No one knows what to expect from an NBA season, as much as analysts and broadcasters try to pretend. At the end of last season, who would have thought that Shaquille O’Neal would propel the Cavaliers to the top only to be eliminated for the year? Few could have, considering he didn’t even play for Cleveland. A lot has already happened in another wild NBA season on satellite TV, but the biggest questions remain. Where will these paths take sports fans as the NBA season heads to the playoffs?

1. The road may fork in San Antonio. Like the late-dynasty Yankees in 2001, the San Antonio Spurs are the Rasputins of the NBA. Until they’ve been eliminated, they could take their strict play style all the way to the Finals. Coach Popovich makes his well-armed soldiers play with the quiet intensity of Pop himself. Tony Parker’s injury will hurt them, but the resurgence of crafty Argentine Manu Ginobili has hinted at good things to come. The 20-point beating of the Celtics (in Boston) on satellite TV might have just been a taster.

2. Big man status in Cleveland. The Cavaliers go as far as Lebron will take them, but after 2009 it became apparent that the mighty LBJ needs a big man in the mix. With Ilgauskas up and down the depth chart, there are plenty of questions floating around in the wake of Shaq’s devastating injury. With characteristic confidence, O’Neal promised that he would return to destroy them all, but unfortunately bones don’t always heal as quickly as we hope. NBA League Pass subscribers would be advised to keep an eye on the big man’s situation in Cleveland.

3. The other beasts from the East. Superman Dwight Howard showed many people why his mighty shoulders and commanding presence in the paint shouldn’t be overlooked. The charmed 2009 Orlando Magic looked set to make another deep run, but replacing Turkoglu with Vince Carter hasn’t been an incredibly smooth transition. Check out NBA TV and TNT HD broadcasts of Magic games to see how this team fares.

4. Flash will not go silent. Before Shaq was associated with King James (and after Kobe), Dwayne Wade was the man he set picks for. The Flash has been blowing up every night in Miami as the Heat push toward the playoffs. As he demonstrated with his performance in the NBA Finals, and again with his performance at the 2008 Summer Olympics, no one can beat Dwayne Wade when he’s hot.

5. The year of Dallas? Some time ago, the road to the NBA Finals lay through Texas, with Dallas and San Anton always in the mix. After some disastrous playoff strangleholds, Dallas appears to have matured and is playing at a level not seen in recent years. Keep your satellite TV networks tuned to the big D and see if this year is your year.