A look at the NBA’s Eastern Conference as the teams head into the 2008-09 season, in predicted order of finish by division:
1. DETROIT PISTONS
LAST SEASON: 59-23, lost to Boston 4-2 in Eastern Conference finals.
STARTING FIVE: G Chauncey Billups (17.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 6.8 apg), G Richard Hamilton (17.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.2 apg), F Tayshaun Prince (13.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.3 apg), F Rasheed Wallace (12.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.7 bpg), C Amir Johnson (3.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.3 bpg).
KEY ADDITIONS: C Kwame Brown (free agent, Grizzlies).
KEY LOSSES: C Theo Ratliff (free agent, 76ers), F Jarvis Hayes (free agent, Nets), G Lindsey Hunter (not re-signed).
COACH: Michael Curry, first season.
EYES ON: Curry. Joe Dumars vowed changes after last season, and replacing Flip Saunders with Curry is really the only one he made. Curry inherits one of the NBA’s best teams, but has to show that a first-year coach can motivate the Pistons to consistently keep their foot on the gas — which Saunders never could do.
OUTLOOK: As much as Dumars wanted to do something to shake up his team, he wisely realized the Pistons are too good to change just for the sake of change. With Boston now clearly on top in the East, perhaps Detroit will be hungrier in the role of hunter instead of hunted.
2. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS:
LAST SEASON: 45-37, lost to Boston Celtics 4-3 in Eastern Conference semifinals.
STARTING FIVE: G Mo Williams (17.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 6.3 apg), G Sasha Pavlovic (7.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.6 apg), F LeBron James (30.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 7.2 apg), F Ben Wallace (4.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.6 bpg), C Zydrunas Ilgauskas (14.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 1.6 bpg).
KEY ADDITIONS: G Williams (trade, Bucks); F J.J. Hickson (draft, No. 19).
KEY LOSSES: F Joe Smith (trade, Thunder), G Damon Jones (free agent, Bucks).
COACH: Mike Brown, fourth season; 145-101.
EYES ON: Williams. Cleveland has been seeking reliable help for James for years, and in Williams the Cavs made have found the best guard their superstar has ever had as a teammate in the NBA.
OUTLOOK: Early holdouts and a rash of injuries kept the Cavs from ever building much momentum last season, yet they came closer than anyone to knocking off the eventual champion Celtics. If Williams is as good as the Cavs expect, another matchup with Boston could come this season in the East finals.
3. CHICAGO BULLS
LAST SEASON: 33-49, missed playoffs.
STARTING FIVE: G Derrick Rose (rookie), G Kirk Hinrich (11.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 6.0 apg), F Luol Deng (17.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.5 apg), F Tyrus Thomas (6.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.2 apg), C Drew Gooden (12.0 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.2 apg).
KEY ADDITIONS: G Rose (draft, No. 1)
KEY LOSSES: G Chris Duhon (free agent, Knicks)
COACH: Vinny Del Negro, first season.
EYES ON: Ben Gordon. After failing to work out an extension with the Bulls, Gordon accepted a one-year qualifying offer for $6.4 million and will become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The Bulls’ leading scorer the last three seasons has until then to show the Bulls — or another team — that he’s worth a long-term deal at that point.
OUTLOOK: The NBA’s biggest disappointment last season, when the Bulls were considered a favorite to win the Eastern Conference and instead never challenged for a playoff spot. They appear to still have the offensive problems that plagued them, even after lucking out in the draft lottery and earning the right to pick Rose.
4. MILWAUKEE BUCKS
LAST SEASON: 26-56, missed playoffs.
STARTING FIVE: G Luke Ridnour (6.4 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 4.0 apg), G Michael Redd (22.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.4 apg), F Richard Jefferson (22.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.1 apg), F Charlie Villanueva (11.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg; 1.0 apg), C Andrew Bogut (14.4 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 2.6 apg).
KEY ADDITIONS: F Jefferson (trade, Nets), G Ridnour (trade, Thunder), F Joe Alexander (draft, No. 8), G Tyronn Lue (free agent, Mavericks), F Francisco Elson (free agent, Thunder).
KEY LOSSES: G Mo Williams (trade, Cavaliers), F Yi Jianlian (trade, Nets), F Desmond Mason (trade, Thunder), F Bobby Simmons (trade, Nets).
