1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2008-09 MVP LeBron James and Associates, with help from newest partner Witness Protection (Shaq), look to improve on last year’s stunning loss to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

2. Orlando Magic
Reigning defensive player of the year Dwight Howard will look for more help from fellow All-Stars Jameer Nelson and Rashard Lewis, who has been suspended for the first 10 games of the year for violating the league’s steroid policy. Newcomer Vince Carter will try to take some of the scoring pressure off of Howard, Nelson and Lewis.

3. Boston Celtics
With Kevin Garnett back after missing the final quarter of last season and the playoffs with a knee injury, the Celtics hope to regain 2007-08’s form. Bringing in Rasheed Wallace as a free agent gives them a proven, versatile scorer off the bench, and he and fellow signee Marquis Daniels are underrated defenders as well.

4. Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks certainly can score, with Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and new acquisition Jamal Crawford all able to fill it up from anywhere on the floor. The question for Mike Woodson’s team will be their defense. Can they improve it enough to hope to beat the Cavs, Magic or Celtics in the playoffs?

5. Chicago Bulls
After taking the Garnett-less Celtics to the brink in last year’s first round, the Bulls hope Derrick Rose continues to improve after his stellar Rookie of the Year campaign. Despite losing cold-blooded scorer Ben Gordon, the Bulls get Luol Deng back from injury and the emerging John Salmons now has the starting two-guard spot all to himself.

6. Miami Heat
Dwyane Wade looks to repeat as the NBA’s scoring champion, but he’ll gladly trade a few of his 30.2 points per game for a few more wins for the Heat. Help from improving young teammates Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers is the only way the Heat will have any chance of advancing past the first round in the playoffs.

7. Washington Wizards
Gilbert Arenas’ long-awaited return from various knee problems will be the boost this team needs to return to the playoffs. Antawn Jamison’s shoulder injury will delay the Wiz’s return to respectability, but, when healthy, he, Arenas, and Caron Butler form one of the best Big Threes in the league.

8. Charlotte Bobcats
The Bobcats have two of the league’s most underrated players in forwards Boris Diaw and Gerald Wallace. New center Tyson Chandler and Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown will help power the Bobcats to the first playoff birth in franchise history.

Outside Looking In:

9. Philadelphia 76ers
Despite making the playoffs the last two years, and getting last year’s big free agent signee, Elton Brand, back from injury, the 76ers again finish at .500 and just miss the 8th and final playoff spot in the East.

10. Indiana Pacers
Rookie of the Year candidate Tyler Hansbrough looks to complement budding star Danny Granger. However, the Pacers don’t have quite enough firepower to beat out the Bobcats or Sixers for the 8th and final playoff spot in the East.

11. Toronto Raptors
Hedo Turkoglu goes from the Eastern Conference champion Magic to one of its cellar-dwellers, the Raptors. The Raptors have a solid young core, with Marco Bellinelli, DeMar DeRozan, and Andrea Bargnani, but Chris Bosh is in the final year of his rookie contract and may be leaving Toronto after this season.

12. Detroit Pistons
Getting rid of Allen Iverson and Michael Curry were the right moves, but losing Rasheed Wallace will hurt their depth up front. Other than at shooting guard, in fact, the Pistons have almost no depth anywhere. Ben Gordon would be a candidate for Sixth Man of the Year backing up Rip Hamilton if the rest of the Pistons (outside of Tayshaun Prince and maybe Charlie Villanueva) were any good.

13. New Jersey Nets
Another long season awaits Nets fans as newcomer Courtney Lee, fresh off playing a pivotal role for the Magic in the Finals, tries to replace Vince Carter. The Nets starting five could arguably all be All-Stars in three or four years, and point guard Devin Harris definitely will garner some votes even this season, but it’s still too early for these young Nets to make any noise in the improved East.

14. New York Knicks
While the Knicks seem to be killing time, and clearing cap space, until next summer, when many observers think they will sign LeBron, why would he want to leave the talented team he’s on now for such a bad Knicks team? The Knicks have some talent, to be sure, with Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari potential emerging stars, but starting Chris Duhon at point guard in the East won’t get you very far.

15. Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks still have Michael Redd, who gives them a chance in most games, and Brandon Jennings is an intriguing rookie who has already been given the reins at point guard. But they lost starters Richard Jefferson and Charlie Villanueva in free agency and have little shot at making the playoffs. Bucks fans should look forward to a top five pick in next summer’s draft.

Eastern Conference Finals:
Cleveland Cavaliers over Boston Celtics in seven games.