Finally, there will be basketball!!!

As it has been well documented, the NBA and the Players Association have reached a tentative agreement to end the five-month old lockout and start the league’s 2011-12 season on Dec. 25. Commissioner David Stern said, “There’s still some tweaking…that needs to be done”, but pending ratification, and barring any unforeseen major event, the season will start on Sunday, December 25th with the Boston Celtics at the New York Knicks, followed by Miami at Dallas in an NBA Finals rematch before MVP Derrick Rose and Chicago close the triple-header against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.

We would like to pose five questions before the first tip-off at Madison Square Garden on Christmas Day and see the kind of responses it brings:

NBA triple-header scheduled for Christmas Day.

1. Will LeBron, Dwayne, and Chris finally get to enjoy their first championship together?

2. Will a shortened season prove beneficial to aging teams such as the Celtics and the Lakers?

3. Will Dwight Howard be staying in Orlando?

4. Will the Mavericks repeat or retreat?

5. Are the Knicks serious contenders or just a bunch of talented pretenders?

What do you think? Feel free to comment below or email fantasyfurnace@yahoo.com