It's true – the season is upon us.

Who cares if we have the early schedule from hell? Just be glad there is real live meaningful hoops to be played this week.

What's that – the regular season isn't meaningful? Tell that to the 2005 Lakers and Timberwolves.

Game 1 versus NOOCH! (hat tip to YAYsports! for that lovely moniker) should be a win – that team ain't no good. But anything can happen when you get an emotional group in the first game after a disaster like what's happened in the Gulf Coast. And if you follow the Kings, you know that anything can happen on the road.

Game 2 versus the Rockets should just be put in the loss column. Second game of a road back-to-back against a good team with good interior scoring and a tall slasher. Sacramento's only hope is for Tracy McGrady to sit out and Patrick Ewing to start in place of Yao Ming. Other than that, it looks like an early loss.

Game 3 versus the Suns in Phoenix should tell us something about both squads. How good will Steve and Shawn be sans Amare? Can the Suns play defense now? How is the Sacramento offense melding? Is Rick Adelman unemployed? Has anyone not named Dennis Rodman checked into the Hardwood Suite yet? Lots of important questions, you know.

It's Kings basketball, ladies and gentlemen. Feel the rrar!