We're three weeks into the season, and there are still some teams that make you scratch your head and wonder, "Hey, just how good -- or bad -- are these guys?"

Case Study No. 1: Phoenix. Let's face it, the Suns are pretty much a three-man team. The question is, how far can Penny Hardaway, Shawn Marion and Stephon Marbury carry them? So far, no one can tell. After all, the Suns did lose to Denver at home ... but then beat Seattle on the road. Hardaway has been brilliant and appears to be fully recovered from the knee injury that kept him out all of last season. Marion remains among the NBA's most explosive athletes, and Marbury is still Marbury -- a guy who can put up numbers every night. Unfortunately for the Suns, Marbury is also a player who seems to be more concerned with making cameos in bad rap videos than winning basketball games. But he's still a lot better than, say, Vinny Del Negro. Fact: This team desperately misses Jason Kidd. And we mean desperately. Theory: A healthy Hardaway will make up for the loss of Kidd by January.

Case study No. 2: Orlando. Thanks to the return of Grant Hill, the Magic entered the season as the hip choice to win the Eastern Conference. Well, Hill is back, but the Magic continues to look like the team that won 43 games and was eliminated from the playoffs in the first round. The biggest problem? The bench, which hasn't been nearly as good as some folks projected. Also, the Magic can't seem to stop anyone underneath the basket, as height and athleticism are major problems in the frontcourt. Especially when you consider that Patrick Ewing and Horace Grant have been non-factors. In Orlando's defense, it was without reigning rookie of the year Mike Miller for the first two weeks, and you can tell the team is still adjusting to its new lineup. So while the Magic may appear to be schizophrenic for now, things should only get better as the season progresses.

Case study No. 3: Golden State. The Warriors were supposed to stink. And why not? They won all of 17 games last season. But they sure looked good in capturing three of four on a recent road swing, which included a thrashing of the Knicks in New York. The Warriors also gained easy victories in Washington and Memphis. And the one thing that hasn't been said? In two of those wins, Antawn Jamison had four points. Four! That's not a knock on Jamison, one of the most underrated and unselfish players in the league (not to mention one of its finest citizens). Rather, it's to give an example of how well the rest of the team is playing. Guys like Danny Fortson, Larry Hughes and even Erick Dampier and Bobby Sura all seem to have improved in either passion or ability -- or both. And newcomers Jason Richardson and Troy Murphy may end up battling each other for rookie of the year honors. Also, two Warriors who don't get nearly enough credit are Chris Mills and Adonal Foyle, as each just wants to win. And as startling as it may seem, playing winning basketball is exactly what the Warriors have done.

Case study Nos. 4-10: Detroit, Toronto, Boston, Houston, Charlotte, Indiana. Call me when you get them figured out. I've given up. And, oh yeah, let's not forget the team that probably could use a basketball psychologist more than anybody, the Portland Trail Blazers. I love the Blazers. Really, I do. But after days of research I reached the following conclusion: Trade everyone but Bonzi Wells and that Boumtje Boumtje guy. Wells can play, and local fans probably can't get enough of yelling, "Boumtje Boumtje!"

CHAMPS, NOT CHUMPS

When a team wins a championship, I almost immediately lose my interest in it. Guess that's what happens when you're a complete sap for the underdog, which I am (a sap, not an underdog). I've always figured there are enough people writing about the Los Angles Lakers, and therefore, my goal is to try to create discussion about things that get ignored, such as the Denver Nuggets.

But even I will admit, you have to like the current group of Lakers. In a city that's about nothing but bright lights and big stars, these Lakers are as down-to-earth as they come. In fact, they're even that way compared to the rest of the NBA. I mean, how can you not like guys like Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Rick Fox? They have every reason to act like jerks -- but don't.

I'll be honest, I'm still not going to root for the Lakers, because I never root for anyone who has just won a title (at least, not outwardly). But I will enjoy watching them play and not despise them. For champions, that says a lot.

COACHING THOUGHTS

I rarely choose sportswriters over coaches, but Atlanta-based writer Jeffrey Denberg may have been right when he accused Pat Riley of ruining the Miami Heat. Riley responded by saying that he's not done building the Heat -- but the truth is, in the NBA the players make the coach. And right now, Riley has no players.

That's why you can be sure that someday, someone will be writing the same thing about Phil Jackson. Just watch.

I know, I know. Fans of the Chicago Bulls will e-mail me and say Shaq and Kobe never won squat until Jackson came along -- or until the Bulls decided to split up. But I don't care how many wins or titles the man has, I'll never be convinced Jackson is one of the all-time great coaches until he actually builds a winner from nothing (a la Chuck Daly, Bill Fitch, or the best example, Lenny Wilkens).

GREAT LINE

Washington Post columnist Michael Wilbon on Michael Jordan's shooting woes: "The 'other' Wizards are shooting a higher percentage than Jordan, but this isn't what folks meant when they said Jordan would make his teammates better."

SURPRISING SPUR

All the talk in San Antonio during the offseason had to do with the acquisition of shooting guard Steve Smith -- and Smith has indeed been as good as ever.

But rookie point guard Tony Parker is the biggest reason the Spurs think they can upset the Lakers and land a spot in the Finals. Parker is 19 and was drafted out of France, where played for a team called Basket Racing. Well, this young man races to the basket then either scores or dishes off to David Robinson or Tim Duncan for easy baskets.

