Well, the NBA is back, but there will be some damage control work to do by the league to reel in all the fans it might have lost because of the extended lockout, which, if you haven't noticed, shortened the 2011-12 season. As the schedule currently stands, the NBA will kickoff on Christmas day, with a trio of enticing games: Knicks/Celtics, Bulls/Lakers, and of course, Heat/Mavericks. 

If there's a silver lining to the NBA lockout for Mavericks fans, it's this: the Mavericks will open the season at home on Christmas day, receive their championship rings and raise their banner... with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh all there in person to witness the festivities.

Even if the Heat beat the Mavericks on Christmas, the dream team will have to relive their nightmare all over again, and that in itself is worth the NBA losing over a month off its schedule.