2008/09 Power Rankings

[Glenn]

I'm sure there will be more of them to come, but let's start with this one, lol.

Ranking the Eastern Conference

By: Jessica Camerato
Last Updated: 8/7/08 1:58 PM ET

The Boston Celtics returned the NBA Championship to the Eastern Conference and this summer teams are making moves to keep it there. HOOPSWORLD takes a look at the power rankings in the East with its current rosters.

1. Boston Celtics: NBA Championships merit top seeds in preseason rankings. The Celtics are returning their entire starting lineup and even though they have to overcome the departure of James Posey, the Big Three should still be enough to keep near the top of the standings. Not to mention, the young Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins are coming back even tougher and more experienced after winning it all.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers: There is only one thing that makes the Cavaliers the second-best team in the East: LeBron James. Simply put, Bron Bron is one of the top-5 players in the NBA. Put almost any group of players beside him (see their championship run from two years ago) and James' team would succeed. With that being said, it doesn't hurt that the offensive (Delonte West, Wally Sczerbiak) and defensive (Ben Wallace) talent acquired in last season's late trade will have some more time to get acclimated to playing with King James.

3. Detroit Pistons: GM Joe Dumars declared there were "no sacred cows" on the Pistons after they were bounced by the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals and speculation flew of them dismantling their veteran core. It will be up Michael Curry, recently hired as head coach, to get this group of former champions to play up to their potential, but the biggest question is whether these veterans have another title in them.

4. Philadelphia 76ers: Many counted the 76ers out before the start of last season only to find the fiery running team making a legitimate run at the postseason. With Elton Brand in Philadelphia the question is no longer if they will make the playoffs, but what seed they will earn. If the 76ers can bring Andre Iguodala back -- which head coach Mo Cheeks is confident they will do -- this team is poised to make one of the biggest turnarounds in the league next season.

5. Toronto Raptors: The Raptors needed another rebounder and got one of the most proven big men in the league. If he can stay healthy, the duo of Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Bosh could be one of the most dominating frontcourt duos in the East. Jose Calderon also gives the Raptors consistency (and impeccable ball handling) as their only starting point guard. They may not be the most experienced group as a whole, but this tandem of talent should be enough to get the Raptors out of the first round of the playoffs.

6. Orlando Magic: Rashard Lewis was supposed to help Dwight Howard lead the Magic on a deep postseason run. That didn't happen. The Magic fell short in the playoffs and have done little to spark hope for a championship next season. They will need more than Mickael Pietrus off the bench to make up for their thin backcourt, which boasts a mediocre point guard in Jameer Nelson and the rarely-used-but-never-traded J.J. Redick. Howard's shoulders are not big enough to carry this team.

7. Washington Wizards: Who would have thought that the Wizards would have a better record last season without Agent Zero? Arenas will be looking to make up for lost time, but it's questionable whether the Wizards will be better with him in the lineup. Even though Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler are good enough to make any team a contender, the jury is out on Arenas' ability to lead a team to the playoffs and beyond.

8. Indiana Pacers: Watch out for this season's version of the Atlanta Hawks. The Pacers have been discounted from playoff talks since the days of Ron Artest but they finally have the pieces they need to contend. Combine the emerging Danny Granger and recently acquired T.J. Ford with veterans Jeff Foster, Mike Dunleavy Jr., and Troy Murphy, and the Pacers have a lineup that could be good enough to grab the eighth seed in the East.

9. Miami Heat: After the disaster that was last season, the Miami Heat have nowhere to go but up. They acquired Shawn Marion shortly before the trading deadline and used the number two pick in the Draft to select Michael Beasley. Add a healthy Dwyane Wade to the mix and you've got a formidable trio. However, they're not winning a title with Mark Blount as their center, let alone making the playoffs. Ditto for whatever inexperienced player will take the reigns at point guard. The Heat certainly have enough pieces to flight for the postseason, but they need to shore up those two weaknesses before they can recapture their championship-winning ways.

10. Atlanta Hawks: Was last season's playoff run a flash in the pan? While the Hawks are returning their playoff-experienced starting lineup (including Josh Smith, Joe Johnson, and Rookie of the Year candidate Al Horford), they lost their one bench player who could make a legitimate impact in Josh Childress. 37 wins may have been enough before but it's a different story in the East now.

