ATLANTIC

Boston Celtics

The 2007-2008 champions are back with a vengeance. They’ve reloaded with a somewhat healthy Kevin Garnett, a newly extended Rajon Rondo at point and the off-season signings of Marquis Daniels and Rasheed Wallace.

Coach Doc Rivers has one of the most experienced but oldest teams in the league and despite the emergence of Rondo as an elite point guard and possessing two of the best wing players in the NBA in Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, how far the Celts go this season will hinge on a couple of factors. The first will be the ability of Wallace to fit in with the team seamlessly while avoiding the excessive technical fouls he’s known for accumulating and secondly will be the health of Kevin Garnett’s knees. Garnett has been in the league since 1995 and has put a lot of wear and tear on his knees especially during his time in Minnesota when he carried the Timberwolves on his back for several years. Look for the Celtics to make it back to the finals as long as Garnett stays on the court.

Coach: Doc Rivers

Main players: SF Paul Pierce, PF Kevin Garnett, SG Ray Allen, PG Rajon Rondo.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers are a young and talented team with a lot of question marks. Eddie Jordan is the new coach in the city of brotherly love and he inherits a team with the incredibly athletic and unassuming star in small forward ANDRE IGUODALA and a former all-star in Elton Brand, who before his injuries last season was considered one of the top power forwards in the league. The team let point guard Andre Miller leave for Portland in the off-season and have now put the reins in the hands of young point guard Louis Williams. That decision may come back to haunt the Sixers as Miller was a great fit at point for the Sixers and provided stability at the position to the team. Watch for rookie Jrue Holiday to add even more athleticism to the backcourt and for Thaddeus Young to make a name for himself this season. If Brand can stay healthy and reclaim his past form and if Williams can show he’s able to lead the team and can mix it up with the other great young point guards in the East (Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo, Devin Harris) then the Sixers will have a chance to contend for one of the bottom seeds in the East.

Coach: Eddie Jordan

Main players: SF ANDRE IGUODALA, PF Elton Brand, SF Thaddeus Young

Toronto Raptors

GM Bryan Colangelo is slowly building a team he hopes will be able to convince all-star power forward Chris Bosh to remain in Canada. In comes news coach Jay Triano and a solid array of off-season acquisitions beginning with former Orlando Magic small forward Hedo Turkoglu along with guards Marco Bellinelli and Jarrett Jack as well as PF Amir Johnson. The team has the potential to compete for the a lower seed in the East if everything comes together. Watch for PG Jose Calderon, who is quickly becoming one of the most solid yet underrated PGs in the league, to continue proving his worth to this team and increasing his stock.

Coach: Jay Triano

Main players: F Chris Bosh, F Hedo Turkoglu, PG Jose Calderon

New Jersey Nets

The Nets have a new owner in Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov and still retain visions of heading to Brooklyn in the next few seasons but the reality is that they’re not very good even despite the arrival of three players from last seasons NBA finals in Courtney Lee, Tony Battie and Rafer Alston, all formerly members of the Orlando Magic. The Nets received all three in a trade that sent all-star Vince Carter to Orlando. The Nets still have the exciting Devin Harris at PG and the flourishing Brook Lopez at center, and those two will probably be the only bright spots for the Nets this season because a playoff spot isn’t even on the radar for this team this season.

Coach: Lawrence Franks

Main players: PG Devin Harris, C Brook Lopez, F Chris Douglas-Roberts.

New York Knicks

Gothams legendary team have been downright embarrassing over the past few seasons and this year will be no different. Although Coach Mike D’Antoni is attempting to turn things around, the rebuilding process will take a couple more season(even if LeBron absconds to New York in 2010-although the Knicks front office would be wise not to pin all their hopes on that happening). D’Antoni has a few decent pieces in highstrung PG Nate Robinson and hardworking PF David Lee but a a lack of anticipated cap space prevented the team from making any major off-season acquisitions. Knicks fans are in for another rough season but on the bright side, there’s less than a year till the LeBron, DWade, Chris Bosh sweepstakes begin.

Coach: Mike D’Antoni

Main players: PG Chris Duhon, F David Lee, F Al Harrington.

