RANK, TEAM, ANALYSIS, ACTIVE ROSTER
1. CHICAGO BULLS
2006-07: 49-33
(Third in Central, lost in 2nd round to Pistons)
Coach: Scott Skiles (Career record: 272-235)
It’s time for the babies to grow up. It’s been nine years since the last championship and they have enough pieces to make a run if they remain committed.
8. MILWAUKEE BUCKS
2006-07: 28-54
(Fifth in Central) Coach: Larry Kryskowiak (Career record: 5-13)
They’re deep and did a good job of retaining talent. Now they just need enough players to buy into coach Larry Krystkowiak’s defensive demands.
4. MIAMI HEAT
2006-07: 44-38 (First in Southeast, lost in 1st round to Bulls)
Coach: Pat Riley (Career record: 1,195-627)
Timberwolves GM Kevin McHale saved their season by taking Antoine Walker for Ricky Davis and Mark Blount. If Dwyane Wade regains his health, by playoff time they could be on a mission.
5. DETROIT PISTONS
2006-07: 53-29 (First in Central, lost in conference finals to Cavs)
Coach: Flip Saunders (Career record: 528-373)
Can’t count them out with the most stable group, though one hardly applies that word to Rasheed Wallace–who remains their big question mark.
2. NEW JERSEY NETS
2006-07: 41-41 (Second in Atlantic, lost in 2nd round to Cavs)
Coach: Lawrence Frank (Career record: 157-129)
Would you want to rest your fate on a guy named Nenad? If center Krstic recovers from ACL surgery, they have the stars and a reinvigorated Jason Kidd after his time with USA Basketball.
7. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
2006-07: 50-32 (Second in Central, lost in NBA Finals to Spurs)
Coach: Mike Brown (Career record: 100-64)
They were a Finals fluke and this season begins to show it. Even if holdout Anderson Varejao returns, they seem in disarray. Can LeBron James leaving rumors be far behind?
3. BOSTON CELTICS
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2006-07: 24-58 (Fifth in Atlantic)
Coach: Doc Rivers (Career record: 273-312 )
They’re the new good-looking kid. Everyone wants to take a look to see what they’ve got. With Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, they look awfully good.
6. TORONTO RAPTORS
2006-07: 47-35 (First in Atlantic, lost in 1st round to Nets)
Coach: Sam Mitchell (Career record: 107-139)
Tough team to read as the general manager is building a wide-open, running, shooting team while the coach is a tough, old-school type.
Smith’s lottery teams
9. NEW YORK KNICKS
2006-07: 33-49 (Fourth in Atlantic )
Coach: Isiah Thomas (Career record: 164-164)
A dangerous team, to both opponents and themselves. With the addition of Zach Randolph, they have unparalleled post scoring in the East but too many selfish perimeter players.
10. INDIANA PACERS
2006-07: 35-47 (Fourth in Central)
Coach: Jim O’Brien (Career record: 182-158)
Could be a surprise team if Jermaine O’Neal takes the season and running the court seriously. He’s no Bill Russell, but if he plays like him, the Pacers could be intriguing.
11. ORLANDO MAGIC
2006-07: 40-42 (Third in Southeast, lost in 1st round to Pistons)
Coach: Stan Van Gundy (Career record: 112-73)
Getting Rashard Lewis isn’t enough to replace Darko Milicic and Grant Hill. Dwight Howard is beginning to forget he’s there to defend and rebound. Just not enough pieces, though coaching is better.
12. ATLANTA HAWKS
2006-07: 30-52 (Fifth in Southeast)
Coach: Mike Woodson (Career record: 69-177)
Another potential surprise as they collected their rings–cigar bands, actually–for winning the exhibition season championship. A load of young talent that is good enough if it fits together and works.
13. WASHINGTON WIZARDS
2006-07: 41-41 (Second in Southeast, lost in 1st round to Cavs)
Coach: Eddie Jordan (Career record: 186-239)
You get the feeling the Gilbert Arenas show is getting tiring to even his teammates. Arenas was a pleasant surprise when he started talking, but he hasn’t stopped, and he’s not quite good enough to carry everyone.
14. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
2006-07: 35-47 (Third in Atlantic)
Coach: Maurice Cheeks (Career record: 235-230)
You figure Larry Brown has to be in the mix for taking over for coach Mo Cheeks at some point. It’s Brown’s kind of team with some young talent and everyone ready for more guidance.
15. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
2006-07: 33-49 (Fourth in Southeast)
Coach: Sam Vincent (Career record: First season)
And then there are Michael’s men. They’ve had some bad injuries, including losing Adam Morrison for the season, and though they’re upgrading, so is the rest of the East.
Western Conference preview
RANK, TEAM, ANALYSIS, ACTIVE ROSTER
1. PHOENIX SUNS
2006-07: 61-21 (1st in Pacific, lost in 2nd round to Spurs)
Coach: Mike D’Antoni (Career record: 212-145)
Denied last season in the playoffs amid the suspensions against the Spurs, they’ll keep their eye on the prize all season and have a healthy–if not fully healthy–Amare Stoudemire to start.
8. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
2006-07: 42-40 (2nd in Pacific, lost in 1st round to Suns)
Coach: Phil Jackson (Career record: 919-393)
Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe. That’s what it’s all about for them. Will he play or pout? And will he stay or go to Chicago, New York, Dallas, Phoenix? Stay tuned.
4. DENVER NUGGETS
2006-07: 45-37 (2nd in Northwest, lost in 1st round to Spurs)
Coach: George Karl (Career record: 829-582)
A very talented, if delicate mix. Kenyon Martin returns to the most erratic bunch in the NBA with George Karl, who has had his share of eclectic behavior.
5. SAN ANTONIO SPURS
2006-07: 58-24 (2nd in Southwest, NBA champions)
Coach: Gregg Popovich (Career record: 576-276)
The defending champions go again for their first repeat. They know how to work into a season, which means they won’t chase the best record but will be there late.
2. DALLAS MAVERICKS
2006-07: 67-15 (1st in Southwest, lost in 1st round to Warriors)
Coach: Avery Johnson (Career record: 143-39)
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It’s difficult to recall they won 67 games amid the meltdown against the Warriors in the first round. But coach Avery Johnson is good at putting off slippage. They’re the forgotten this time
7. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
2006-07: 42-40 (3rd in Pacific, lost in 2nd round to Jazz)
Coach: Don Nelson (Career record: 1,232-920)
Too much depends on Baron Davis, and he’s fragile. He also can opt out after next season. They have Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson for most of the season–or until Jackson’s next suspension. He is out for the first seven games this season.
3. HOUSTON ROCKETS
2006-07: 52-30 (3rd in Southwest, lost in 1st round to Jazz)
Coach: Rick Adelman (Career record: 752-481)
Yes, Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming have to stay healthy, which they rarely do. But they have depth this time, an up-tempo players’ coach and a solid starting group. Luis Scola could be the steal of the summer.
6. UTAH JAZZ
2006-07: 51-31 (1st in Northwest, lost in conference finals to Spurs)
Coach: Jerry Sloan (Career record: 1,035-689)
Should battle it out with the Nuggets for the division, though you wonder if all this stuff with Andrei Kirilenko will bubble up again. There seem to be some divisions on the team involving the international guys.
Smith’s lottery teams
9. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
2006-07: 22-60 (Fifth in Southwest)
Coach: Mark Iavaroni (Career record: First season)
They get Pau Gasol at the start and buddy Juan Carlos Navarro looks like the real thing to go along with the most point-guard depth in the league. Maybe they’ve got something going again.
10. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS
2006-07: 39-43 (4th in Southwest)
Coach: Byron Scott (Career record: 244-290)
Anyone call the moving vans yet? This can’t possibly work in a return to New Orleans, and the uncertainty will rob them of home-court advantage.
11. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
2006-07: 32-50 (4th in Northwest)
Coach: Nate McMillan (Career record: 265-294)
Well, they’ll get another good lottery pick with Greg Oden out. Though sometime we have to see what they’ve got. LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy will get plenty of time.
12. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
2006-07: 40-42 (4th in Pacific)
Coach: Mike Dunleavy (Career record: 550-566)
The loss of Elton Brand (Achillies’ tendon) is devastating. Corey Maggette seems ready to bolt as a free agent and Shaun Livingston is still out (knee). It’s the curse of the Clippers and it won’t go away.
13. SACRAMENTO KINGS
2006-07: 33-49 (5th in Pacific)
Coach: Reggie Theus (First season)
Unathletic, seemingly disinterested, with Mike Bibby out two months (thumb) and with Ron Artest. Good luck, coach Reggie Theus. He found Rush Street a lot in Chicago. He’ll need it now.
14. SEATTLE SUPERSONICS
2006-07: 31-51 (5th in Southwest)
Coach: P.J. Carlesimo (Career record: 183-222)
Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis left just before the team. It’s all about Kevin Durant and figuring out how to move to Oklahoma City.
15. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
2006-07: 32-50 (3rd in Northeast)
Coach: Randy Wittman (Career record: 74-132)
You mean if you have Kevin Garnett you also couldn’t have traded him to become the league’s worst team? Bad trades are easy. They’re starting over after really having been nowhere. Nice ride.
ABOUT THE PREDICTIONS
You may recall that two years ago, Dallas finished with the second-best record in the West, a full 18 games ahead of Denver. And yet, the Mavs had a worse seed than Denver in the playoffs. Starting with last season’s playoffs, the three division winners and the team with the best record that didn’t win its division get the top four seeds and home-court advantage in the first round. Remember, these predictions are for entertainment purposes only.
PLAYOFF PICKS, CONFINAL, 2ND RD., 1ST RD
EASTERN CHAMPION CELTICS
WESTERN CHAMPION SUNS
THE FINALS Sam Smith’s pick: SUNS OVER CELTICS
FOR COMPLETE GRAPHIC SEE MICROFILM