(From the FanPosts. - TZ)

The last month has been one of many surprises, and few if any of us predicted just how well things would go during that time. So as we enter the second month of the NBA regular season and the final month of 2009, I thought it might be interesting to try to offer some perspective about where we are now in comparison to where we were last June.

The following is a list of 20 thoughts, which had they spoken aloud approximately six months ago, the person speaking them would at best have been roundly ignored, and more likely openly derided, if not run out of town on a stick. And here they are:

1.      One game into December, and the Kings are more than halfway to last season’s win total.

2.      The Kings are one of the top rebounding teams in the NBA.

3.      Anything less than a 30-win season for the Kings will be a major disappointment.

4.      Kevin Martin has zero chance of making the Western Conference All-Star Team.

5.      Arco Arena is starting to get pretty freakin’ loud.

6.      Mayor Kevin Johnson’s statement that Sacramento had entered a new era with the hiring of Paul Westphal is beginning to look downright prescient.

7.      Paul Westphal is rapidly approaching conquering hero status in Sacramento.

8.      Paul Westphal’s Pepperdine experience has no relevance to anything at all.

9.      Beni Udrih is downright popular in this town.

10.  Kenny Thomas is a key contributor getting important minutes off the bench.

11.  Tyreke Evans is approaching God-man savior-messiah status around here.

12.  There is a Spanish point guard playing for the Kings who is dazzling fans on a nightly basis. And his name is Sergio Rodriguez.

13.  Absolutely no one in the league is talking about Ricky Rubio.

14.  Almost no one outside of Philadelphia (and hardly anyone there, in fact) is talking about Jrue Holiday.

15.  Jon Brockman is having a bigger impact in the league than Blake Griffin.

16.  Omri Casspi is having a bigger impact in the league than the top three picks put together.

17.  Kurt Rambis, who is under contract for four seasons, is currently coaching a team other than the Kings that would be drawing national attention for its mediocrity were it not for the colossally bad New Jersey Nets.

18.  Geoff Petrie is beginning to look like he knows exactly what he is doing.

19.  Nobody is talking about the Maloofs right now because everyone is too excited by what’s happening on the court.

20.  We are beginning to hear rumblings around the league that the Kings will compete for a playoff spot.

And so, like I said, what a difference six months makes.