-chronicled shooting woes aside, the 2017 No. 1 overall pick seems like a bad fit in Philly. He is struggling to find his shot within the offense and his lack of outside shooting restricts what the Sixers can do when he’s on the court with Simmons and Embiid. Prediction: 55-27

4-Milwaukee Bucks – New head coach Mike Budenholzer’s first order of business is to find second and third option to take some pressure off his superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who made second team All-NBA last year. If the Bucks can get more production from Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton, the Bucks could be in the hunt for one of the top four spots in the conference. Prediction: 49-33

5-Indiana Pacers – The Pacers grew a ton after their epic seven-game playoff series against LeBron’s Cavs. Victor Olapido is an emerging star and coach Nate McMillan has some nice supporting pieces to work with in Myles Turner, Bojan Bogdanovic, Darren Collison and Domantas Sabonis. The acquisition of Tyreke Evans didn’t make headlines offseason, but it’s a subtle but smart move that could pay off in the long run. Prediction: 48-34

6-Detroit Pistons – A full training camp and preseason should help Blake Griffin get more comfortable in Detroit. If Griffin can return to his all-star form, he and center Andre Drummond form arguably the best center-power forward tandem in the East. Dwane Casey takes over a squad that underachieved under Stan Van Gundy. Van Gundy’s heavy handed approach didn’t work, so the Pistons are hoping Casey can connect better with players, especially Griffin and Reggie Jackson. Prediction: 46-36

7-Miami Heat – The Heat are good enough to make the playoffs, but not enough to make a major dent in the East. They have a borderline star in Goran Dragic, but he’s not good enough to carry the team on his back. For the Heat to be elite, center Hassan Whiteside has to step up and be the dominant force he was pegged to be when the team signed him to a $98 million deal. Prediction: 42-40

8-Charlotte Hornets – This is a big year for point guard Kemba Walker. The Hornets have not locked him up to a long-term deal, waiting to see if he’s worth the money. Walker will be motivated to show Michael Jordan and the Hornets brass that he is a franchise player and should get a max deal. Prediction: 41-41

Last two teams out: Washington Wizards, New Jersey Nets.

Carmelo Anthony’s Knicks will be challenged by Deron Williams’ Nets for top spot in the Atlantic Division. (GETTY IMAGES)

Before Mikhail Prokhorov bought the Nets, New York was all about the Knicks.

The Knicks play in the most famous arena in the world, Madison Square Garden, while for years the Nets played their home games at the Izod Center. Even the name sounds cheap. Who buys Izod?

The Knicks have a rich hoops history, going back to the days of Walt Frazier, Bill Bradley, Willis Reed, and Earl Monroe. The Nets, on the other hand, had Michael Ray Richardson and Jayson Williams. Richardson battled drug addiction for much of his life, while Williams spent a year and a half in prison following the manslaughter charges that were levied against him following the accidental shooting of a limousine driver on his property in 2002.

Celebrities such as Spike Lee, Woody Allen, Ben and Jerry Stiller, and Whoopi Goldberg are season-ticket holders and die-hard Knicks fans. Kim Kardashian was spotted sitting courtside at a Nets game in 2010, but her stint as a “Nets fan” was shorter than her marriage to Kris Humphries.

Since taking over as the majority owner, Prokhorov moved the Nets to Brooklyn, built a state-of-the-art arena, spent millions bringing in high-priced free agents such as Joe Johnson, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce, and hired Jason Kidd as head coach.

Entering the 2013-14 season, the Nets are the only NBA team well over the salary cap threshold, topping the list with a whopping estimated team salary of $101 million. The Knicks, once perennial salary cap kings, are now fifth in the league at $80 million.

The Nets still have a ways to go before New York fans completely embrace them, but Prokhorov has such deep pockets he can actually buy fans.