COACH: Scott Skiles, first season with Bucks, 10th season overall; 281-251.
EYES ON: Ridnour. Once so highly regarded that he was chosen to the original U.S. national team in 2006, Ridnour’s scoring average was nearly cut in half last season in a reserve role for Seattle. Bucks have enough scorers that he mostly just needs to be a distributor.
OUTLOOK: Bucks will have no problem scoring, but won’t become a playoff contender again until they become a good defensive team. With Skiles as the coach, they should start making progress toward that this season.
5. INDIANA PACERS
LAST SEASON: 36-46, missed playoffs.
STARTING FIVE: G T.J. Ford (12.1 ppg, 6.1 apg, 1.1 spg), G Danny Granger (19.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.1 apg), Mike Dunleavy (19.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.5 apg), F Troy Murphy (12.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.2 apg), C Rasho Nesterovic (7.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.2 apg).
KEY ADDITIONS: G Ford (trade, Raptors); C Nesterovic (trade, Raptors); G Jarrett Jack (trade, Trail Blazers); G Brandon Rush (trade, Trail Blazers), C Roy Hibbert (trade, Raptors).
KEY LOSSES: F Jermaine O’Neal (trade, Raptors); F Shawne Williams (trade, Mavericks); G Flip Murray (free agent, Hawks).
COACH: Jim O’Brien, second season with Pacers, seventh overall; 218-204.
EYES ON: Ford. Two of his four NBA seasons have been cut short by injuries, and he was limited to a career-low 51 games and lost his starting spot last season in Toronto. Questions about his durability will linger because of size and injury history, but he’s a great pickup for the Pacers if he stays healthy.
OUTLOOK: Even with injuries and more off-the-court troubles last season, Pacers still nearly rallied to make the playoffs in the East. If Ford stays healthy and their trades work out, Indiana could get back into the postseason hunt.
1. ORLANDO MAGIC
LAST SEASON: 52-30, lost to Detroit 4-1 in Eastern Conference semifinals.
STARTING FIVE: G Jameer Nelson (10.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.6 apg), G Mickael Pietrus (7.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 0.7 apg), F Hedo Turkoglu (19.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 5.0 apg), F Rashard Lewis (18.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.4 apg), Dwight Howard (20.7 ppg, 14.2 rpg, 2.2 bpg).
KEY ADDITIONS: G Pietrus (free agent, Warriors); G Anthony Johnson (free agent, Kings).
KEY LOSSES: G Maurice Evans (free agent, Hawks); G Carlos Arroyo (free agent, Europe), G Keyon Dooling (trade, Nets), F Pat Garrity (retired).
COACH: Stan Van Gundy, second season with Magic, fifth season overall; 164-103.
EYES ON: Pietrus. A small forward with the Warriors, he’ll now shift positions in an attempt to shore up a spot that has been an offensive weakness in recent years for the Magic.
OUTLOOK: With Howard developing into the best center in the East — maybe the NBA — and plenty of excellent perimeter shooters surrounding him, Magic have all the firepower they need to repeat as champions in a weak division.
2. WASHINGTON WIZARDS
LAST SEASON: 43-39, lost to Cleveland 4-2 in first round of playoffs.
STARTING FIVE: G Antonio Daniels (8.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.8 apg), G DeShawn Stevenson (11.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.1 apg), F Caron Butler (20.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 4.9 apg), F Antawn Jamison (21.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 1.5 apg), C Etan Thomas (out last season).
KEY ADDITIONS: F JaVale McGee (draft, No. 18); G Juan Dixon (free agent, Raptors), G Dee Brown (free agent, Jazz).
KEY LOSSES: G Roger Mason (free agent, Spurs)
COACH: Eddie Jordan, sixth season with Wizards, eighth season overall; 229-278.
EYES ON: Thomas. After sitting out all last season following open-heart surgery, Wizards will need him to be productive right away with starting center Brendan Haywood, coming off the best season of his career, expected to miss at least four months because of wrist surgery.
OUTLOOK: Wizards have learned to win without Arenas, whose latest knee problem has him sidelined perhaps into 2009. With Haywood now also down, things will be that much tougher. If Butler and Jamison stay at an All-Star level and the role players remain consistent, perhaps Washington can hang on until Arenas and Haywood get back.
