While the Miami Heat entered the playoffs as a betting favorite to win it all again, they have not been THE story of the NBA playoffs. This year, we’ve seen a couple of good stories develop with (1) breakout stars and (2) scrappy underdogs.

For any fans who weren’t familiar with the Golden State Warriors, say hello to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. This dynamic backcourt has the range to hit 3 point shots from anywhere on the court, and the team has really bought into Mark Jackson’s coaching philosophy. As a #6 seed, the Warriors ran right through the Denver Nuggets (who had the best home record in the NBA) to upset the #3 seed and advance to the second round. They are now in a toe to toe battle with Tim Duncan and the #2 seeded San Antonio Spurs.

In the Eastern Conference, Paul George’s star is rising quickly for the Indianapolis Pacers. He’s proven to be a big time defender, and a more than capable offensive player. The Pacers look to be in good shape to get past the New York Knicks and advance to the conference finals. You may think they are no match for the Heat, but they were up 2-1 against Miami in last year’s conference semifinals, and won two out of three games during the regular season this year. I’m not convinced they will beat the Heat, but it certainly looks like they aren’t afraid of LeBron’s team.

I also have to give a shout out to the Chicago Bulls. Playing all season without the 2011 NBA MVP, Derrick Rose, and further shorthanded in the conference semis without Luol Deng and Kirk Heinrich, this team is giving everything they have to try and compete. In their first playoff series, they went into Brooklyn and won game 7 on the road. Now, against the mighty Heat, they won game 1 in Miami, and are making new fans all over the league with their “heart, hustle & muscle” (credit to Stacey King).

You can follow the remaining playoff action on our NBA playoff page, where eliminated teams are updated daily.

While there are some good stories in the NBA this season, the Miami Heat’s win streak is one for the records. At press time (not really a printing press now that we are in the digital world, so I think I just dated myself with that reference), the Heat have won 27 straight games, and are the proud owners of the second longest winning streak in NBA history. The longest streak in history is 33 games, by the 1971-72 Lakers. That streak seemed untouchable for years. Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls couldn’t come close. The Showtime Lakers never did it. Neither did the great Boston Celtics teams of the 80′s. As polarizing as this Miami Heat team was after “The Decision”, it appears that more and more fans are rooting for them to topple the 41 year old record. They have tough upcoming games in Chicago and in San Antonio, then home against the New York Knicks. If they continue winning, the streak will fall on April 9th at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. Whichever way you cheer, keep an eye on the Heat as they approach history.

As long as I can remember, the NBA on Christmas day has been a big event. In the 1990′s Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were regulars on the air, so after stuffing my face, I could sit back and enjoy some great basketball. I recall seeing 2-3 great matchups every year. Recently, the NBA has stepped up their Christmas day presence, and are now offering 5 games for our enjoyment.

The day tips off with the Boston Celtics against the Brooklyn Nets in their new arena. ABC picks up the second game of the day, showing the New York Knicks visiting the Los Angeles Lakers. As soon as that game ends, ABC goes to the second game of their doubleheader, showing the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Miami Heat. In case you suffer from short term memory loss, that game is a rematch of last year’s NBA finals. ESPN then takes over for the evening games. They’ll show the Houston Rockets against the Chicago Bulls, and end the day with the Denver Nuggets on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers. If that’s not enough NBA action for you for one day, you’re a bigger fan than most!

One new wrinkle for the games this year: The teams will unveil the limited edition monochromatic winter NBA jerseys. For a sneak preview of what they will look like, and a chance to snag a jersey of your favorite star, click here.

Let me start by saying that I’m thrilled football is back. No doubt it has the largest following of all North American sports. However, with all of the activity this summer, I am also looking forward to the return of the NBA. The NBA draft saw the New Orleans Hornets grab two big names in the top 10 picks, with Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers becoming the cornerstones of the franchise. The Boston Celtics look to remain relevant by compensating for the loss of Ray Allen to the rival Miami Heat, with the addition of Jason Terry, Jared Sullinger, and Fab Melo. We were treated to some NBA players in the summer Olympics, which helped tide me over until the start of the season.

In addition, the defending champion Miami Heat look to be improved, and they are going to need it in order to fend off serious challenges from the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, and Brooklyn Nets (yes, the Nets). The Lakers scooped up Steve Nash to run the point, and traded for big man Dwight Howard to continue the long trend of superstar centers for the Lakers. The Nets not only moved to Brooklyn, but they also added Joe Johnson, and re-signed Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Gerald Wallace. They are now touting their “Core 4″ to match up against any other team in the league. Finally, Linsanity has packed his things and signed with the Houston Rockets, who hope to ride Jeremy Lin’s popularity and ability to the playoffs and into contention for a NBA title.

One more month until preseason begins. New gear for 2012-2013 will be available soon, so check back and get your new NBA jerseys, tees, hats and hoodies in advance of what promises to be an exciting NBA season.