NEW YORK -- Reigning MVP Steve Nash, Tim Duncan and Jason Kidd are three of a kind.

The inherent parallel between them and Kobe, LeBron, Dirk, Shaq, A.I. Tracy and Gilbert Arenas, to name a magnificent seven, is they make their teams better.

The intrinsic distinction between Nash (in particular; only those whose vital signs aren't on the blink will understand why we're singling him out) and the above official scorers is, once again, every central character in the Suns' cast is having a career year.

Last season Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson, Quentin Richardson and, yes, even Jim Jackson capitalized off Nash's insistent infiltration and imagination en route to an NBA-pinnacle 62-20.

That was notable enough. This season's 30-16 accomplishment (fourth best record, overall, tops in the Pacific Division) is more remarkable.

For one thing, Nash is dispensing dimes at a similar league-leading rate (11.5 per game) minus Stoudemire's effortless finishes, influence to magnetize a double-teaming defense, or ignite the offense with a block or a rebound.

The exclamation mark is, other than the impregnable Marion, Nash has aroused a bunch of nameless players on frameless walls, elevating the games of Boris Diaw, Raja Bell, James Jones, Eddie House and Leonardo Barbosa to uncharted heights.

"Just watching Nash play helps my confidence," said one Suns worshipper, and he's not even a member of their congregation.

As a rule, I loathe talk about MVP candidates this early in the schedule (only a partial score is more meaningless), but if compelled to make a choice, I'm wedged between Nash and Chauncey Billups; Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki are tied for third.

Nash is so good so far that only a senile high school coach would make a production out of his league-leading 4.5 turnovers.

Billups has made the Pistons so unconquerable Vegas just installed 'em as six-point favorites in the Super Bowl.

The 38-6 Pistons, whose five starters all deserve All-Star space, made it 11 consecutive victories Sunday evening, toying with the Lakers by nine.

Detroit may only be the second team in league history to win 70 games in the regular season.

The Pistons' pursuit of that record is another topic I loathe to talk about.

Former Bull/current Piston assistant Ron Harper stresses, "We didn't start thinking about winning 70 games until we won 60."

Detroit already has win streaks of 11, nine, eight and six to its credit this season.

I couldn't help notice the 76ers won both Saturday and Sunday without Allen (sprained left ankle) Iverson. Yeah, yeah, I know, the victories came against the Knicks and the Magic.

Chris Webber dished out a season-high eight assists to complement his 18 points and three steals against Orlando, whereas, John Salmons went for 35 points, 15 boards and 13 assists over the weekend.

Had Terry Porter been guarding Kobe during is drive up I81: "Once he got 50 on me there's no way I see the next 31. Not on the court, anyway. Maybe from the bench, maybe from the locker room. Either I would have fouled out or been thrown out for decking him."

FYI: Not a single Raptor fouled out or was thrown out of that game.

Kobe's chances of notching 100 in one game at some point in his career solely depend on how long Raptors' coach Sam Mitchell keeps his job.

Dennis Rodman was reportedly paid $44,000 for a one-game stint with a British team. Rodman scored four points and grabbed seven boards for the Brighton Bears, who edged the tough Guilford Heat, 91-88.

In an unrelated development, four out of five Brits said Rodman looked better in a wedding dress than Camilla Parker Bowles.

I don't want to suggest Garden executives are getting a bit paranoid, but after Wednesday night's State of the Union address, they've demanded Isiah Thomas get equal time.