OneManFastBreak.net examines the teams in the Atlantic Division and where they’ll finish:

1-NEW YORK KNICKS

The Nets may be armed with more firepower and star power with the addition of Garnett and Pierce, but the Knicks still own the best player in the division, Carmelo Anthony. Melo enjoyed the best season of his 10-year career in 2012-13, leading the league in scoring (28.7),  and received one first-place vote in the MVP selection process to prevent LeBron James from being a unanimous choice. Getting Melo shots wasn’t the problem last year. Getting Amare Stoudemire shots was a big problem. Anthony prefers isolation plays, while Stoudemire prefers high screen-and-rolls. Stoudemire’s scoring average has dipped in each of the last two years because of injuries and circumstance. And his role will take an even greater hit this season with the acquisition of forwards Andrea Bargnani and Ron Artest. Head coach Mike Woodson likes to employ small ball, which means Anthony at power forward, Tyson Chandler at center, Iman Shumpert at small forward, Raymond Felton at point, and J.R. Smith at shooting guard. That doesn’t leave a lot of minutes for Stoudemire, who is scheduled to make $21 million this season.

2-BROOKLYN NETS

Jason Kidd was hired for two things: 1) provide a respected voice in the locker room, and 2) be a mentor to Deron Williams. Kidd may not have any coaching experience but he knows the point guard position better than most NBA coaches. Prokhorov and general manager Billy King received some heat for hiring Kidd. But you don’t need to go through the gamut to be a successful coach. Mark Jackson proved you can go from broadcaster to coach without much practice. Kidd could be a sounding board for Williams, who has been somewhat of a disappointment since signing with the Nets in 2010. Coaching is all about managing egos and maximizing a player’s potential. Kidd should be able to do both well. Garnett has yet to play a single game wearing Nets colors but he has already embedded himself as the voice of the team. Kidd suggested that Garnett should take a few nights off, especially on the back end of a back-to-back. But didn’t sit well with KG. The 37-year-old Garnett told USA Today that he has “earned the right to have an opinion on something,” and from a chemistry standpoint he thinks it’s important for him “to be out there with everybody.” Sounds like Kidd will be taking orders from KG.

3-TORONTO RAPTORS

The Raptors made a huge splash by luring NBA Executive of the Year Masai Ujiri away from the Denver Nuggets. Ujiri was the mastermind behind the rebuilding of the Nuggets after the Carmelo Anthony trade. The Raptors have some very talented pieces in the fold: Rudy Gay, DeMar DeRozan, and Kyle Lowry. Gay is a borderline All-Star who is a capable 20-point scorer. He and DeRozan combined to average 36 points per game in 2012-13 and seemed to work well together. After releasing longtime point man Jose Calderon, Lowry becomes the fulltime point guard for head coach Dwane Casey. The Raptors are absolutely giddy about the progress of 21-year-old Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas. The 7-footer dominated the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging nearly 19 points and 10 rebounds a game en route to being named the tournament MVP.

4-BOSTON CELTICS

It’s say to Garnett, Pierce, Ray Allen, and Doc Rivers are not walking through the TD Garden doors anytime soon. Allen won a championship in Miami, Rivers takes over a young Clippers squad led by Chris Paul, and KG and Pierce are now in Brooklyn. Rajon Rondo is the lone holdover from the 2008 championship team, but he’s coming off a devastating ACL injury. This could be a long year for first-year coach Brad Stevens, who inherits a roster full of unproven commodities. Stevens squeezed every once of talent from his teams at Butler University, but college coaches historically have done poorly transitioning to the NBA. Celtics boss Danny Ainge may not admit it but the franchise is in full tank mode to try to pick up enough ping-pong balls in the 2014 draft. Rookie Kelly Olynyk showed off a nice face-up game and outside shooting touch during the Orlando summer league.

5-PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

The Sixers are another team in full rebuild mode. Philly waited until August before hiring Brett Brown. The 52-year-old coach was part of three NBA title teams with San Antonio as an assistant and won another with the Spurs when he served in the basketball operations department in 1999. Brown has the unenviable task of fixing a team gutted by defections. The Andrew Bynum gamble was a complete disaster, and it could take a couple of years before the Sixers could recover from that mistake. New general manager Eddie Hinkie wanted to wash his hands of the Bynum debacle by starting fresh. Philly traded young star Jrue Holiday on draft night and picked up two young athletes in Nerlens Noel and Michael Carter-Williams. Noel is coming off ACL surgery, but claims his knee is progressing well and hopes to return by December. Carter-Williams is a 6-6 point guard who showed flashes of brilliance in the Orlando Summer League, but his jump shot needs some tweaking.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Allen Iverson wants another shot in the NBA, and it could be with the Sixers. (GETTY IMAGES)

Allen Iverson reportedly passed up an opportunity to play for the Dallas Mavericks D-League team, the Texas Legends, because he remains committed to making a comeback in the NBA — preferably with the team he dearly loves.

