Setting the city off into a frenzy with hate aimed at ‘Kim would be an understatement. There were chants of “Noah sucks!” and a bevy of boo’s all throughout game 2, where the Cavaliers beat the Bulls 112 – 102. This won’t be any different in the upcoming games as he continues his tirade against C-town. But is all his talk doing any good for his team? Is it motivating him, an above average center that averaged 11pts 11reb per game in the regular season? He certainly came strong in last night’s game, putting up 25 pts 13reb, but it wasn’t enough to stop King James’ 40 pts 8reb 8ast. So, what is all this yapping doing?

Is it firing me, a Cavaliers fan and a homegrown Clevelander, up? No doubt about that.

Is it enticing fans to riddle Noah with hate during every minute of his stay in Cleveland? You betcha.

Is it getting to the Cavs? Not so much. Adversely for the Bulls, it’s just motivated LBJ and the team THAT much more.

The Cavaliers are focused and though their defense was less than stellar last night, they know what’s at hand and realize that the Chicago Bulls will inevitably just be a stepping stone as they fight towards getting back to the NBA Finals. That’s right Noah, all your words are for naught. You despise the city that’s handing it to you two games to zero, so LeBron James and co. plan to help you get back home as soon as possible so you can enjoy some of your own vacation spots.

I personally held back as much as I could on my disdain for Noah, but what do you think of his constant yapping? He obviously has the right to say what he pleases to help him get fired up – but 2 games down and being the 8th seed against the top seeded Cavs, is it about time he just shuts up, plays his game and await his destiny of a first round bump? Sound off.

With those big moves, as well as a plethora of others, NBA fans are hot to already proclaim the 2010 NBA Champions. Though many see the season to be dominated by the usual suspects, here are 3 teams that people should keep an eye on:

San Antonio Spurs

Yes, the Spurs may have been a powerhouse for years but lately they’ve been snubbed as the old team that’s past their prime. Granted, Tim Duncan is admittedly on a decline and not the beast he once was, don’t forget that Tony Parker is in his prime and Manu Ginobili will be coming back full-strength after a season of injury. Oh, did I mention that they also acquired the explosive Richard Jefferson? Yea, I’d keep them on my radar.

Atlanta Hawks

They’re young, fiery and play with speed & excitement – all the reason that teams should be wary of them come playoff time. They’re 2 years out from their extraordinary run in the playoffs and almost beating the Celtics – but with such an athletic team, as well as with acquiring Jamal Crawford, the Hawks are primed and ready for another run.

Portland Trail Blazers

Another fairly young team, but one with one of the league’s biggest centers – Greg Oden. Yes, he has been injury prone the last couple years – but with a star like Brandon Roy and the addition of Andre Miller, they’ll be an exciting team to watch this year…even in the tough Western Conference.

Those are my atypical teams to look out for this coming season, but what teams do you think could be added to this list?

Photo credit: Lenny&Meriel