The Toronto Raptors are out to a 2-0 start with Jose Calderon as the starting point guard.  After the Raptors traded away TJ Ford this past summer, they all but handed the starting role to Calderon, and so far results are good.  Yeah, it’s two games into the season, but I like building it up, ok?

Playing 37 minutes a game, the Spanish point guard is averaging a double-double, 14.5 points and 10 assists, in wins over Philadephia and Golden State.  Calderon has only accumulated two turnovers, for a gaudy 10-1 assist to turnover ratio.

His backup, rookie Roki Leni-Ukic, is still probably still trying to adapt to the gameplay.  Ukic is getting 12 minutes a game, shooting just 20% from the field, and averaging 2.0 points and 2.0 assists.  Former number one draft pick Andrea Bargnani went from going scoreless in Toronto’s first game, to shooting 8-10 for 19 points in the second game.   The 23-year old, 6-10 Italian is averaging 9.5 points, 5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks.

With Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest in tow, Yao Ming has led the Rockets to 2-0 start.  The 7-5 center is averaging 25.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks on 58% shooting from the field.  Big Yao has also hit all 17 of his free throws, downing Memphis in their first game and withstanding Dirk Nowitzki’s 36 point outburst in Dallas’s home debut.

Filipino Spoelstra gets First Win
Erik Spoelstra is the coach of the Miami Heat and has never played in the NBA, which is a rarity for a coach in the league.  But even more rare is that he is the first Filipino-American coach ever in the four major professional sports in the United States (NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL).

HIs mother is from the Laguna, Philippines and his father Joel Spoelstra, is Dutch-Irish and was an NBA executive for three NBA teams.

Spoelstra got his first win last night when the Heat destroyed the Sacramento Kings 103-77 on Halloween.  The win was a balanced attack that saw four of the five starters score at least 13 points; Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem, Shawn Marion and rookie Michael Beasley all hit double-figures.  As did bench players Daquan Cook and Mark Blount.

The Heat players recognized Spoelstra’s win by honoring him with the game ball and placing him in the middle of a 16-man locker room hug.  “They tried to mess up my hair,” Spoelstra said.

Spoelstra is 37 years old and is the NBA’s youngest coach this season.  He turns 38 today, November 1st.  Happy Birthday Eric!

Denver rejoices, Nene has started out the season on the active list (not injured) and showing promise.  The physical Brazilian center is putting up 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and hitting 63.6% from the field including 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks in a overtime win over the Clippers.  Nene has also fouled out of both games, showing his aggressiveness hasn’t suffered while on the injured list.

On the other side of Denver, Linas Kleiza hasn’t had such a great start.  The 6-8 Lithuanian has been inserted into the starting lineup because of Carmelo Anthony’s two-game suspension, but his performance isn’t anything to write home about (home being Kaunas, Lithuania).  Kleiza is shooting 3-16 from the field (18.8%) to the tune of 5.0 points and 6.0 rebounds.

Maybe it has something to do with Kleiza not being offered an extension by the Nuggets yesterday. That means Denver can match any NBA offer after the season, but there’s a chance Kleiza may head home to Europe.  “Denver definitely is (my first choice), but there are a lot of opportunities out there,” said Kleiza. “Europe being so big and things. Such big money now. Being from Europe, it’s definitely something I’m going to have to consider.”

Stay tuned, Kleiza could be the next Bostjan Nachbar, Juan Carlos Navarro, or Nenad Krstic, NBA players that went back to Europe.

Another international player moved into the starting lineup and not performing in his first two games is Thabo Sefolosha of Switzerland.  The defensive player is shooting just 37.5%, and has just nine points, three rebounds and one assist in 30 minutes of play.  The 6-7 guard/forward does have three steals and has hit all his free-throws (3-3), but definitely needs to crank up his play to justify the starting role.  Me thinks that Thabo is a rhythm player, and since the Bulls aren’t playing so well, that reflects on Sefolosha’s play.  We’ll see if I am right.

Karma for putting up with the ‘Jailblazer’ Era
This must be karma for Portland fans that had to sit through the Jailblazer era.  A ten-year span that saw players like Isaiah Rider, Reuben Patterson, Zach Randolph, Bonzi Wells, Rasheed Wallace, Shawn Kemp, Qyntel Woods et. al. run roughshod over Portland’s reputation.  I should know, I was a Portland fan back then.

