Eastern Conference rankings
Updated: Wednesday August 13, 2008 12:34PM
Marty Burns > INSIDE THE NBA
With the NBA in full summer mode, it's a good time to take a look at how teams stack up right now. First up is a snapshot of the Eastern Conference, followed by the West later this week.
It's extremely difficult to get a read on the East, especially the bottom half. Nearly every team that finished out of the playoffs last season looks improved, with no obvious doormats. The battle for the No. 8 spot could be very tight among a handful of teams.
Here's a look at how we see it at the moment, with the caveat that the view could change between now and the start of training camp in October:
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1. Celtics: The loss of veteran forward James Posey (via free agency to the Hornets) could hurt, especially come playoff time, but for now Boston has to be considered the East favorite again. General manager Danny Ainge re-signed key reserves Eddie House and Tony Allen, and Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen should be even better with another year together (assuming they're not too worn out from last season's long playoff run). The bottom line is that the defending champs didn't make any significant moves ... but they didn't need to.
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2. Cavaliers: True, they haven't done anything of consequence this summer (other than re-signing Daniel Gibson and adding first-round pick J.J. Hickson). But they still have LeBron James. He showed last year in the playoffs that he's good enough almost by himself to take the Celtics to seven games. Another significant move could be in the offing for Cleveland, but even if GM Danny Ferry can't come up with a blockbuster, the Cavs have to be respected. They are one of the NBA's toughest defensive teams under coach Mike Brown, and their core lineup -- shuffled by a major deal at last season's trade deadline -- was starting to jell at the end of last season.
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3. Magic: It's easy to forget that these guys won 52 games last year and won their first playoff series in 12 years. With Dwight Howard coming into his own, big man Tony Battie back after missing all of last season with a shoulder injury and coach Stan Van Gundy having another training camp to implement his system, the Magic should be even better next season. Orlando could miss part-time starter Maurice Evans, who signed with the Hawks, but the addition of free-agent signee Mickael Pietrus (formerly of the Warriors) should help strengthen its perimeter defense.
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4. 76ers: They made perhaps the biggest splash in free agency, persuading Elton Brand to bolt the Clippers for a new life in Philadelphia. The two-time All-Star power forward gives them the low-post scorer they desperately needed. They also re-signed Louis Williams and added Kareem Rush to shore up their backcourt depth. Assuming they bring back Andre Iguodala, who reportedly is nearing a new deal to stay, the Sixers should take another big step in their dramatic rise.
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5. Wizards: Their big moves have been to re-sign Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison. With Caron Butler already in the fold, it gives Washington a scoring trio that few other teams can match. If Arenas is healthy and ready to earn his huge paycheck, the Wizards should get back to being the team that had one of the best records in the East two years ago before injuries derailed their season. Keep in mind, Brendan Haywood has his best season a year ago, and backup center Etan Thomas is expected back after sitting out the entire season with a heart condition. The loss of guard Roger Mason (Spurs), however, leaves them a bit thin on their bench.
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6. Pistons: Logic says they should be ranked higher, since they suffered no significant losses (other than coach Flip Saunders) from a team that won 59 games last season. But even president Joe Dumars seemed to think this present group had run its course at the end of last season and needed some new blood. Kwame Brown isn't likely to light a fire under anybody. And how will all those Pistons vets react to hearing their names in trade talks all summer? Unless Dumars has something else up his sleeve, the Pistons just seem like a team headed for a decline.
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7. Raptors: GM Bryan Colangelo made perhaps the most underrated move of the offseason, acquiring five-time All-Star Jermaine O'Neal from the Pacers for T.J. Ford and Rasho Nesterovic. If O'Neal is recovered from his knee problems, he should join with Chris Bosh to give the Raptors one of the best frontcourts in the East. Colangelo also re-signed Jose Calderon and brought in Croatian star Roko Ukic to replace Ford as backup point guard. The Raptors still need Andrea Bargnani to live up to his billing as a No. 1 overall pick, but Toronto definitely will be a team to watch next season.
