2007 NBA Preview

Ben Wallace (Getty Images); Dirk Nowitzki (AP)

Ranking the League

Listed in predicted order of finish, along with last season's record and head coach.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Chicago Bulls
1st. Central | 49-33 | Scott Skiles

The Bulls weren't able to address their need for low-post scoring in the offseason, which translates into an expanded role for Tyrus Thomas. Thomas's focus is inconsistent, but he possesses game-changing energy and athleticism.

2. Detroit Pistons
2nd. Central | 53-29 | Flip Saunders

Rasheed Wallace is the Pistons' barometer, and his implosion in Game 6 of the conference finals exemplifies their collapse against Cleveland. Wallace lost 25 pounds in the offseason and is determined to restore the crown in Detroit.

3. Boston Celtics
1st. Atlantic | 24-58 | Doc Rivers

Kevin Garnett's arrival has given the Celtics championship aspirations for the first time since 1986, but to secure his Hall of Fame credentials, Garnett has to win more than two playoff series in his career. With Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, he has considerable help and no more excuses.

4. Washington Wizards
1st. Southeast | 41-41 | Eddie Jordan

Gilbert Arenas has declared this season "The Takeover: Reloaded," but he should call it "The Bank Account: Fully Loaded." He plans to opt out of his contract for a maximum contract next summer. But for the Wizards to succeed, Arenas has to prove that he can still explode off his surgically repaired left knee and commit to more than one end of the floor.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers
3rd. Central | 50-32 | Mike Brown

Drew Gooden should be entering his prime, and with Anderson Varejao's contract holdout spilling into the regular season, the pressure is on Gooden to elevate his game -- and stay on the floor, sometimes at center. Gooden got rid of that patch of hair on his neck, so the focus should be strictly on his performance this season.

6. New Jersey Nets
2nd. Atlantic | 41-41 | Lawrence Frank

Jason Kidd has to slow down at some point, doesn't he? At 34, he has given no hint that it's coming soon despite recent back troubles. Kidd had a career year last season, averaged a triple-double in the playoffs and piloted a gold medal win for Team USA last summer in the FIBA Americas Championship.

7. Miami Heat
2nd. Southeast | 44-38 | Pat Riley

The trade for Ricky Davis and Mark Blount was okay, but when and how Dwyane Wade returns from knee and shoulder surgeries will determine whether the Heat is a contender in the postseason or the lottery. Shaquille O'Neal might be willing, but he isn't able to carry the Heat anymore. A healthy Wade is the only hope on South Beach.

8. Toronto Raptors
3rd. Atlantic | 47-35 | Sam Mitchell

Toronto is being cautious with Jorge Garbajosa because they know they will go further if he is healthy. His gruesome broken leg injury hurt the Raptors against New Jersey in the playoffs, where they lacked his toughness. He is the only physical front-line player on a team with the slight Chris Bosh and perimeter-minded Andrea Bargnani.

9. Orlando Magic
3rd. Southeast | 40-42 | Stan Van Gundy

The Magic outbid itself and grossly overpaid for Rashard Lewis, who will never live up to his $118 million contract. But he provides the consistent scorer the team needs. Van Gundy will make sure the Magic isn't so rigid offensively, and Lewis should flourish with Dwight Howard commanding double teams in the low post.

10. New York Knicks
4th. Atlantic | 33-49 | Isiah Thomass

The arrival of Zach Randolph, a left-handed double-double machine, means that the Knicks either have a lethal low-post combination with center Eddy Curry or a serious problem, because both are poor passers and defenders. If the former comes to fruition, the Knicks could make their wacky, tabloid-filled offseason a distant memory.

11. Atlanta Hawks
4th. Southeast | 30-52 | Mike Woodson

The Hawks have drafted forwards in the first round for five straight years, but they may have finally found the muscle they need in Al Horford. He brings a pro pedigree (he's the son of former NBA player Tito Horford), is a proven winner (a two-time NCAA champion at Florida) and isn't afraid to mix it up.

12. Milwaukee Bucks
4th. Central | 28-54 | Larry Krystkowiak

Andrew Bogut, the 2005 No. 1 draft pick, has yet to make a dent in the league, but with a new coach and a newly shaved head, Bogut may finally live up to his potential.

13. Indiana Pacers
5th. Central | 35-47 | Jim O'Brien

Jermaine O'Neal had a flakier trade demand than Kobe Bryant did last summer; Indiana shopped the injury-prone, six-time all-star only to find that the rest of the league doesn't have such a high opinion of him. New coach O'Brien may stem the tide that has seen O'Neal's scoring decline in each of the past three seasons.

14. Charlotte Bobcats
5th. Southeast | 33-49 | Sam Vincent

The Bobcats have needed a go-to scorer since they arrived in Charlotte three years ago, and Jason Richardson might finally be the answer. The former slam dunk champion has averaged at least 20 points in two of the past three seasons, but the Bobcats appear headed to the lottery again with season-ending knee injuries to Sean May and Adam Morrison.

15. Philadelphia 76ers
5th. Atlantic | 33-49 | Maurice Cheeks

It's been 11 years since the 76ers opened a season without Allen Iverson, but they still have an A.I. Andre Iguodala blossomed into a reliable scorer after Iverson was dealt to Denver. But can he become a star with defenses focused on him every night -- especially because the 76ers' only major offseason addition was Reggie Evans?