SOUTHEAST

Orlando

The defending Eastern conference champs will find it much tougher to get back to the finals this season with a healthy Boston and a LeBron-led Cavaliers team looking to make it back to the finals as a way to convince King James to re-sign with Cleveland next summer. The loss of SF Hedo Turkoglu and the backcourt of Courtney Lee and Rafer Alston will hurt but on the positive side, it means more playing time for Duke legend JJ Reddick! All jokes aside, new arrival Vince Carter will have his work cut out for him to fill the shoes of point-forward Turkoglu but with Brandon Bass and the re-signed Marcin Gortat, the Magic have a solid front-court to backup all-star C Dwight Howard. If the Magic can find a way to compensate for all Turkoglu brought to the team last season, plus a healthy Jameer Nelson at PG, a return to the NBA finals is not out of the question.

Coach: Stan Van Gundy

Main players: C Dwight Howard, G/F Vince Carter, PG Jameer Nelson

Miami Heat

One can never count out a Dwayne Wade led team and despite a lack of superior talent and an underwhelming second half to last season from SF Michael Beasley, the Heat still grabbed a playoff spot before losing to the Atlanta Hawks in the 1^st round The Heat have a nice 1-2 punch in the backcourt with 2^nd year PG Mario Chalmers & D-Wade at SG and if Beasley can overcome his off-court issues from the summer and provide some inside scoring, the Heat will surprise the current Eastern Conference upper echelon.

Coach: Erik Spoelstra

Main Players: SG Dwyane Wade, SF Michael Beasley, PF Udonis Haslem.

Atlanta Hawks

The highlight factory is fast becoming the Win factory as the Hawks have shown steady improvement over the past three seasons since the arrival of Joe Johnson and the 2009-10 season will be no different. The arrival of Joe Johnson was a key factor in the revival of the Hawks over the past few years but the trade for PG Mike Bibby was not just the last piece in taking the Hawks form a highly talented, unbalanced and unstable team to a playoff team contending for a top spot in the East but was also the most underrated trade of the last five years. Coach Mike Woodson will need SF Marvin Williams to keep showing improvement and justify his selection with the number 2 pick in the 2006 draft, as well as for PF and C Josh Smith and Al Horford to continue dominating on the defensive end while providing the presence in the paint. SG Jamal Crawford was traded for in the off-season and will provide an offensive spark off the bench. The Hawks will be good enough to lockup the 4^th spot in the East and if injuries beset their competition like the Celtics, they could find themselves in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Coach: Mike Woodson

Main players:SG Joe Johnson, PG Mike Bibby, PF Josh Smith

Washington Wizards

The trainers room at the Verizon Center just might be the busiest in the Eastern conference over the past two seasons with All star PG Gilbert Arenas aka Agent Zero aka Hibachi out for most of the past two seasons and now PF Antawn Jamison out for the start of this season. The Wizards have learnt how to play without one or more of their big three which includes SF Caron Butler, over the years. New coach Flip Saunders has a healthy Arenas back and motivated to prove he’s still one of the top point guards in the league. GM Ernie Grunfeld did an excellent job in the off-season by trading for C Fabricio Oberto, PG Randy Foye and SF Mike Miller. Add the constantly improving Andray Blatche at PF, C Javale McGee and guard Nick Young and things look bright for Wizards fans this season. If the three all-stars can remain relatively healthy, the Wizards will contend with Atlanta for the 4^th seed in the East.

Coach: Flip Saunders

Main Players: G Gilbert Arenas, F Caron Butler, F Antawn Jamison

Charlotte Bobcats

Team Jordan constantly show the results of their GM’s front office expertise each season and this year should be no different. GM Michael Jordan stepped off the golf course long enough to trade the cornerstone of the team, PF EMEKA OKAFOR to New Orleans for the oft injured Tyson Chandler. SG Jason Richardson was traded to Phoenix in the middle of last season for Boris Diaw and Raja Bell. Throw in an owner trying to offload the team and you have a solid recipe for a frugal team with no aspirations or hopes of making the playoffs. Expect as much from the Bobcats although the PG tandem of Raymond Felton and DJ Augustin will provide a bright spot for the Bobcats fans.