Parker has provided this laid-back team with a little bit of fire, and has made the usually drab Spurs suddenly exciting. To top it off, San Antonio has the appropriately named Antonio Daniels backing Parker up. So trust me, the Spurs may have compiled the best regular-season record last season, but they are much better today. And Parker is mostly to thank.

WAITING LIST

There are a lot of unsigned players out there who could still help a team. My list includes Corey Benjamin, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Jimmy Jackson, Chris Herren, David Benoit, and one of my all-time favorites, second-round pick Omar Cook. I've written so much about Cook that some readers have accused me of wanting a percentage of his contract. That would be nice except for one thing -- he doesn't have a contract.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

FROM DAN PENSABENE

Q: I read the box scores a lot and I've noticed over the years that benchwarmers such as Cedric Henderson, Vonteego Cummings and even Rafer Alston put up adequate and sometimes impressive numbers when given playing time. Furthermore, players such as Samaki Walker and Austin Croshere, who were once seen as being on the up and up, will once again find their way to the bench. However, I don't notice bad numbers for these guys when I look at the box scores -- I just notice less playing time. What do you think is the cause for this? Is it really just bad performance in practice and if so, are pro practices simulated enough to judge how a player will perform in real game situations? Or do money, politics, and a coach's personal favorite play a more influential part in playing time?

A: Dan, that's a heck of a good question and my answer for it is all of the above. The rotation of most NBA coaches is one of life's great mysteries -- although I think you'll find the teams that win are the ones that use the same rotation through thick and thin. And yes, the rotation has a lot to do with which players are pleasing the coaches the most in practice, by doing things such as showing up on time and actually putting in some effort. And yes, contracts and politics play a big role (otherwise, Khalid El-Amin would be in the NBA right now). Also, keep in mind that everyone in the NBA can score -- everyone. So putting up 20-25 points isn't a big deal to most coaches. They want players who can do it all, and do it consistently. That may be why you'll see a Rafer Alston put up 25 points one game, then play a mere two minutes the next.

FROM BRIAN SPAETH

Q: I have to agree with your recent assessment of the Cleveland Cavaliers. It only took about five minutes of a game I attended before realizing the local high school freshmen girls team is probably more fun to watch. It was horrible, horrible basketball. Not only were the Cavs unable to execute anything, they also seemed uninterested. It's a shame, because although they are a distant third to the Indians and Browns, the city would support the Cavs wholeheartedly if they were even decent enough to challenge for the playoffs. As it stands now, they could leave town and nobody would notice. Just venting my frustration. Thanks for your newsletter, I really enjoy it.

A: Brian, well said. The Cavs did win a big one in Minnesota, though, and if they could only play as well at home as they do on the road ... In the meantime, John Lucas is pleading for fans' patience, and if you're in Cleveland, you may want to give it to him. I'm guessing that the Cavs will be much better during the second half of the season.

FROM CARL J. BRACK

Q: I'm a Boston Celtics fan who is having a hard time accepting Antoine Walker as a team leader. I looked at his stats the other day, and saw he was shooting 30 percent from the field! During the free preview of the NBA league pass, commentator Tommy Heinsohn was ripping Walker throughout an entire game against the Bulls. It seems that (rookie guard) Joe Johnson could take some of the scoring burden off of Paul Pierce and Walker -- if so, would Boston ever consider offering Walker to another team for a power player?

A: Carl, I tend to agree with your comments about Walker, as he's still not consistent (motivated?) enough to be considered a great player. But I highly doubt the Celtics would trade him, especially since general manager Chris Wallace is a big fan. Plus, who could you possibly get in return? As frustrating as Walker is, I doubt Boston could acquire someone of equal value. At least, not until Walker starts showing some mettle.

VONTEEGO WATCH

This is the regular segment of the newsletter in which I update the status of Philadelphia 76ers backup guard Vonteego Cummings.

Vonteego's minutes have dwindled considerably now that Allen Iverson has returned. Vonteego didn't even play in Iverson's first game back. Still, he's averaging 4.2 points in 14.2 minutes per game -- and shooting a paltry 30 percent from the floor. Of course, those numbers are identical to Houston Rockets rookie Eddie Griffin, and some people said Griffin would be good.

Anyway, this week's Vonteego fact: His mother came up with his first name by combining the names of her two favorite cars -- Volkswagon and Mercury Montego.

SAM'S SLAMS

Note to Sacramento coach Rick Adelman: You're a good coach who does not need to change his image. So please, lose the beard . ... It has to make coaches cringe to see their players laughing when their team is down by eight points with a minute left. But that's exactly what Toronto Raptors guard Vince Carter did in a recent loss to Sacramento. That is the difference between the NBA today and, say, 1981. ... Or better yet, the difference between players like Carter and Magic Johnson. ... I honestly cannot bear to read another report out of Chicago. I mean, they're just so darn nasty. It seems as if the only person left in Chicago with a championship mentality is Tim Hallam. And he's the Bulls' P.R. director. ... Detroit Pistons "center" Clifford Robinson had 0 rebounds in a home loss to Detroit. You almost have to try NOT to get any boards when you're that big (6-10, at least), and always standing where Robinson stands (underneath the basket).

CONTACT AMICO

E-mail questions and comments to me at amicoreport@hotmail.com . I will try to answer all questions in the newsletter, but you must include your full name.

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