The 2001 NBA MVP thanked Legends co-owner Donnie Nelson on his Twitter account for the offer: ”I thank Donnie and Dallas for the consideration,” Iverson wrote, ”And while I think the D-League is a great opportunity, it is not the route for me.”

Gary Moore, Iverson’s manager, confirmed the decision with The Associated Press. According to AP, Moore was in Philadelphia visiting with Sixers owner Josh Harris and CEO Adam Aron about reconnecting Iverson with the 76ers. Moore said there are no immediate plans for the 37-year-old Iverson to retire.

”Once he does do that, I want to ensure that Josh Harris and Adam Aron know how much Allen appreciates what Philadelphia has meant to him, what the NBA has meant to him,” Moore told AP, ”And to someday, come back and be a consultant to them, to help them do certain things.”

Iverson, who led the Sixers to the 2001 NBA finals but lost 4-1 to the L.A. Lakers, is arguably one of Philly’s all-time great players alongside Wilt Chamberlain, Julius “Dr. J.” Erving, and Charles Barkley. Iverson is the franchise leader in 40-point games (76), 3-pointers (885), and is second behind Hal Greer in points (19,931). He had two stints with the Sixers and last played for them in 2009-10.

Iverson earned a roaring standing ovation when he presented the game ball before Philadelphia’s Game 6 win over Boston in last season’s Eastern Conference semifinals. He watched the game from a suite and his eyes watered up when he was shown later in the game on the big screen as the crowd, thousands wearing No. 3 jerseys, went wild and chanted, ”MVP!” Iverson later posted on Twitter, ”You can always come home again!!!”

Iverson was the No. 1 overall pick in 1996, but has not played in the NBA since abruptly leaving the Sixers in March 2010 to deal with a sick daughter. He had a brief stop with a professional team in Turkey and has played exhibition games in China.

He believes it was more than the three years of NBA inactivity that has kept him from making a comeback. He blamed his behavior, which has included everything from coaching clashes to his infamous ”Practice!” rant, for making teams shy about offering him a final chance.

”I realize my actions contributed to my early departure from the NBA,” he wrote on Twitter. ”Should God provide me another opportunity I will give it my all. My dream has always been to complete my legacy in the NBA.”

Should the Sixer pass up on Iverson, one team could emerge a contender for his services: the Boston Celtics.

The Celtics recently lost All-Star point Rajon Rondo to a season-ending ACL injury and could use a boost in their backcourt. Even at 37, Iverson can still play. He may not be as explosive as he was when he was in his 20s but he can still put the ball in the basket and remains one of basketball’s biggest draws.

Iverson fills Boston’s biggest need: scoring. Iverson who spent 10 seasons in Philadelphia before bouncing through Denver, Detroit, and Memphis, is a four-time scoring champion and owns a career average of 26.7. The one thing that has eluded Iverson in his pro career is a NBA championship, and he would love one last shot at winning a ring.

Andrew Bynum is in the final year of a $16-million contract. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Andrew Bynum, the centerpiece of Philadelphia’s present and future, will be out indefinitely due to continued problems with his knees, the Philadelphia 76ers said on Saturday.

The 25-year-old has bone bruises in both knees and a “weakened cartilage state”, according to doctors and is yet to play for Philadelphia after being part of a four team, 12-player trade that moved him from the Los Angeles Lakers in August.

“Bottom line is Andrew is out indefinitely,” 76ers general manager Tony DiLeo told Reuters. “There are no timelines. We just have to wait and see how he reacts.”

DiLeo said Bynum’s knees have deteriorated since arriving in Philadelphia. “His knees now and the MRIs are not the same; it’s a different type (of) situation,” DiLeo said.

Bynum, who had non-invasive knee surgery in Germany during the offseason, has yet to suit up for the Sixers this season. He is in the final year of a $16.5 million contract. Understandably, the Sixers have been reluctant to give him a contract extension given his history of knee problems.