3. MIAMI HEAT
LAST SEASON: 15-67, missed playoffs.
STARTING FIVE: G Chris Quinn (7.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.0 apg), G Dwyane Wade (24.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 6.9 apg), F Shawn Marion (15.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, 2.0 spg), F Udonis Haslem (12.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.4 apg), C Mark Blount (8.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 0.6 apg).
KEY ADDITIONS: F Michael Beasley (draft, No. 2), G Shaun Livingston (free agent, Clippers), G Mario Chalmers (draft, No. 34), F James Jones (free agent, Trail Blazers); C Jamaal Magloire (free agent, Mavericks).
KEY LOSSES: F Ricky Davis (free agent, Clippers), F Jason Williams (retired).
COACH: Erik Spoelstra, first season.
EYES ON: Wade. Hasn’t been able to stay healthy since leading the Heat to the 2006 NBA championship, but he is now and he’s never looked better than he did over the summer while helping the U.S. Olympic team win the gold medal in Beijing. If his body lets him, Wade could be an MVP candidate this season.
OUTLOOK: Heat have a chance to be the NBA’s most improved team — mostly because they fell so far last season. Wade is spectacular, Haslem is steady, and if Marion and Michael Beasley put up the numbers they’re capable of, Miami could make Spoelstra a winner in his rookie season. Jones and Magloire each sustained preseason injuries.
4. ATLANTA HAWKS
LAST SEASON: 37-45, lost to Boston Celtics 4-3 in first round of playoffs.
STARTING FIVE: G Mike Bibby (13.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 6.0 apg), G Joe Johnson (21.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5.8 apg), F Marvin Williams (14.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.7 apg), F Josh Smith (17.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.8 bpg, 1.5 spg), C Al Horford (10.1 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 1.5 apg).
KEY ADDITIONS: G-F Maurice Evans (free agent, Magic); G Flip Murray (free agent, Pacers).
KEY LOSSES: F Josh Childress (free agent, Europe).
COACH: Mike Woodson, fifth season, 106-222.
EYES ON: Williams. Finally started to show last season why Hawks took him with the No. 2 pick in the 2005 draft — immediately before Deron Williams and Chris Paul — but there’s still the feeling that he could do much more. And the Hawks might need him to, since they lost Childress, their top backup.
OUTLOOK: After the way they challenged the eventual NBA champion Celtics in the playoffs, there’s no doubt the Hawks have the talent and potential to be a playoff team. Now they need to show it over the course of an entire season.
1. BOSTON CELTICS
LAST SEASON: 66-16, won NBA championship.
STARTING FIVE: G Rajon Rondo (10.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 5.1 apg), G Ray Allen (17.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.1 apg), F Paul Pierce (19.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.5 apg), F Kevin Garnett (18.8 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 3.4 apg), C Kendrick Perkins (7.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.5 bpg).
KEY ADDITIONS: F Darius Miles (free agent, Trail Blazers); F Bill Walker (trade, Wizards).
KEY LOSSES: F James Posey (free agent, Hornets), F P.J. Brown (not re-signed).
COACH: Doc Rivers, fifth season with Celtics, 10th season overall; 339-328.
EYES ON: Tony Allen. Mostly counted on for his defense last season, he provided the Celtics with a boost on the offensive end in the preseason. With Posey gone, Allen could be the most reliable reserve Boston has.
OUTLOOK: With little slowdown from the Big Three and another year of experience for Rondo and Perkins, Celtics own the best starting five in the NBA. Loss of Posey weakens the bench, an area that may need to be addressed at some point to make a repeat possible.
2. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
LAST SEASON: 40-42, lost to Detroit 4-2 in first round of playoffs.
STARTING FIVE: G Andre Miller (17.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 6.9 apg), G Andre Iguodala (19.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 4.8 apg), F Thaddeus Young (8.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 0.8 apg), F Elton Brand (17.6 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.9 bpg), C Samuel Dalembert (10.5 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 2.3 bpg).
KEY ADDITIONS: F Brand (free agent, Clippers), F Donyell Marshall (free agent, Thunder), C Theo Ratliff (free agent, Pistons), G Royal Ivey (free agent, Bucks).
KEY LOSSES: F Rodney Carney (trade, Timberwolves).
