Going back almost 50 years, the NBA rarely has begun a season the way it shall in 2010-11. And no, we're not talking about three superstars corralled by one franchise.

Been there, done that, as far as Don Nelson is concerned. Not only did Nelson play against it -- West, Baylor and Chamberlain, back in the day -- he coached against it, plenty of times. He took on the likes of Bird, McHale and Parish and Johnson, Worthy and Abdul-Jabbar in the 1980s right on to Pierce, Garnett and Allen a quarter century later. It would, of course, be fascinating to watch Nelson operate from the far end of the sideline this season against the Miami Heat -- he probably would counter LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh with a lineup of two 7-footers, a thoroughbred jockey, one Alaskan Malamute and a very nice Louis XVI chest of drawers......