Now, what an exciting time it must be to be a Portland fan, their roster is packed with young and exciting players with much potential, and unquestioned character – such as Greg Oden, Lamarcus Aldridge, Brandon Roy, Channing Frye, and Steve Blake.

Twelve of the Fifteen players on their roster (including inactive players) are 25 years or younger.  Three of which are international players- Sergio Rodriguez, and rookies Rudy Fernandez and Nicolas Batum.

Interbasket hearts Rudy Fernandez.  He is smart, aggressive, has serious ups, and is a feisty, savvy shot maker -  he’s basically a right-handed Manu Ginobili.  Rudy’s debut was nice, but his second game wasn’t nearly as successful (6 points, 8 rebounds, 1-6 shooting).

Who cares…. Rudy! Rudy! Rudy! (blind fanboy love here)

Rudy’s Portland teammate and fellow NBA rookie Nicolas Batum had a much better game in his second NBA game.  The 19-year old Frenchman with a huge wingspan and calm demeanor contributed 12 points and 2 blocks in the Blazer’s 100-99 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Oh, and one of his two blocks came when he stuffed Tim Duncan’s dunk attempt (see image).  Rumors are that Portland coach Nate McMillan has seen so much potential in the young Batum, that he has been toying around with putting Batum in the starting lineup.  And it’s not just McMillan that sees him, Portland’s leader on the floor, Brandon Roy thinks highly of Batum also, “Honestly, I think (Batum) might be able to start at the three.’

And San Antonio has lost their first two games, by a total of six points.  Tim Duncan and Tony Parker are coming strong out of the gate, avergaing 29.5 and 28 points respectively, but they are obviously missing Manu Ginobili, who is out with ankle injury, and Fabricio Oberto, who is sidelined with a irregular heartbeat.  Oberto will be back for San Antonio’s third game, and Ginobili is out until mid-December.  Parker is also dishing out 8.0 assists and shooting 53.5% from the field.

Mickael Pietrus had a decently successful debut for the Orlando Magic, putting up 20 points and 3 rebounds, the only thing he didn’t get was a win.  In Orlando’s second game, Pietrus only hit 1-6 shots for 3 points, 5 fouls in only 17 minutes of run.  Hedo Turkoglu has averaged 15.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4 assists for the Magic.  The Magic have lost both their games thus far, their second game on a buzzer beating jumper from Rudy Gay.

Pietrus’ old teammate Andris Biedrins, an Interbasket favorite, has also started out 0-2.  However, the 7-0 Latvian is continuing his strong play for Golden State, 14 points and 12 rebounds against New Orleans, and 17 points and 13 rebounds against Toronto.  The 22-year old Biedrins is shooting nearly 62% in his first two games, which is expected, but Biedrins is shooting terribly from the line, just 5-13, for 38.5% from the line.

And we are mad with joy that Kelenna Azubuike is getting some run and shots at the basket, going for 15 and 17 points in the Warrior’s first two games.  Once the 24-year old English player finds his groove, and Monta Ellis returns, the combination of the two and Biedrins will keep the Warriors exciting at the very least.  Now if only Marco Belinelli could get some playing time…

Postscript: Mike D’Antoni puts Stephon Marbury on the inactive list, after riding the bench the entire first game. Marbury had met with coach D’Antoni if he was going to play on Friday. When told he would not be seeing action, Marbury reportedly requested he be put on the inactive list. D’Antoni and the guard mutually agreed to take that action for Friday’s game.

Links and Resources: Jose Calderon turns up the Heat on Raptor’s PG Situation (Interbasket), Nuggets opt not to offer extension to Kleiza (Rocky Mountain News), Miami Heat: Fun Facts (ESPN), Spurs’ Oberto sidelined by irregular heartbeat (Yahoo!), Brandon Roy thinks Batum could start for the Blazers (SLAM),  Nicolas Batum: Gets Start Tuesday (Yahoo), NBA Highlights October 31, 2008 (YouTube), Knicks put Marbury on Inactive List (Yahoo!),