COACH: Maurice Cheeks, fourth season with 76ers; eighth season overall, 275-272.
EYES ON: Brand. His jump from the Clippers to Philadelphia has the 76ers being mentioned as a potential sleeper team. Demanding Philly fans will expect plenty from Brand right away, but he only played eight games last season after tearing his Achilles’ and now has to learn a new system.
OUTLOOK: Consistently play as hard as any team in the league, and that was good enough to rebound from a dismal start last season and earn a playoff spot. The addition of Brand addresses their biggest weakness, and if they can shoot from the outside, the 76ers could make a big jump up the East standings.
3. TORONTO RAPTORS
LAST SEASON: 41-41, lost to Orlando Magic 4-1 in first round of playoffs.
STARTING FIVE: G Jose Calderon (11.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 8.3 apg), G Anthony Parker (12.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.2 apg), F Jamario Moon (8.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.2 apg), F Chris Bosh (22.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 2.6 apg), C Jermaine O’Neal (13.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.1 bpg).
KEY ADDITIONS: C O’Neal (trade, Pacers).
KEY LOSSES: G T.J. Ford (trade, Pacers); C Rasho Nesterovic (trade, Pacers); G Carlos Delfino (free agent, Europe) G Juan Dixon (free agent, Wizards); F Jorge Garbajosa (waived).
COACH: Sam Mitchell, fifth season, 148-180.
EYES ON: O’Neal. Once an All-Star regular and one of the league’s top big men, he’s missed significant time the last four seasons, playing as many as 60 games only once. Raptors don’t need him to dominate like he used to, but need him to stay on the court more than he did during final seasons in Indiana.
OUTLOOK: If the Bosh-O’Neal pairing works, the Raptors have an interior tandem that few teams can match. If not, the Raptors better hope their 3-pointers are falling to carry what doesn’t appear to be a strong defensive club.
4. NEW YORK KNICKS
LAST SEASON: 23-59, missed playoffs.
STARTING FIVE: G Chris Duhon (5.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 4.0 apg), G Jamal Crawford (20.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 5.0 apg), F Quentin Richardson (8.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.8 apg), F Zach Randolph (17.6 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 2.0 apg), C David Lee (10.8 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.2 apg).
KEY ADDITIONS: G Duhon (free agent, Bulls); F Danilo Gallinari (draft, No. 6).
KEY LOSSES: None.
COACH: Mike D’Antoni, first season with Knicks; seventh season overall, 267-172.
EYES ON: Duhon. Knicks made him their free agent priority and quickly handed him the starting point guard job, even with his meager statistics and the presence of Stephon Marbury, who’s a better player. Now he has to prove he can handle running D’Antoni’s offense.
OUTLOOK: Knicks will be a more professional organization under D’Antoni, but they probably don’t have the personnel yet to play his system and win. But after last season’s embarrassing performance on and off the court under Isiah Thomas, New York fans will likely settle for any improvement.
5. NEW JERSEY NETS
LAST SEASON: 34-48, missed playoffs.
STARTING FIVE: G Devin Harris (14.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 5.8 apg), G Vince Carter (21.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 5.1 apg), F Jarvis Hayes (6.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.8 apg), F Yi Jianlian (8.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 0.8 apg), C Josh Boone (8.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 0.8 apg).
KEY ADDITIONS: F Yi (trade, Bucks), F Bobby Simmons (trade, Bucks), F Hayes (free agent, Pistons), G Keyon Dooling (trade, Magic), F Eduardo Najera (free agent, Nuggets), C Brook Lopez (draft, No. 10), G Chris Douglas-Roberts (draft, No. 40).
KEY LOSSES: F Richard Jefferson (trade, Bucks), F Bostjan Nachbar (free agent, Europe); C Nenad Krstic (free agent, Europe); G Marcus Williams (trade, Warriors).
COACH: Lawrence Frank, sixth season, 191-177.
EYES ON: Carter. With most of their other veterans gone, Nets will need Carter to lead a young team. His effort dropped when things went bad in Toronto, and skeptics will be watching to see if it does again now.
OUTLOOK: Nets enter a season without realistic playoff hopes for the first time in years. Recent cost-cutting moves could leave them set up well for the future, so best that could happen for now could be the continued development of young players like Harris and Yi.
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