the buzz log

At its best, the NBA (+38%) is a thrilling and fast-paced dunk-a-thon. At its worst, it's a boring-as-Bill Walton free-throw contest. But whether you're a league lover or hater, you can't deny the NBA's strength in Search. With the season just getting started, the Buzz is bouncing on teams, players, and NBA fantasy leagues.

It's a little early to declare any team a winner in Search, especially since the NBA's season is as long as a Siberian winter. But for now, it appears the always dramatic Los Angeles Lakers are the team to beat in the Buzz. Searches on the Kobe and Phil Show are up 77% this month and are more than double those on the defending champions, the San Antonio Spurs. Among players, the heavily inked Allen Iverson draws the most searches, though amazingly, fans still haven't forgotten about Michael Jordan. The retiree is barely behind Iverson, proving he's still a force to be reckoned with in the Buzz. It's your world, guys -- we're just searching on it.

Switching gears from overpaid icons to wannabe GMs, searches on NBA fantasy leagues are also making a fast break in the Buzz. While not nearly as popular a pastime as fantasy football, the number-crunching hobby is nevertheless up 638%. Those looking for a leg up on their rivals are likely pushing "nba injuries" and "nba rumors" into the frontcourt (you can never have too much information), and gamers who dig the pixilated NBA have given a beautifully timed Search alley-oop to video games NBA Live 06 and NBA 2K6. Game on, fellas.