“At the time of the trade, we had four doctors look at his MRI. We knew it was a calculated risk,” DiLeo said. “We also knew we were getting the second-best center in the league, a franchise-type player. We took that risk.”

Bynum has been told to avoid all activities that involve stress on the knees. He is doing low-impact rehabilitation and the team is hoping that rest will heal the cartilage while they consult experts around the world.

“We hope he will back. We’re anticipating he will be back at some point,” DiLeo said.

“We have plans for the future if he is not back with us but we want to plan on him being here long-term.”

DiLeo said Bynum would have further scans in December. Bynum appeared in 60 games last season with the Lakers, averaging 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds.

Philadelphia 76ers point guard Jrue Holiday drives past Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce. (GETTY IMAGES)

I love the ’80s! It was a decade that introduced us to cable TV, Don Johnson’s white-pants-with-no-socks look, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” jackets, and Madonna’s “Like a virgin” anthem. It was also a time when the Atlantic Division was the gold standard of the NBA.

The Atlantic featured Hall-of-Famers such as Larry Bird (Boston Celtics), Kevin McHale (Celtics), Dennis Johnson (Celtics), Julius Erving (Philadelphia 76ers), Moses Malone (76ers), and Patrick Ewing (New York Knicks). Another former New York icon, the great Bernard King, was featured prominently during the decade. And by the way, it is absolutely shameful he’s not in the Hall of Fame.

Fast forward to 2012 and the division — with a few new wrinkles here and there — is back to being the most hotly contested division in the Association, and there could very well be four teams from the Atlantic that make the playoffs.

The Celtics are still a dominant team, but they now have company. The Knicks have had a revival since the arrival of Carmelo Anthony. The Nets — who have ditched the Meadowlands Arena swamp for the swanky Barclays Center in Brooklyn — may have the best backcourt in the NBA in Deron Williams and Joe Johnson. The 76ers got a huge boost when they acquired former Lakers center Andrew Bynum, and even the Toronto Raptors are feeling good heading into season.

Boston has owned the Atlantic since Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joined forces with Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo in 2007. But all good things must come to an end at some point, and this could be the year the Celtics are knocked off their top perch.

OneManFastBreak.net predicts the order of finish in the Atlantic Division:

1-PHILADELPHIA 76ERS — Doug Collins took a young Philly squad last season and got them into the conference semifinals, losing to eventual NBA champion Miami. The Sixers revamped their squad during the offseason, sending Andre Iguodala to Denver and acquiring arguably the best center in the league in Bynum, whose mere presence changes the entire dynamic of the division. Philly fans will love Bynum from Day 1, and he’ll be surrounded by young talents such as Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, and Thaddeus Young. With Iguodala gone, Holiday now holds the key to the offense and he’ll have free reign to pull all the strings.

2-BOSTON CELTICS — They may be old and grumpy but the Celtics are still a serious contender in the Eastern Conference. Defense remains Boston’s calling card, and the team’s grind-it-out mentality will keep Gang Green in the playoff hunt. The Celtics got a big boost during the offseason when Jeff Green was medically cleared to play, and he has been superb during the preseason. Jason Terry may not have Ray Allen’s career resume, but the former Dallas Maverick is a very capable scorer and one of the best sixth men in the league.

3-BROOKLYN NETS — Nets billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov made sure he wasn’t moving to Brooklyn without a headliner or two. He inked Williams to a long-term contract and then paid big money to bring in All-Star guard Joe Johnson. The key to the season hinges on the health of center Brook Lopez, who missed 61 games last year. If Lopez can regain his 2010-11 form when he averaged 20 points, the Nets will not only challenge for the division title but they will challenge for one of the top four spots in the East.

4-NEW YORK KNICKS — It is now or never for the Carmelo Anthony-Amare Stoudemire partnership. Stoudemire averaged his worst statistical season since 2005-06 when he had microfracture surgery. Just when Stoudemire was rounding into regular season shape, he had another setback in the preseason when he was diagnosed with a ruptured cyst in his left knee. This can be seen as a positive as ‘Melo can dominate the ball and won’t have to share the floor with Amare for a few weeks. But when Stoudemire returns, head coach Mike Woodson must find a way to keep both stars on the same page.

