So how about those Indiana Pacers?

 Seemingly left for dead a week ago, Indiana is off to a surprising 2-1 start without the suspended trio of Ron Artest, Jermaine O?Neal and Stephen Jackson- the team?s top three scorers- in the lineup, including a rather convincing 106-102 victory (the game was not as close as the score would indicate) over the Minnesota Timberwolves Thursday night at Conseco Fieldhouse.

 Other than last Saturday?s 86-83 setback versus the Orlando Magic- a game in which the Pacers had only six players in uniform- Indiana has won both games since by an average of seven points, and has been led by point guard Jamaal Tinsley and forward Austin Croshere.

 Tinsley, who has been somewhat of an enigma in his three-plus seasons in Indianapolis, has averaged 24.5 points and 10 assists during the two-game win streak and, at least for the short term, has made the Pacers his team, while Croshere, who has quite simply been a bust since signing a lucrative seven-year, $51 million contract after an impressive 2000 Finals run, has averaged 18.7 points and 8 rebounds over the last three games.  

 Whether or not the Pacers can continue the magical ride is yet to be determined.  But last Friday?s disgraceful incident has clearly brought the team closer together?

 Toronto Raptors rookie head coach Sam Mitchell is still trying to carve his niche in the league, but he most certainly appears to have gained the respect of his players with his no-nonsense, tough-love approach.

 Mitchell ripped his team after suffering an embarrassing 102-86 loss on the road- Toronto?s sixth road loss in seven games thus far- to the Washington Wizards earlier in the week, questioning their heart and desire.

 ?I told our guys that if we don?t start taking what we do seriously, when we go on the road we?re going to be the Washington Generals- just showing up for a win,? Mitchell said.  ?We have to go out on the road and compete.  We don?t compete.?

 ?Somewhere, we?ve got to find some men that want to play basketball to where this means more than just something to do.  And for the ones who don?t want to play, do everybody a favor:  Quit.?

 The Raptors responded to Mitchell?s challenge by blowing out the New York Knicks by 23 points, 114-91, the very next night at the Air Canada Center-  Toronto?s largest margin of victory since a 112-73 triumph over the Atlanta Hawks on April 12, 2002.

 ?We didn?t want to be called the Washington Generals or any kind of team that lays over and plays dead,? said point guard Rafer Alston.  ?To a man, everyone came out tonight and showed, not just coach but each other that we can come out and fight hard.??

 A couple of players who aren?t getting enough early mention for the league?s MVP honor are Miami Heat center Shaquille O?Neal and Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash- players who have respectively made their teams better.

 Sure, ?The Big Aristotle? has been battling through a nagging hamstring injury and has not been putting up typical O?Neal numbers (19.6 PPG, 11.3 RPG), but he is averaging over three blocks a contest, and his presence in the low post has helped clear the way for second-year sensation Dwyane Wade to become a prime-time player.

 Wade ranks fifth in the league in both scoring (25.9) and assists (7.7), and is ninth in field-goal percentage (.544).  Miami also sits atop the Southeast division, with a 9-4 record.

 ?I don?t mind dropping my points-per-game average and getting other guys involved,? said O?Neal in defense of his career-low scoring output.  ?On any given night, I can go for 30 or 40.  Believe that.  But it doesn?t make sense for me to take 30 shots and get 30 points when I have got guys like Rasual Butler and Damon Jones.   I don?t have to go out and get mine.?

 Now whom could Shaq possibly be referring to?  

 While Amare Stoudemire, deservedly so, has been getting a lot of pub in Phoenix, Nash has nevertheless been the glue that has kept the 10-2 Suns together.  

 In true point guard fashion, Nash has made his teammates around him better, averaging a league-best 11.7 assists per contest, and is proving to be the perfect floor general for head coach Mike D?Antoni?s  up-tempo style of offense.

 ?It?s a lot of fun playing with so many terrific offensive players,? Nash said.  ?In some ways, it?s difficult, because you want to make sure everyone gets the ball, their touches, and it?s difficult to do, but at the same time it?s a lot of fun because they?re so talented.?