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8. Pacers: Last year they finished just one game out of the playoffs -- even with O'Neal sidelined for most of the season. Ford, if he stays healthy, is an upgrade at the point over Jamaal Tinsley. The Pacers also added a quality combo guard in Jarrett Jack and a reliable true center in the 7-foot Nesterovic, who averaged 12.4 points and 6.1 rebounds in the second half of last season. With Danny Granger, Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy, the pieces are there for coach Jim O'Brien to run his type of fast-breaking, three-point-shooting system.
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9. Hawks: After snapping an NBA-long eight-year playoff drought and taking the Celtics to seven games in the first round, they looked to be on the rise last spring. But the loss of Josh Childress (via free agency to Greece) and the drawn-out negotiations with restricted free agent Josh Smith (who signed an offer sheet with Memphis, only to have it matched by the Hawks) have raised concerns about chemistry heading into next season. At least Evans, who comes over from the Magic, will help take some of the sting out of Childress' departure.
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10. Bobcats: On paper, they didn't do anything significant to warrant much optimism. But the Bobcats have talent in the likes of Emeka Okafor (whom they re-signed this summer), Jason Richardson, Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton, as well as decent role players in Nazr Mohammed and Matt Carroll. The difference this year will be coach Larry Brown, who despite his debacle in New York has a proven track record of turning things around in a hurry. If Adam Morrison and Sean May can come back from their injuries as well, Charlotte could be much improved.
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11. Heat: Don't be fooled by their 15-win debacle of a year ago. They should be much better now that Dwyane Wade is fully healthy. Along with Shawn Marion, Udonis Haslem and No. 2 overall pick Michael Beasley, Miami has the pieces to at least get back in the playoff hunt. The addition of James Jones gives the Heat a much-needed outside shooter and adds some depth. But until they get a point guard (Jason Williams left to sign with the Clippers), the Heat won't be serious contenders.
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12. Bucks: New GM John Hammond made one of the big trades of the summer, acquiring Richard Jefferson from the Nets for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons. Jefferson, along with new coach Scott Skiles, should help improve a woeful Bucks defense. With Michael Redd, Mo Williams, Andrew Bogut, Desmond Mason and Charlie Villanueva, Milwaukee already had enough firepower to score with any team. The trick will be just how fast Skiles can implement his system, and whether there is enough bulk in the frontcourt.
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13. Bulls: After adding the No. 1 overall pick in Derrick Rose and re-signing Luol Deng to a six-year, $71 million deal, many Bulls fans are optimistic. But with a new coach (Vinny Del Negro) and a new point guard (Rose), it could take time. Meanwhile, restricted free agent Ben Gordon remains in limbo. Even if Gordon stays, GM John Paxson needs to do something to clear up a crowded backcourt that also includes Kirk Hinrich, Larry Hughes and Thabo Sefalosha. Throw in the fact that Drew Gooden is its only real low-post threat, and Chicago just has too many question marks right now.
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14. Nets: They have been one of the more active teams, acquiring Yi and Simmons and signing free agents Jarvis Hayes, Eduardo Najera and Keyon Dooling, but it seems president Rod Thorn was maneuvering as much for the future as he was for this season. The loss of centers Nenad Krstic (Europe) and DeSagana Diop (Mavericks) puts pressure on youngsters Josh Boone and Brook Lopez to develop in the middle. Vince Carter and Devin Harris are going to have to put up monster seasons for New Jersey to contend for a playoff spot.
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15. Knicks: Hiring Mike D'Antoni constitutes their biggest offseason move. He should provide an immediate boost to a locker room sorely in need of a new face. But the Knicks have been limited to minor changes in personnel, adding Chris Duhon (formerly of the Bulls) and first-round pick Danilo Gallinari. New president Donnie Walsh might not be done yet (Stephon Marbury could be traded or waived), but it looks as if it will take at least another year to clean house and get D'Antoni the right players to fit his system.
