Erebody PANIC!!!

Ok, don't panic yet. It's only 1 or 2 games in and two teams seem to stick out as "in trouble". Perhaps because they both got housed last night, but both the 'Zards and the Jazz have their fans in this position:

I'm going to try and talk you back onto the ledge.

Wizards - Much like the Heat on opening night, it's hard to imagine them starting out in a game which will make them look worse. As Assani pointed out, the Wizards were 13.5 point underdogs so them getting blown out is not exactly a surprise. Further, against a good defensive team (which the Magic surely are) the absence of Arenas is only more magnified as he's the only guy who's truly dangerous against a set defense. Wall isn't there yet, as seen by the Magic's willingness to give him every 18 footer he wanted. Blatche is Blatche and neither McGee nor Hinrich are creators. Further, Washington finishing the season with a "mediocre but not wretched" record won't be determined by their record at Orlando, Miami, Boston and the Lakers - those are games that aren't realistically winnable for the Non-Impressive Nine at the bottom end of the Eastern conference. So while the manner of the loss was certainly disheartening for the Wiz, it's still just one loss in a game they were never going to win anyway.

Jazz - Unfortunately for the Jazz, they've looked really bad, twice. And have done so against two of the Western teams many thought most primed for declines in Phoenix and Denver. However, it might not quite be that bad. Jefferson and Millsap have the makings of a nice pairing and if Okur can give anything (especially floor spacing) when he returns those three (along with whatever minutes Kirilenko gives them at the 4) comprise a pretty solid, if somewhat defensively deficient, big man rotation. No, Utah's problems lay on the perimeter. Deron was a little nicked up in the preseason, as well as missing some time with "personal issues" whatever that means, and it shows, as he is not making shots and not looking totally in sync. Raja Bell is somewhere between zombified and mummified at the moment, though one has to imagine that he won't shoot this badly for the entire season. CJ Miles is a trainwreck. Gordon Hayward is probably their lone bright spot on the wings thus far as he looks an actual NBA player. But he's raw and suspect defensively against quick players.

So where is the optimism? Well, Deron will get better. Hayward will get his legs and start to take Miles' minutes. Bell will either be better or out of the rotation, as Ronnie Price is probably a better option if Bell is as done as he looks. (In fact Price would provide the added benefit of allowing Deron to guard 2 guards which is a better matchup for him vs. most teams due to his size and strength.) And perhaps there might even be a move to be made for a quality wing player. Rip Hamilton's name has been mentioned, though his awful contract makes that less likely. Another possibility might be Lou Williams, as Philly has 2 too many wing players demanding minutes at the moment. Maybe even someone like Bill Walker, who appears to be out of favor in New York? Or, you know, keep $30million Man Wes Matthews...