What's the first thing you notice when you see ESPN's Fred Carter on NBA 2Night or SportsCenter? Of course, he points at you. It's his way of saying hello. So we've asked NBA expert Fred to greet us and make some points for ESPN.com each week. Enjoy.

	Malone

1. Portland and Utah each got off to tough 1-3 starts. Is either team in trouble or in risk of falling too far behind, or is this just a bad week?
The window of opportunity has closed on both teams in terms of winning the NBA championship. The age factor is affecting the Utah Jazz. As the season wears on, the age factor may become even more prevalent with John Stockton and Karl Malone. As players get older, it's easier to get hurt, and players don't bounce back from injuries as quickly. Both players have been fortunate to avoid injury problems in their careers.

In addition, though, the Jazz aren't doing a good job of taking care of the ball. They are turning the ball over an average of 19 times a game -- that's too much.

It's hard to understand the Blazers because they have the talent. They have a new coach in Maurice Cheeks and a solid assistant in Jim Lynam. The knowledge is there. But I'm not sure the personnel blend is good. They have a few players who play the same position in Rasheed Wallace, Shawn Kemp and Dale Davis. Then they have Bonzi Wells, Derek Anderson and Scottie Pippen. That becomes a numbers game and a problem. They lack a true center now that Arvydas Sabonis is gone.

So Portland is in a fragile situation. If the Blazers continue their poor start, they may fragment. It's important for them to maintain their concentration and intensity and follow their coaches' guidelines. If not, they will fall by the wayside.

	Kidd

2. On the other side, the Nets, Pistons and Rockets had solid 3-1 starts. Are any of these teams playoff bound?
A good start always builds confidence. But excluding the Pistons, the Nets have one player, Jason Kidd, who will not let his team lose. He does all the winning things other than score -- rebounds, assists, steals. He keeps his team in ballgames. If Keith Van Horn can continue to rebound, Kenyon Martin can grow and Kerry Kittles can stay healthy, the Nets have a chance.

But the big question mark is in the middle with Todd MacCulloch. He must rebound. If he can man the position reasonably well, the Nets can stay healthy and they can keep their intensity, New Jersey has an outside shot at fighting for the eighth playoff spot.

In Houston, Rudy Tomjanovich has done a great job. He won two NBA titles playing the game inside out with Hakeem Olajuwon. He has changed his coaching style and gone to a more open-court game, playing the game outside with Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley. The Rockets have a great shot, but their problem is rebounding and defending the paint. If they do those two things, they can be a playoff team.

3. Philadelphia has been a mess without Allen Iverson. Are you surprised that the fine play of Speedy Claxton and Derrick Coleman combined with Dikembe Mutombo has them scoring only 80 points a game? And will this all be fixed when Iverson returns?
Hopefully, it will be fixed when Iverson and Aaron McKie return because they are two players who will stabilize them. Their defense has been solid, but the 76ers have been going through too many scoring droughts.

I watched Coleman against Washington, and he should have stepped up and taken control of the game. He didn't. He was going up against Jahidi White and Popeye Jones; they shouldn't be able to stop Coleman. He kind of floundered around, and the 76ers got blown out.

Mutombo is more of a defensive player; he's not a scorer, so he won't carry them offensively. But when Iverson and McKie come back, Philadelphia will get on another roll.

4. Denver isn't a good team, but there are two good players there going in opposite directions. Can you explain Nick Van Exel's wonderful start, and Raef LaFrentz playing miserably?
It's surprising. LaFrentz is a player who can't take the pressure the coach puts on him. He is a solid player who can pick-and-roll, shoot outside, finish around the basket and move without the ball. The problem is the Nuggets are a guard-oriented offense that doesn't defend. They give up 100 and don't score 100. When that happens, that creates a problem.

5. Of the rookies, Jamaal Tinsley, Joe Johnson, Speedy Claxton and Shane Battier appear to have gotten off to the quickest starts. Who are you most impressed with?
Tinsley has impressed me the most. He is doing an outstanding job with the Pacers. He came in and beat out Travis Best for the starting job. He has moxie and savvy and is not afraid to express himself on the floor. He doesn't become intimidated and then start to eliminate things in his game. He is doing just the opposite. He is adding to his game and becoming extremely effective.

Claxton is scoring a lot. Even though he was drafted a year ago, he is still a rookie. He is very quick and a tough kid who can finish around the basket. Claxton is more offensive-minded than what he should be. He is not looking to create for other people. Once he does that -- and he will have to when Iverson returns -- Claxton can have a fine season.

Battier is a solid, hard-nosed player who can shoot the outside shot. He makes few mistakes and defends well. With Memphis, he is getting an opportunity to grow into his position because the expectation to win isn't as high as the expectation to develop the players. And he should develop in Memphis.

His rookie teammate, Pau Gasol, had a big game against Phoenix with 27 points. Gasol is agile and has post-up ability around the basket. Ignore the thin body on his 7-foot frame because he is tough, has good hands and can catch and shoot. Like most European players, he can handle and pass. The tools are there; he will get better and better. Gasol should challenge for Rookie of the Year.