11. Charlotte Bobcats: The Bobcats are one of the more frustrating teams in the East. They have the talent but injuries, inconsistencies, and poor coaching decisions have plummeted them to the bottom of the standings. This season Larry Brown will crack the whip on Jason Richardson, Gerald Wallace, Emeka Okafor, and Raymond Felton, but can he maximize the potential of a thin bench? Even though the Bobcats will be better, they are not going to replicate Michael Jordan's greatness any time soon.

12. Chicago Bulls: The Bulls are heading into next season the same way they finished last season– in disarray. They still have to sort out what to do with their backcourt, which includes an overpaid/underachieving point guard (Kirk Hinrich), a top pick who disappointed in summer league play (Derrick Rose), and a shooting guard who is in contractual purgatory (Ben Gordon). There are also question marks surrounding the reliability of the oft-injured Larry Hughes and the potential of summer league flop Joakim Noah. Things may not be as Rose-y in Chicago as fans had hoped.

13. Milwaukee Bucks: With the failed Yi Jianlian experiment in the past, the Bucks are hoping to contend with the veteran duo of Richard Jefferson and Michael Redd. Jefferson is an upgrade but that does not answer glaring questions in the roster. What are the Bucks doing with four point guards? Can Charlie Villanueva be a reliable starter (more importantly, are the Bucks going to keep him around next season)? The trade may have helped but it isn't sending them to the playoffs next season.

14. New Jersey Nets: On paper, the Nets used to have one of the most talented trios in the league. But if Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, and Richard Jefferson couldn't get it done, what chance does a less talented trio of Yi, Carter, and Devin Harris have of breaking out of the East? The days of perennial playoff hopes are over in New Jersey.

15. New York Knicks: There is a $20 million contract with Stephon Marbury's name on it looming over the Knicks. Nearly all of the Knicks (and their cap-busting salaries) are returning next season, with little improvement made this summer. Head coach Mike D'Antoni does not have a point guard who can execute his run-and-gun offense and there is no end in sight to the Starbury saga. Next season the Knicks could spend nearly $100 million to miss the playoffs again. Is it 2009 yet?

[Cross]

pacers at 8? i think the heat,hawks, and bobcats got a better chance than fucking indy

[Jethro34]

I would say the Bucks and Bulls will also finish better than Indy. I would have Indy closer to 12 or 13, maybe lower.

[Hermy]

Yeah, it's funny, I was high on Granger coming out of school, but now everyone is on his jock and I don't see it. He's no better than Jefferson or Deng, why put Indy over Mil or Chi when they have better supporting casts?

[Wilfredo Ledezma]

I don't see how Cleveland's ranked higher, perhaps because they gave Boston more of a fight than we did?? As far as matching up with the Pistons, they were better before the trade than after it, IMO.

What's going to make Cleveland scary is when they deal Wally at the deadline. If they're able to get an expiring in return such as Shawn Marion or something like that, they could be deadly going into the playoffs. Hopefully, by that time, we have the division taken care of, so once again they can duke it out with Boston in Rd. 2...

I agree with Jethro too, I think Milwaukee should be higher...

[Laxation]

I dont understand why Cleveland is ranked so much higher than Miami...

Miami is better with Marion + Wade than Lebron + err...

Theyre both shit, and going nowhere, with those supporting casts.

[Glenn]

Get ready for this one, guys.

Next up, SI's Marty Burns...

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

[Tahoe]

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.

Which sets up the opening night talking heads with the same 'these guys really are fired up and have something to prove this year' bullshit we've heard for the last 3-4 years.

'

[Mr. Oobir]

Which sets up the opening night talking heads with the same 'these guys really are fired up and have something to prove this year' bullshit we've heard for the last 3-4 years.

'

I'm so looking forward to hearing that. I think that it will really, truly happen this year. Plus, internal growth will bring the Pistons over the top.

[Atticus771]

I can see bumping us down to 3, maybe even 4, but Marty has proven that he's a moron with this ranking. Hopefully he gets fired when the Pistons endup with the number 1 seed and win 60 games this season. Yes, that's a prediction, albeit a bold one.