|
1. New
Jersey Nets |
|
Projected finish: 50-32 |
 2006-07
theme: Take the next step. New Jersey has
substantial pieces in place to make a run at
a conference title. |
| Entering the
season: The Nets will have an opportunity to
make an early statement, facing the Miami
Heat on the first two Fridays nights of the
season. Six of the first nine for the Nets
come at home, and anything short of 5-1 in
those games would be a disappointment. |
| Haunting reality:
Despite a few offseason additions, there
still looks to be a lack of depth in place.
Losing top free-agenct pickup Eddie House to
a torn meniscus for a few months didn't
help. |
| Saving grace:
Jason Kidd still controls the pace of a game
better than most. The point guard manages to
keep Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson and the
emerging Nenad Krstic all happy with their
touches. |
| X-factor: Krstic
bulked over the summer and could pick up
right where he left off during the second
half of the season. Up until a dreadful
playoff series against Miami, he finally
gave the Nets a consistent threat in the
post that balanced out the offense and made
the team more potent. |
 |
|
Jason Kidd |
Likely rotation: Kidd
will run the show, but there's bound to be a
few minutes behind him for immensely
talented raw rookie Marcus Williams to start
his apprenticeship. Jefferson and Carter are
among the league's most talented wing
combos, backed up by second-year pro Antoine
Wright, who trained with Carter all summer
and came back with a firmer grasp of what it
takes to be successful. Krstic and Jason
Collins will start inside, with ageless
Clifford Robinson getting the majority of
the minutes behind them. Lawrence Frank also
likes the energy and shot-blocking prowess
of veteran acquisition Mikki Moore. |
| Four-casting:
Speculation on whether Carter will opt out
of his contract in the offseason will become
an annoying distraction. Jefferson will find
himself playing a little power forward when
Frank experiments with ultra small lineups
featuring Wright or rookie Hassan Adams. The
Nets will find a way to add some ammo at the
trade deadline to maximize their chances of
getting past Miami. Williams will rise to
the challenge of early playing time and
improve steadily as the season progresses. |
| Coach-speak: "I
think if you look at our starting group from
an effectiveness standpoint, it was one of
the top three to five starting units
depending on what your grade system is. We
really like the core." -- Lawrence Frank |
|
2. Boston
Celtics |
|
Projected finish: 42-40 |
 2006-07
theme: Play like young vets. The Celtics'
supporting cast might be young, but they
should be seasoned enough to help contend
for a division title. |
| Entering the
season: Boston will play host to seven of
its first nine games. In fact, the team
ventures outside the Eastern time zone just
once in of November. The Celtics hope early
injury concerns to Paul Pierce (strained
left hip), Wally Szczerbiak (offseason knee
surgery) and Delonte West (infected right
toe) don't keep them from taking full
advantage of their favorable early slate. |
| Haunting reality:
The Celtics have been in the market for a
pure point guard to allow West to move off
the ball, but top candidates Sebastian
Telfair and Rajon Rondo figure to have their
share of growing pains. Beyond that, a
playing time controversy at the position
seems inevitable. |
| Saving grace:
Pierce continues to embrace his place as the
latest Celtics icon, and is committed to
restoring the franchise's previous
dominance. He has become one of the league's
toughest matchups. |
| X-factor: A pair
of potential lions, Al Jefferson and
Kendrick Perkins, line up inside. When they
stop behaving like cubs, Boston will have
something. That means avoiding foul trouble
and fatigue caused by being out of shape.
Both reported in the best physical state of
their careers and came into training camp
allowing themselves "no more excuses." |
 |
|
Wally Szczerbiak |
Likely rotation:
Pierce and Szczerbiak are interchangeable on
the wings and should see the majority of
minutes there when healthy. West, losing his
starting role, will get plenty of time
bouncing between both backcourt spots.