5-TORONTO RAPTORS — The Raptors may not be a playoff team, but the needle is pointing in the right direction. Over the years the Raptors have been devastated by defections, as Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Chris Bosh all left Canada for greener pastures in the U.S. But the Raptors keep chugging along, and they will unveil their lastest European talent in 20-year-old Lithuanian star Jonas Valanciunas. Valanciunas is a classic back-to-the-basket, low-post center and should complement stretch forward Andrea Bargnani.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Andrew Bynum averaged career highs in points and rebounds during the 2011-12 season with the Lakers. (GETTY IMAGES)

The excitement in Philadelphia was curtailed somewhat with news of Andrew Bynum’s latest injury. The 76ers’ newly acquired center was diagnosed with a bone bruise on his right knee, which means he will be sidelined for three weeks and won’t be able to participate in basketball activities for most of training camp.

Bynum, who turns 24 on Oct. 27, comes to Philly with loads of expectations. As soon as he arrived on the Sixers’ team facility, he shouldered the load as the franchise player and the foundation of Doug Collins’ young squad. With all due respect to Andre Iguodala, who is a solid player but not a franchise-changer, Bynum is the first legit superstar the Sixers have had since Allen Iverson and the team’s first dominant big man since Moses Malone.

The Sixers announced Monday they would shut down their new franchise All-Star for 21 days as a precaution after he received knee treatment in Germany.

According to NBA TV’s Dee Lynam, Bynum was working out and felt one of the knees didn’t fee right, and that’s when the bone bruise was discovered. Bynum downplayed the setback.

“The treatment [in Germany] went well. I think it’s more of a precautionary thing with the team. They kinda just want me to be sidelined and let the Orthokine do it’s magic,” the 7-footer told Lynam on the Sixers’ media day session. “I’m gonna be out but I’m gonna do everything that I can do impact-wise. Later on we should be crack it up and everything should be fine.”

Bynum had injections of plasma-rich platelets, a procedure called Orthokine, that supposedly stimulate healing in arthritis-affected areas in both of his knees. The Sixers wanted to give him enough time to have the treatments take hold in the knee. Bynum said the bone bruise was unrelated to the knee treatments. The procedure was similar to the treatment Kobe Bryant and Alex Rodriguez underwent.

The injury throws an unwanted wrinkle into the start of coach Collins’ third season. Collins led the Sixers to the playoffs each of the last two seasons and was rewarded Monday when the team picked up the option on his contract for the 2013-14 season.

“I will be participating in as much as I can. I’m gonna be with the team during the walk-throughs, and learning the offense,” said Bynum, who spent the first seven years of his NBA career with the L.A. Lakers. He averaged career highs in points (18.7) and rebounds (11.8) last season.

“Chemistry is big,” Bynum said. “Everybody has a role and everybody has to play together. I definitely want to be with those guys.”

Bynum said this current knee ailment isn’t as bad as the issues that have dogged him in the past. He reported no swelling in his knees. Bynum said doctors advised he have the knee treatment closer to the season for maximum effectiveness. Bynum said he had the injections during the third week in September. He will continue to participate in low-impact conditioning drills.

The Sixers open the regular season Oct. 31. Bynum would have about a week between his scheduled return and the opener.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Allen Iverson presents the game ball prior to the start of Game 6 of the Sixers-Celtics playoff series in Philadelphia. (GETTY IMAGES)

Allen Iverson hasn’t played for the Philadelphia 76ers in two years, but he remains one of the most beloved athletes in the sports-crazed city.

Iverson returned to the City of Brotherly Love on Wednesday before Game 6 of the Sixers-Celtics Eastern Conference semifinal series to give the game ball to the officials. When his name was announced over the public address system, the sold-out crowd at The Wells Fargo Center — formerly the Wachovia Center, Core States Center, and First Union Arena — gave him a rousing ovation.

As Iverson walked up to referee Joey Crawford, he cupped his right hand to his ear the way he used to when he soaked in the loud cheers in the same arena he played on for more than a decade.

“I really don’t have words that can truly describe it, but it was the best,” Iverson told ESPN’s Lisa Salters. “I mean I love these fans and obviously they showed me a lot of love. I was basically trying to hurry up and trying to get off the court because my legs started wobbling and was getting ready to tear up. Once my eyes got teary and my lips started shaking I knew it was time to go and time to get off the court.”

