Here at BPL, we're still giddy with excitement that the NBA season finally tipped off on Boxing Day.

With the opening spade of games now complete, more light has been shed on some of the key questions of the upcoming season.

MIAMI DISH OUT REVENGE AGAINST MAVS

Don't let the relatively close 11-point margin fool you; the Miami Heat dominated the defending champion Dallas Mavericks on Monday.

We all know how the NBA Finals unfolded last June - with many stating that Miami lost the Finals rather than Dallas won - but as of now, that doesn't matter. The talk of LeBron's choking in the clutch, Miami's failure to win a title that many thought they should have, Dirk Nowitzki's sensational series; it's all subtext now.

After Monday's game, it's more likely that Miami will get back to the Finals than the Dallas Mavericks.

Heat stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade showcased their offensive gifts, driving the Heat to a 35-point lead in the third quarter. From that point on, it became a no contest.

The South-beach duo combined for 63 points, 18 rebounds and 12 assists against the Mavs.

If that can be replicated for the next 65 regular season games (and the subsequent playoff clashes) expect Miami to be contending for the championship in June.

TALK OF LAKERS DEMISE GREATLY EXAGGERATED

After missing out on adding Chris Paul via trade, and the resulting departure of Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks, the majority of dialogue has been predicting a sudden fall from grace for the perennially contending Lakers.

Kobe Bryant is too old, Pau Gasol is too soft, Andrew Bynum is too inconsistent, Metta World Peace is well...too Metta World Peace. The Lakers were on the way down, big time.

So, with the Chicago Bulls and their MVP guard Derrick Rose coming into the Staples Center to begin the season, not many people gave the Lakers much of a chance.

Ultimately, the Lakers ended up on the wrong side of the ledger, with the dagger being a beautiful Derrick Rose hook shot with just seconds left, but the Lakers appeared nothing like a team in decline.

Bryant (who entered the game under an injury cloud) had 27 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists, and missed a potential trademark game-winner as time expired.

But really, Bryant was never going to be the problem for the Lakers, he's a surefire Hall-of-Famer and cannot really be questioned. The borderline triple-double numbers are what the Laker fans expect from Bryant.

Yet, the strong game of Pau Gasol (14 points, 8 rebounds) even as he battled foul trouble, and solid contributions from role-players Josh McRoberts, Troy Murphy and Steve Blake.

With Andrew Bynum set to return from suspension in three games, the Lakers still have the look of a team that will contend in the Western Conference.

CLIPPERS NOT YET COMPLETE PACKAGE

The NBA's new ‘it' team, the Los Angeles Clippers got their season off to a winning start against the Golden State Warriors Monday, eventually surging to a 19-point victory.

A fleeting glance at the box score would lend the viewer to thinking the Clippers were in control throughout. ‘Lob City' on its way to living up to the unmitigated hype that has surrounded the Clippers since acquiring All-Star guard Chris Paul.

But in reality, the Clippers looked nothing like the potential NBA title contenders they have been hailed as.

The Warriors were in the game for much of the contest, before Paul took over the contest in the final quarter, propelling LA to a 30-18 run to close the door on Golden State.

The Clippers are in desperate need of a scoring ‘2-guard' that could help ease the pressure on Paul and Blake Griffin to pour in the majority of the points. With both Mo Williams and Chauncey Billups on the books, one part of that duo could be worked into a potential trade to get a guard that would complete their roster.

KNICKS NOT QUITE READY TO CHALLENGE FOR EASTERN CROWN

This is the sort of night that the Knickerbocker faithful has been dreaming off, ever since Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony strolled down Broadway to make Madison Square Garden their basketballing home.

The Knicks looked good in their victory over the Boston Celtics (minus Paul Pierce) and landed the first blow in the battle for Atlantic division supremacy.

New York is well and truly back on the way to being legitimate challenger, but they aren't yet, judging from Monday's performance.

I am not trying discredit the Knicks opening night triumph. A win is a win, and something that cannot be sneezed at especially in this shortened season. And as a relatively long-suffering Knicks fan, a victory over the Boston Celtics is a huge step in the right direction.

But the problems were still there.

The offense was sporadic, the defense was at times non-existent, and there was the usual supply of head-scratching moments.

In other words, it is still the New York Knicks.

Tyson Chandler - the man brought in from Dallas to give a much-needed presence - best represented that inconsistency. As promising as his six blocks were, his paltry total of three rebounds were just as disheartening.

In the end, Carmelo Anthony was the difference, putting the Knicks ahead for good with 16 seconds left.

Once again, the promise is undoubtedly evident for New York.

But Knicks fans will be forced to hold their collective breath while waiting for the actualization of that potential.