Inside the NBA: Looking ahead

CHICAGO AT MIAMI: Sunday at 10 a.m. PST. TV: ABC.

LAKERS AT SAN ANTONIO: Sunday at 12:30 p.m. PST. TV: ABC.

Now to see about the big guys. Oh, and these are big games for the Heat and Lakers, too! A lot has changed since the Heat and Lakers were preseason Finals picks. Now, you’d get decent odds against both of them making the conference finals. No one gave the Spurs and Bulls a second thought, but here they are. The Spurs are old but deep and good. The Bulls are so early, they haven’t filled all their roles, like starting shooting guard. With two superstars, the Heat has work to do, possibly more than can be done with this cast this season. The Lakers have Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, and, for the moment, Phil Jackson. Imagine the possibilities.