Salters asked why he felt so much emotion in his return to Philly, Iverson explained, “Just the appreciation that [the fans] have for me and for what I’ve done in this league. I gave it my all, and that’s why they love me because I played every game like it was my last.

“Just from the way they embraced me when I first came and the feelings that they still have for me it’s just special.”

Iverson understands the passion of the Philly fans, and the effort needed to gain their utmost respect. He gave every ounce of his energy when he wore the 76ers uniform and nearly brought them a championship in 2001. “I know these fans. They’re passionate about their sports,” said the former NBA MVP. “They love it when you give that effort. Only thing I have for Philly fans is high praise, and I love them.”

Even though Iverson hasn’t played in the NBA since 2010 he hasn’t ruled out a comeback. He would welcome another shot in Association, but he also realizes his window of opportunity is fast closing.

“I wanna play basketball so bad,” he said. “The way it is right now, I’ve accepted the fact that may not happen. If I could play basketball where it’s going to make me happy at the end of my career I’ll take that opportunity. I just love to play and I want to have another opportunity to play on the professional level.”

Iverson’s presence in the building may have inspired the 76ers as they defeated the Celtics in Game 6, 82-75, forcing a Game 7 in Boston.

Kevin Garnett has become the focal point of the Boston Celtics offense in the 2012 NBA playoffs. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

What is going on with Kevin Garnett? He is shooting lights out from the perimeter, rebounding like a Rodman and squawking like Sidney Dean on the Venice Beach courts. This is 35-year-old Kevin Garnett we are talking about. He is supposed to be washed up and ready to have his number retired. But somehow he appears to be rejuvinated and is in total beast mode.

Garnett scored 27 points against Philadelphia in Game 3, making 12 of his 17 field goal attempts and dominating his center matchup with Spencer Hawes. KG also grabbed 13 rebounds in 30 minutes of all-out fury, something we haven’t seen since his days as The Big Ticket for the Minnesota Timberwolves when he was an absolute double-double machine. In Game 1, he burned the Sixers with 29 points on 12-of-20 shooting. In the series clincher against the Atlanta Hawks, KG pumped in 28 points on 10-of-19 from the field.

Has KG discovered some kind of Hot Tub Time Machine and flashed back to 2003? Did Hawks owner really ticked him off to the point where he’s taking it out on everyone else? Or did the move to center full-time enabled him to create more space for his patented face-up jumper because opposing big men are reluctant (or just too slow) to contest his shot? Whatever it may be — and the Hot Tub Time Machine is probably the best theory at this point — Garnett is playing out of his mind and the Boston Celtics are absolutely loving it.

“He’s rebounding, he’s defending, he’s talking. He was really upset after [Game 2] because he didn’t think we played the right way as a team. And if you know Kevin it’s all about doing things right for the team,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers.

“It’s really how he’s been relentless in the post.”

KG has been on a tear ever since Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. called the Celtics are “old” and Garnett “the dirtiest guy in the league” during the Celtics-Hawks series in the opening round. Garnett has had five 20-plus points in the 2012 playoffs, and his Game 3 performance in Philly was only the second time in his playoff career in which he had more than 25 points, over 70 percent shooting and more than 10 rebounds. The last time we saw these same numbers from KG was back in 2003 when he was running with Wally Szczerbiak, Troy Hudson, Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell.

“I don’t want to come off kind of wrong, but I really go with my craft and I take it very seriously,” said Garnett, who turns 36 on May 19, at the end of the Hawks series. “I put a lot of work into my craft. I take it very seriously. I always have, since ’95, since I’ve been able to come into the league and it’s almost like you guys are shocked. Like this ain’t what I do every day, like this ain’t what I was made for. It does come off disrespectful at times. I put a lot of work and time into this, and there are certain levels I expect from myself.

“I take this very seriously, so you guys calling me old, that number defies. You have no idea what you are doing when you say those ‘old’ comments. I appreciate that. I don’t read your columns, but it gets back to me.”

What’s also fueling Garnett and the Celtics is the clear path to the NBA Finals has been paved. The Chicago Bulls are out and the Miami Heat are hurting without Chris Bosh. This could be the final year of Boston’s Big Three and Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and KG are playing like there is no tomorrow and are letting it all hang out for one last hurrah.