Coach: Larry Brown

Main players: G Raymond Felton, G DJ Augustin, F Gerald Wallace.

CENTRAL

Cleveland

The Cleveland LeBroniers are still smarting from their ignominous exit at the hands of the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. This season appears to be GM Danny Ferry’s final stand in the quest to keep King James in Cleveland after this season and Ferry appears to have pulled a great yet possibly disastrous coup in the trade for Shaquille O’Neal. The Cavs let aging Ben Wallace leave in the O’Neal trade as well as Wally Szczerbiak but they brought in Forwards Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon and Leon Powe to team up wit h Mo Williams, O’Neal, James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Two big keys for the Cavs will be the ability of guard Delonte West to overcome his off court issues & troubles and give the team a lift off the bench as well as the hope that after all this time coaching the Cavs, Coach Mike Brown will have finally devised one or more plays for the Cavaliers as opposed to give it to LeBron and let’s see what he can create for the rest of the team. If both factors turn out right for the Cavs, the team will be primed to meet up with the Magic again in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Coach: Mike Brown

Main players: SF LeBron James, C Shaquille O’neal, PG/SG Mo Williams

Chicago

Da Bulls gave NBA fans a reason to be excited last season as Derrick Rose almost led the Bulls to an upset over the Boston Celtics in the playoffs last season. SG Ben Gordon is gone to Detroit but the majority of last seasons team including SF LUOL DENG and SG John Salmons remain. Rookie Taj Gibson is tipped to make a big impact on this team but ultimately the Bulls will go where the Derrick Rose and LUOL DENG combo lead them. Not to discount C Brad Miller and PF Joakim Noah but a healthy DENG makes a big difference on this team. The Bull should be able to pull off another 40+ win season and get back into the playoffs but the team will still struggle to get out of the first round of the playoffs.

Coach: Vinny Del Negro

Main players: PG Derrick Rose, SF LUOL DENG, C Brad Miller

Detroit

Detroit Basketball has faltered over the past three seasons and GM Joe Dumars showed his intentions for the future of the team when he shipped out all star PG Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson. That move didn’t work out well but freed up the PG role for young PG Rodney Stuckey. This off-season, the Pistons added a new coach in John Kuester, another scorer in Ben Gordon and brought back an old favourite in Ben Wallace while letting two key members of the frontcourt-Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess leave for greener pastures. Now SG Rip Hamilton and SF Tayshaun Prince w ill be tasked with getting the ball out of Ben Gordons’ hands while hoping for some contribution from PF Kwame Brown. The Pistons will struggle to get to 40 wins much like they did last season.

Coach: John Kuester

Main players: SG Rip Hamilton, SF Tayshaun Prince, PG Rodney Stuckey

Milwaukee

The Bucks are a team still trying to find their way and with the exits of SF Richard Jefferson and PF Charlie Villanueva, coach Scott Skiles’ team comprises of a number of lesser know commodities in the NBA which is fine with Skiles as long as the commitment and defensive effort is there on a nightly basis. That’s not to say the Bucks have no talent or razzamatazz as allstar SG Michael Redd is still in Milwaukee and the Bucks drafted the very talented PG Brandon Jennings from Virtus Roma by way of Dominguez HS and Oak Hill Academy, to form the only all-lefty backcourt in the league. Andrew Bogut and Cameroonian SF LUC RICHARD MBAH A MOUTE will give the Bucks some additional options as will Argentinian G/F Carlos Delfino but the Bucks don’t have enough at the moment to compete for a playoff spot and will end up with 30-35 wins this season.

Coach: Scott Skiles

Main players: SG Michael Redd, PG Brandon Jennings, C Andrew Bogut

Indiana

The Pacers have the talent to compete for the final playoff spot in the East but they’ll need rookie PF Tyler Hansbrough to heal quickly from his summer injury. The arrival of Earl Watson to back up PG TJ Ford is a solid move as is the pickup of swingman Dahntay Jones. If Danny Granger continues to play at an allstar level and Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy JR can give Granger help in the front court, the Pacers could surprise Chicago/Detroit/Philadelphia for the 8^th seed.

Coach: Jim O’Brien
Main players: SF Danny Granger, PG TJ Ford PF Tyler Hansbrough