Each week during the season we ask the doctor -- Dr. Jack Ramsay -- to discuss teams in trouble in Dr. Jack's Prescription. But this week, which is the symbolic mid-season point with All-Star weekend coming up, the Hall of Fame coach discusses what we've learned the first few months.

The All-Star break is a good time to check out what's happening in the NBA. All teams have played more than half of their games, but because of scheduling differences, some have a better path to the critical stretch drive of the season. So let's take a look at teams, players and the effect of the new rules at this point in the season.

	Jason Kidd has raised the level of play in New Jersey.

SURPRISE TEAM: New Jersey Nets

Most NBA followers expected Jason Kidd to have a positive influence on his new team, but I don't think anyone thought the Nets would have the best record in the East (32-14) at this point in the season. Kidd has been the major factor in the change of direction move that has allowed the Nets to leave conference rivals standing and watching.

With Kidd at the throttle, Coach Byron Scott's Nets burst up the floor for fast-break scores, and then back-door opponents dizzy in half-court offense. Kerry Kittles, back from a knee injury which kept him out of action lastseason, and forwards Keith Van Horn and Kenyon Martin run the floor hard to get easy hoops from Kidd. Center Todd MacCulloch, a sure-handed, free agent pick-up from Philadelphia, blends perfectly into the mix. He's developed a decent low-post game, catches everything that comes his way in the basket area, and is a no-nonsense defender and surprising shot-blocker.

This isn't a team that relies on just outscoring their opponents either. The Nets play solid defense, indicated by their field goal percentage allowed figure (currently .421) that ranks them in the top three in the league. Recent blow-out wins over Milwaukee and Sacramento have gotten the attention of every team in the league.

The Nets are a fun team to watch. There's a "team first" attitude evident that's characterized by unselfish ball movement, willingness to provide help defense, and in the way players accept entering and leaving the game.

Veterans Lucious Harris and Aaron Williams are the first off the bench for the Nets and are consistently productive. Harris strokes the ball reliably from the perimeter and Williams provides inside muscle around the hoop. Scott also gets good mileage from rookie reserves Richard Jefferson, Jason Collins and recently Brian Scalabrine.

The Nets are for real. Barring critical injuries, there's no reason for them to falter going down to the wire.

DISAPPOINTING TEAM: New York Knicks

A number of teams have struggled through the first half of the season. Miami lost 13 of its first 14; Philadelphia, Portland and Utah got off to sluggish starts; San Antonio, Minnesota, Indiana and Toronto have been up and down; but these teams all look like they will fight their way out of the doldrums that afflicted them. New York, after losing eight straight games, rallied to win four in a row; but now looks like it's stuck in quicksand.

The Knicks, 48-14 last season, were 10-9 when Coach Jeff Van Gundy called it quits. They have gone 8-18 since. Their shortcomings -- which include lack of effective big men, duplication of positions among their best players, and a thin bench -- combine to make the loss of players to injury overwhelming .

Interim coach Don Chaney hopes that the Knicks will be able to make some trades to give him a more balanced squad to work with, but that won't be easy. The Knicks need a better combination at point guard -- even though they have three (Mark Jackson, Charlie Ward and Howard Eisley) at the position. Jackson is good with the ball, but weak as a defender. Ward is a good defender, but not as strong as a playmaker; Eisley is adequate at both, but there are no minutes for him.

They need a legitimate center, but use forwards Marcus Camby (when healthy) and Kurt Thomas there. They play Latrell Sprewell, a 2-guard by trade, at small forward. Only Allan Houston plays a normal position effectively. The bench is pretty much Shandon Anderson, Othella Harrington and Clarence Weatherspoon. Every team in the league goes into the game against the Knicks thinking it can win. In most cases, they're right.

TEAM ON THE RISE: Miami Heat

After a dismal start due to injury and illness, the Heat seems to have its season turned around. Alonzo Mourning, Miami's bell-whether center, has his stamina back and, along with Eddie Jones, has spearheaded his team's surge. Rod Strickland is in good physical shape and playing the point well. Kendall Gill and Brian Grant are back from injury, and free agent pick-up Jim Jackson has given the team a big lift. Coach Pat Riley kept his players focused through the tough times and has led his team to 10 wins in its last 12 games. The Heat (18-28) are yet far back from a playoff spot, but don't count them out.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Jason Kidd

No player in the league has had the impact that Kidd's had on the New Jersey Nets. Kidd gets everybody involved in the offense, is a triple-double about to happen, and is the constant in the Nets scrambling defensive scheme. The Nets were 26-56 last season. They will at least reverse those numbers this year. Jason Kidd is the main reason for the turn-around. He's the definition of a most valuable player.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Pau Gasol

The NBA Draft of 2001 was a good one. The top rookies include Gasol and Shane Battier (Memphis), Jamaal Tinsley (Indiana), Tony Parker (San Antonio), Eddie Griffin (Houston), Jason Richardson (Golden State), Richard Jefferson (New Jersey), Joe Johnson (Boston) and Andrei Kirilenko, a 1999 draft selection (Utah).

Gasol averages 17 points, over 8 rebounds, and more than 2 blocks a game. He leads his team in each of those areas. The 21-year-old native of Spain needs to fill out his 7-foot frame to improve his inside game, but he has all the tools to be a great one. Pau shoots the long ball with accuracy, has nice inside moves, runs the floor well, and is persistent on the glass. He and Battier give the Grizzlies reason for optimism in the future.

THE RULES:

Before the season began, there was great concern that the rules changes were going to bring a flood of zone defenses that would slow the game down. These fears have not been realized. Although most teams have some kind of zone alignment in their defensive game plan, no team uses it as its basic defense. Coaches have come to the conclusion that zone defenses, especially with the 3-second lane prohibition, have too many holes to be effective.

Minnesota started the season using a 1-2-2 matchup zone as its principal defense and had success with it early. But as opposing teams began to find the gaps in it, the T-Wolves use it less and less. Dallas used various zone defenses against the Lakers recently because of its lack of a big man defender against Shaquille O'Neal. Although Shaq wasn't as mobile as usual because of toe tendinitis, the Lakers had no difficulty scoring and won 101-94. That was the most I've seen any team play a zone defense in a game.

The 8-second limit on bringing the ball to the frontcourt has helped to increase the pace of the game, and the elimination of the illegal defense rules has clarified the game for coaches, players, officials and fans.

I like the rule changes and the impact they've had on the NBA game. Allowing the zone and double-teaming of players without the ball have increased the range of strategies for both the offense and defense. There's better ball and player movement and fewer isolations where one or two players are active and the others stand and watch.

The next step may be to eliminate the 3-second count on defense and allow teams complete freedom on defense. That might happen in future years. If it does, the NBA game would then be the same as that played at every level of basketball in the world.

And that would be a good thing.