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Scene of the Crime

It was a scene nobody in the NBA wanted to witness. And according to Eddy Curry, he didn't.

``I was on the bench with my eyes closed,'' the Knicks center joked Monday. ``I didn't see nothing.''

Here's some of what he missed: Players fighting among the fans. Carmelo Anthony, then the league's leading scorer, dropping the Knicks' Mardy Collins with a punch that cost him a 15-game suspension.

That all happened last Dec. 16 in the closing minutes of the Denver Nuggets' most recent trip to New York. The teams meet Tuesday for the first time since, and both say they've moved on and prefer not to look back - particularly the Knicks, who have had plenty of other embarrassment to endure since.

Marked Improvement

The Atlanta Hawks haven't finished with a winning season since 1999, and are also owners of the league's longest postseason drought. But if this season's first two games are any indication, that could change.

The improving Hawks face a third straight playoff team to start the new campaign as they play the New Jersey Nets on Tuesday night.

Division Clash in Dallas

The Houston Rockets are focused on improving offensively this season, but it's their trademark defense that has them off to their best start in 11 years. The Dallas Mavericks haven't lost their scoring touch from 2006-07.

On Monday, the division rivals meet for the first time this season in Dallas, where the Mavericks are coming off one of the best shooting games in franchise history.

Shootout in the Desert?

Last season, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers suffered a humbling sweep in the NBA Finals, while Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns were eliminated in the conference semifinals by the eventual champions.

This season, James and Nash both have their sights set on winning their respective franchise's first NBA title.

Where's Dwyane?

Miami star Dwyane Wade will be back on the court before long. Judging from their performance so far, the Heat could certainly use him.

Miami will again try for its first win of the season Sunday when it hosts the Charlotte Bobcats.