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. Dallas Mavericks
1st. Southwest | 67-15 | Avery Johnson

Dirk Nowitzki had his MVP credentials doubted after the Mavericks lost in the first round to Golden State and he spent a summer in the Australian outback to get away from basketball completely. But how does he bounce back after his second monumental playoff meltdown in as many seasons?

2. San Antonio Spurs
2nd. Southwest | 58-24 | Greg Popovich

Tony Parker had a dream summer, winning MVP of the NBA Finals and marrying actress Eva Longoria in a star-studded wedding in Paris. Now that he has ascended to true stardom, Parker will have to take on a larger role with most of the Spurs -- including Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili -- in or past their primes.

3. Phoenix Suns
1st. Pacific | 61-21 | Mike D'Antoni

Shawn Marion is the team's highest-paid player, takes the most shots and still feels like an unappreciated, third wheel behind Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. He asked to be traded this summer after the Suns refused to give him an extension, but Marion plays better when he's angry.

4. Denver Nuggets
1st. Northwest | 45-37 | George Karl

Three years into their $92 million investment in Kenyon Martin, the Nuggets have seen him have microfracture surgery on both knees and miss all but two games last season. Martin's defensive intensity, aggression and rebounding will provide a boost in the second half of the season as he eases back into his role.

5. Houston Rockets
3rd. Southwest | 52-30 | Rick Adelman

Luis Scola has waited almost two years to play in the NBA, but the Rockets have waited even longer for a rugged and effective power forward to complement Yao Ming. Scola, a two-time Spanish League MVP and MVP of last summer's FIBA Americas Championship, has the perfect skill set to fit Adelman's motion offense.

6. Utah Jazz
2nd. Northwest | 51-31 | Jerry Sloan

Andrei Kirilenko was so distraught over his diminished role last season that he cried publicly during the playoffs and demanded a trade this summer. Sloan will attempt to appease the former all-star, whose MVP performance in the European Championships proved what he could do when engaged.

7. Los Angeles Lakers
2nd. Pacific | 42-40 | Phil Jackson

Andrew Bynum? Are you kidding? The Lakers' refusal to trade him for Jason Kidd sent Kobe Bryant into a parking lot tizzy. Bynum will have to expedite the learning curve in his third year to justify the team's faith in him.

8. New Orleans Hornets
4th. Southwest | 39-43 | Byron Scott

The Hornets were ravaged by injuries last season, but the most costly -- literally -- had to be Peja Stojakovic, who played only 13 games because of back surgery in the first year of a $64 million contract. Stojakovic has the most playoff experience on the roster and his outside shooting should increase Chris Paul assist totals.

9. Golden State Warriors
3rd. Pacific | 42-40 | Don Nelson

The Warriors appeared to open up a starting spot for Monta Ellis when they traded Jason Richardson. Nelson, though, has been reluctant to hand him the spot after the league's most improved player had a disappointing playoff showing. Ellis's quickness and improved shooting touch should give him the bulk of the minutes.

10. Memphis Grizzlies
5th. Southwest | 22-60 | Marc Iavaroni

Darko Milicic is the only top five draft choice from the 2003 draft that still hasn't become a star or found a home in the NBA. Now with his third team in the past three seasons, Milicic might finally have the coach -- big-man specialist Iavaroni -- who can tap into the potential of the former No. 2 pick.

11. Los Angeles Clippers
4th. Pacific | 40-42 | Mike Dunleavy

Notorious tightwad owner Donald Sterling opened his checkbook for Chris Kaman, and the 7-footer flopped miserably. With Elton Brand out until February at least, Kaman will have to provide low post scoring and interior defense for a team that has few capable big me.

12. Portland Trail Blazers
3rd. Northwest | 32-50 | Nate McMillan

After spending his first two seasons nailed to the bench, Martell Webster will have an opportunity to show the Blazers that they didn't waste the sixth pick on him in 2005. Webster will start the season at small forward, where McMillan expects him to open the floor for LaMarcus Aldridge and rookie of the year Brandon Roy.

13. Seattle SuperSonics
4th. Northwest | 31-51 | P.J. Carlesimo

Kurt Thomas handled with grace the trade from a championship-caliber team in Phoenix to a rebuilding team surrounded by turmoil. One of the few steady veterans on a team full of babies, including Jeff Green and Kevin Durant, Thomas can teach them how to be professionals. More than likely, he can be dealt to a contender for more building blocks later.

14. Sacramento Kings
5th. Pacific | 33-49 | Reggie Theus

If there ever was a time for Ron Artest to stop being a disruptive force, it's now. After spending the past three years fighting fans in the stands, clashing with the Indiana Pacers' front office and feuding with Mike Bibby (who'll miss 10 weeks with a thumb injury), Artest has the greatest motivator of all -- a contract year.

15. Minnesota Timberwolves
5th. Northwest | 32-50 | Randy Wittman

Randy Foye proved as a rookie that he is not intimidated by this stage and he no longer has to look over his shoulder to worry about Troy Hudson or Mike James. Foye is not really a point guard, but the Timberwolves have put the ball in his hands and asked him to run the show.

Ranking the League  |  Breakout Stars  |  Question Marks  |  Top Story Lines