On Monday night the NBA's eyes turn to the mid-South, where the league's top two teams through the first 10 games of the season square off. The host Memphis Grizzlies and visiting Houston Rockets have both started 9-1, putting them unexpectedly at the top of a Western Conference that looks as deep as ever.
The fast starts portend good things ahead for Houston and Memphis, both of whom were considered part of the West's second tier of contenders entering the season, a level below the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. Since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976, teams that have started 9-1 have averaged nearly 56 wins (not counting lockout-shortened seasons).