The long awaited battle between the NBA’s Best of the West and the Best of the East takes place tonight at 9:PM EST. NBA fans around the world are waiting to watch this match of the two titans.

Ok, so that is really far from the truth. If you would have asked thousands of NBA fans before the season who would be number 1 in the eastern and western conferences on November 27th, I do not think you would find one who would have said Orlando and Utah. Even the Magic and Jazz fans, two teams who’s names do not end with s, would have not told you that their teams would have been number 1 in the conference at this point.

So, are they real? How did they get to be #1. Well, they are both good teams, better than some probably expected. But if you look at Orlando’s schedule, you will see that it was paved for success to start with. When they return from this 6 game 12 day schedule out west that starts tonight in Utah, I will be shocked if they are still the number 1 team in the east. I believe their record will be much closer to .500 after this trip, maybe 12-8 at best.

Utah, well they are a 45 win team at best and will show that in December. They will get out of November feeling good, but by the time Santa shows up at their doors, they will be a little bit more grounded then they are now.

So, who will win this Battle of the Beasts? I say Orlando by 4.

Isn’t it only fitting. As the Orlando Magic head in to the 2006-2007 preseason opener, Grant Hill is healthy and ready to contribute, but he might be fighting alone as six other Orlando Magic players, three projected as starters, will not be in the lineup.

With just 11 healthy bodies, the Magic open their exhibition season on the road tonight against the Charlotte Bobcats.

Small forwards Hedo Turkoglu and Trevor Ariza were the latest to go down. Turkoglu is out at least another three days as doctors test his blood in hopes of finding out what has caused his fever to spike repeatedly the past week. Ariza bruised a bone in a foot during Saturday’s intrasquad scrimmage and didn’t practice Monday while undergoing tests.

The Magic also will be without Jameer Nelson (concussion), Tony Battie (sore knee), J.J. Redick (plantar fascia) and Carlos Arroyo (strained oblique muscle) against the Bobcats.

Do not be concerned Grant. I am sure that prior to the regular season you and your teammates will be back together, hopefully not in the training room.