November is always a tricky month in the NBA. If teams are slow out of the gate, coaches suddenly find themselves on the hot seat thirty days into the season. Players have their names scattered across the newspaper, online or even becoming blog fodder in trade rumors and contract buyouts. It's as if one month can make or break a year.

Last month was no different, as HOOPSWORLD looks back on the biggest surprises of November:

As The Marbury Turns: Stephon Marbury should be thanking Plaxico Burress right now. If it wasn't for Burress – the New York Giants star wide receiver - shooting himself in the leg in a Manhattan night club and being charged with weapons possession, you might forget that Marbury still hasn't been bought- out of his contract by the New York Knicks. Seriously, will the drama never end with Marbury and the Knicks? Don't answer that. The disgruntled point guard hasn't played in a regular season game, he served a one-game suspension and had his pay docked two games after refusing to enter a game against the Detroit Pistons, has lashed out against head coach Mike D'Antoni and his Knicks teammates in the media and is now being ordered to "stay away" from the team until a resolution can be met.

What's alarming is Marbury has convinced himself D'Antoni is the bad guy in all of this. What's even more concerning is that Marbury will likely get bought out at some point this season and then get picked up by a team surely bound for the playoffs and a chance to win an NBA title. Sad but true.

Questions For The Answer: Okay, so I may not be your "friendly neighborhood columnist", but I've covered the league long enough to know Denver made the right move by shipping Allen Iverson to Detroit.  While Chauncey Billups has proved to be the answer at the point for the Nuggets, Iverson is left with nothing but questions. Why have the Pistons been so mediocre since acquiring A.I.? Is the offense still adjusting to his game?  Or is the 13-year-pro trying to figure out Detroit's game? How long before Iverson finds his rhythm? Was that loss at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves two weekends ago cause for concern?

Take your time A.I. It's early yet. These things take time. Knowing you guys are sitting at 10-6, it's all good in the East. Or is it?

Poor Eddie Jordan: I get firing P.J. Carlesimo. The Oklahoma City Thunder (or the "Blunder" as they've been dubbed at 2-16) was basically a case of his young roster tuning P.J. out.  He lost them at "hello."

Jordan's situation, however, and subsequent firing after the Washington Wizards opened 1-10 is still mind boggling, even if the losses are inexcusable. It's as if ownership and the front office forgot how Jordan led the Wizards to the postseason the last four years. Once again injuries have ravaged his roster – namely Gilbert Arenas (left knee) and Brendan Haywood (wrist). Yet none of those things matter when it comes down to wins and losses apparently.

Chalk Jordan's firing up to Janet Jackson's mantra circa 1986: What have you done for me lately?

LeBron Versus Charles; LeBron Versus The World: If you ever wanted to know what trash talking between LeBron James and Charles Barkley would be like if they ever played one-on-one, it goes a little something like this:

Charles: "Shut up."

LeBron: "He's stupid."

Verbal sparring has never been so invigorating. With all eyes on the summer of 2010, all ears are on James right now, particularly if teams start following in the steps of New York by clearing salary as the Knicks did by shipping both Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford westward. The Knicks made their move. New Jersey – or should we say the Brooklyn Nets – already know where they stand with LeBron thanks to Jay Z. What will the Cavs do to keep James in Cleveland? And is there another team ready to step up to "The King's" craps table? 

Barkley may not think such courting and talk from James about becoming a potential free agent is good for the Cavs or the NBA in general - in fact he finds it "disrespectful", but he'll be singing a different tune come July 1, 2010.

How's That Jason Kidd Trade Working Out?: If Mark Cuban had to do the Jason Kidd for Devin Harris trade all over again he probably would. Sorry. But it's true. There is no doubt Kidd is headed to the Hall of Fame. He's already triple-doubled his way there. But Devin Harris is no joke. We are talking about not only the hottest player in the league after posting 30.0 points per game on .535 shooting and added 6.8 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game last week alone, but he also hit a game-winner in overtime against the Sacramento Kings. Then he helps beat the Suns in Phoenix for the first time since 1993 by dropping 47 points, along with setting a franchise record for free-throws made (17 for 17).

New Jersey (9-7) not only has a better record than Dallas (8-8) right now, but they also have a better point guard in Harris.

A Celtics and Lakers Rematch?: How impressive have the Los Angeles Lakers been. Did anyone doubt the Boston Celtics could bounce back after winning the NBA Championship last season? Now just over a month into the NBA season and it's already shaping up to be a Celtics-Lakers rematch in the Finals.

Yes, it's too early to call, but let's be real here.

You know what you are going to get out of Kobe Bryant – MVP numbers. You know what Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are all about – chasing another ring. Yet both teams have shown sheer resiliency in making necessary adjustments to become the two best teams in the NBA – again. Boston turned a deaf ear to those who thought losing James Posey to free agency would hurt the Celtics, while Lamar Odom is struggling to find himself in the second unit. 

If this is the worst these two teams can complain about – Odom adapting to the bench and Boston recovering from the loss of their sixth-man – than you know you got it good.

Oh yeah, and combining for three total losses on the season never hurts.