Telfair should earn the nod at the point,
but it will be hard for Doc Rivers to resist
throwing exciting rookie Rajon Rondo into
the fire, too. As mentioned, Jefferson and
Perkins will start at power forward and
center. Veteran Theo Ratliff will be the
primary backup at the five if he's healthy
enough to hold off a charging Michael
Olowokandi, while Ryan Gomes will be the
primary reserve forward. Forward Brian
Scalabrine and shooting guard Tony Allen
will be utilized to provide different looks. |
| Four-casting:
Boston's opening night lineup will feature
three players who made the jump from high
school to the NBA. Rondo will overtake
Telfair as the C's point guard of the
present and future. Perkins will finally
stay on the court long enough for people to
notice he's a dominant rebounder. Gomes will
continue haunting all the teams that
bypassed him in the 2005 Draft. |
| Quotable: "I like
our team. It's obviously extremely young,
talented, athletic. I think we have to be
the team that forces pace of play for us to
win games. Our two point guards, Sebastian
Telfair and Rajon Rondo, both can play very
good basketball; a little inconsistent at
times. Other than that, that's who we are."
-- Doc Rivers |
|
3. New
York Knicks |
|
Projected finish: 37-45 |
 2006-07
theme: The morning after ... The nightmare
is over, and the Knicks are currently
basking in having fun again. Once that's out
of the way, they'd better win -- for the
reigning regime's sake. |
| Entering the
season: Schedule makers weren't nice to
Isiah Thomas in his return to coaching. The
Spurs, coached by Larry Brown's good buddy
Gregg Popovich play the Knicks twice in the
season's first two weeks. The Rockets, Cavs
and Bulls are also on the docket twice in
November. That's brutal. |
| Haunting reality:
The plan just doesn't sound right. There's
going to be a read-and-react offense,
dependent on cutting and ball movement, and
not the point guard? Despite having about
300 of them? That's the best strategy to
implement a system of sharing? |
| Saving grace: The
Knicks reeled in a great catch in Channing
Frye, who will now get an opportunity to
grow without having to worry about whether
he's going to get consistent minutes.
|
| X-factor: If Eddy
Curry can dominate, the Knicks are an
entirely different ballgame. Curry has the
physical gifts to take over, but he has
never been able to put it together. He did
come into camp in improved shape, so maybe
his head is finally in the right place. |
 |
|
Stephon Marbury |
Likely rotation:
Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis will get
an opportunity to co-exist in the backcourt
first, but Nate Robinson and Jamal Crawford
are waiting in the wings. Jared Jeffries was
supposed to start at small forward, but with
him out a couple months with a broken wrist,
Quentin Richardson will get major minutes,
as will rookie Renaldo Balkman, viewed as an
energy player. Frye and Curry form the post
combo. David Lee appears to be the primary
backup at both spots with Jerome James
(foot) and Malik Rose (hamstring) dealing
with injuries. |
| Four-casting: The
Marbury-Francis backcourt experiment will be
curbed due to ineffectiveness. Jeffries will
recover from his wrist ailment and provide a
much-needed boost when he rejoins the
lineup. Jalen Rose will see more minutes in
Thomas' rotation than many expect.
References to how much better the Knicks
feel without Brown berating them will be
expressed all season, win or lose. |
| Coach-speak:
"Competition is great. Whenever you can have
competition within your team to push the
younger players or the younger players
pushing the veteran players it only makes
the work environment that much better to
come to work in everyday." -- Isiah Thomas |
|
4.
Toronto Raptors |
|
Projected finish: 34-48 |
 2006-07
theme: It's all about integration. With so
many of Bryan Colangelo's new pieces now in
place, his vision begins to take shape. |
| Entering the
season: If the Raptors can get out of the
first month alive, they should be set up
pretty for the rest of the season. Toronto
will make almost half of their scheduled
Western Conference visits in November,
playing seven teams in 18 days. |
| Haunting reality:
Although they're definitely heading in the
right direction, the team is still a Chris
Bosh injury away from completely disaster.
