SURPRISE: Kevin Garnett recreating himself as a dominant center, a position he hated playing most of his career.

DISAPPOINTMENT: Celtic heart "injuries" to Jeff Green and Chris Wilcox. Concussions, blown out knees, broken bones, sprains, etc happen in a tough contact sport. Two players on one team going down with coronary problems do not, until this year.

SURPRISE: Kyrie Irving looking like he is going to be one of the best players to come into the NBA since possibly Kevin Durant and one of the most complete players to come in as a one and done college player ever.

DISAPPOINTMENT: The rest of the 2011 NBA Draft class. A few decent looking players but overall a very weak year for rookies.

SURPRISE: The play of the Memphis Grizzlies given that Zach Randolph has been gone since mid January. Gasol, Gay, Conley, Mayo, Speights, Allen, and all the rest of that crowd have been exceptional given the loss of their best player.

DISAPPOINTMENT: While Celtic fans are probably pretty happy with it, has their been a team more disappointing than the New York Knicks? Amare, Melo, Landry, Davis, Bibby, Smith; all major Knick disappointments this year. About the only players that have played well have been Chandler, Lin, Novak and Jeffries.

SURPRISE: That Dwight Howard is still with the Orlando Magic.

DISAPPOINTMENT: That Dwight Howard is still with the Orlando Magic and we will have this trade drama ongoing again next year.

SURPRISE: That the Lakers trio of Bynum, Gasol and Bryant have remain healthy all season. This team only goes as far as these three guys take them and they have been amazingly healthy and productive all season long. Hearts of champions never die.

DISAPPOINTMENT: That this season had to start in December instead of October. I'm not sure what the lockout accomplished as the CBA isn't that much different than the last CBA and I don't see how the agreement that was reached couldn't have been reached over the summer.

SURPRISE: Avery Bradley and Greg Stiemsma appear to be bona fide NBA players.

DISAPPOINTMENT: We still don't know if JaJuan Johnson or E'Twaun Moore will be.

SURPRISE: The rise of Linsanity

DISAPPOINTMENT: Not getting to see Lin play like he did for ten games for a whole seasons. It was fun to watch.

SURPRISE: Gerald Green's return as what appears to be a real NBA player, that doesn't happen to play any defense, though that doesn't make him unique in any way.

DISAPPOINTMENT: He might be the best player left in Brooklyn come next year.

SURPRISE: In a condensed season the older teams are looking strong at the end of the year.

DISAPPOINTMENT: Some of the younger and athletic teams are struggling towards the end of the condensed season.

SURPRISE: Ricky Rubio's all around play

DISAPPOINTMENT: Ricky Rubio's ability to finish, hit mid range shots and his injury.

SURPRISE: The play of Greg Monroe, Roy Hibbert, Nikola Pekovic, Ryan Anderson, Brandon Bass, Kenneth Faried, Drew Gooden, Isiah Thomas, Marcus Thornton, Gustavo Ayon, Steve Novak, Trevor Booker, Gordon Haywood, Jeff Teague, Alonzo Gee

DISAPPOINTMENT: Glen Davis, Lamar Odom, Derrick Williams, Ryan Gomes, Marquis Daniels, Tyrus Thomas, Stephen Jackson, Richard Jefferson, Shawne Williams, Greg Oden

SURPRISE: David Stern's handling of the Chris Paul situation for the Hornets

DISAPPOINTMENT: David Stern's handling of the sale of the Hornets.(David, if no one wants to buy the team and keep them in New Orleans because New Orleans is no longer a viable market, then sell the team to someone who will move the team to a viable market.)