There's plenty of young talent on the
roster, but no one currently equipped to
take on a go-to role. |
| Saving grace:
Andrea Bargnani looks to be further along in
his development than many expected, and his
ability to stretch the floor as a 7-footer
is going to be a great variable for the
Raptors offense. |
| X-factor: T.J.
Ford is being counted on to turn the Raptors
into Suns East. He's among the fastest
guards in the league and has worked on his
jumper to make himself a better threat on
pick-and-rolls. |
 |
|
Andrea Bargnani |
Likely rotation: While
Ford will get the majority of the minutes
running the show, backup Jose Calderon also
makes great decisions and will be hard to
keep off the floor. Steady veteran Morris
Peterson will be joined on the wing by
former Maccabi Tel Aviv star Anthony Parker
and Pacers import Fred Jones, all of whom
will be counted on to run, run, run. Bosh is
the focal point in the post, joined by
former Rasho Nesterovic in the starting
lineup. Bargnani will be the primary backup
big man, with Jorge Garbajosa and Kris
Humphries also in the mix. Garbajosa, a 6-9
veteran from Spain, adds a unique dimension
with his savvy and shooting range. |
| Four-casting: A
tough first couple of months costs coach Sam
Mitchell his job. Bargnani will be a far
different player at season's end than he is
at the start. Ford will finish among the
league's top five in assists. Fred Jones
will endear himself to Raps fans as the best
dunker to roll through town since ol' V.C. |
| Coach-speak:
"We're not trying to follow a trend of the
league or pretty much trying to figure out
what other teams are trying to do as far as
tempo and style they're trying to play.
We're trying to develop a way that we feel
can be effective for us, and we think we
have the personnel to play that way." -- Sam
Mitchell |
|
5.
Philadelphia 76ers |
|
Projected finish: 31-51 |
 2006-07
theme: Making it work. Not much has changed
over the past three months, so it's up to
the holdovers to fix what went wrong last
season or suffer the same fate. |
| Entering the
season: Of the first 10 games, seven are on
the road, culminated by a tough West Coast
swing against the Sonics, Suns and Clippers.
At least Philly gets four days off before
venturing out on that one. |
| Haunting reality:
The Allen Iverson trade watch will go hot
and heavy unless the Sixers get off to an
unexpected rousing start. |
| Saving grace: This
chapter in team history has nearly run its
course. Take into account that over the past
five years, Philadelphia has been a .500
squad. Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom
before you can get back up. |
| X-factor: Samuel
Dalembert has been paid like a Top 10 center
but has only responded like one on the floor
for brief stretches. But the notorious slow
starter has enjoyed a brilliant preseason,
giving the Sixers hope that he's finally
ready to live up to his massive potential as
a shot blocker and rebounder. |
 |
|
Allen Iverson |
Likely rotation: For
as long as he's still in town, the ball will
be in Iverson's hands. Willie Green will
start alongside him in the backcourt, and
Andre Iguodala starts at small forward. Wing
options behind them are shooting specialist
Kyle Korver and promising rookie Rodney
Carney. Veteran Kevin Ollie should log
minutes as the backup point, though
20-year-old rookie Louis Williams will
eventually push for time. Chris Webber and
Dalembert are counted upon to hold things
down up front, backed up primarily by
Shavlik Randolph and Steven Hunter. |
| Four-casting: The
76ers won't end the year with the same key
cogs they start it with, parting ways with
either Iverson or coach Maurice Cheeks. Fan
Appreciation night might go smoother than
last season's, but will be no more festive.
Carney will be starting by March. This
season will go down in Philadelphia annals
as "ugly." |
| Quotable: "I think
this (training camp) trip has made a huge
impact for our team, because we had to come
out to a foreign country and we had to get
to know one another. We had to share a lot
of things. I think that has had a tremendous
impact on the way we play now, on the
defensive end and the offensive end. ... I
think it was a bonding experience for all of
us. We had to do some things that we
probably normally wouldn't do if our camp
was in Philly or some other place." --
Maurice Cheeks |
