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EASTERN CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC DIVISION

BOSTON CELTICS

Last season: 66-16, won NBA championship

Coach: Doc Rivers, fifth season with Celtics, 10th overall (339-328)

Eyes on: Tony Allen. Mostly counted on for his defense last season, he provided the Celtics with a boost on the offensive end in the preseason. With James Posey gone to New Orleans, Allen could be the most reliable reserve Boston has.

Outlook: With little slowdown from the Big Three and another year of experience for Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins, the Celtics own the best starting five in the NBA. The loss of Posey weakens the bench, which may need to be addressed at some point to make a repeat possible.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Last season: 40-42, lost to Detroit 4-2 in first round of playoffs

Coach: Maurice Cheeks, fourth season with Sixers, eighth overall (275-272)

Eyes on: Elton Brand. His jump from the Clippers to the Sixers has Philadelphia being mentioned as a sleeper. Demanding Philly fans will expect plenty from Brand, but he only played eight games last season after tearing his Achilles' tendon and has to learn a new system.

Outlook: The Sixers consistently play as hard as any team in the league, and that was good enough to rebound from a dismal start and earn a playoff spot. If they can score from the outside, the Sixers could make a big jump in the East.

TORONTO RAPTORS

Last season: 41-41, lost to Orlando 4-1 in first round of playoffs

Coach: Sam Mitchell, fifth season (148-180)

Eyes on: Jermaine O'Neal. Once an All-Star regular and one of the league's top big men, he's missed significant time the last four seasons, playing as many as 60 games only once. Raptors don't need him to dominate as he used to, but they do need him to stay on the court more than he did during final seasons in Indiana.

Outlook: If the Chris Bosh-O'Neal pairing works, the Raptors have an interior tandem that few teams can match. If not, the Raptors had better hope their 3-pointers are falling.

NEW YORK KNICKS

Last season: 23-59, missed playoffs

Coach: Mike D'Antoni, first season with Knicks, seventh season overall (267-172)

Eyes on: Chris Duhon. The Knicks made the former Duke standout their free-agent priority and quickly handed him the starting point guard job, even with his meager statistics and the presence of Stephon Marbury. Now he has to prove he can run D'Antoni's offense.

Outlook: The Knicks will be a more professional organization under D'Antoni, but they probably don't have the personnel yet to play his system and win.

NEW JERSEY NETS

Last season: 34-48, missed playoffs

Coach: Lawrence Frank, sixth season (191-177)

Eyes on: Vince Carter. With most of their other veterans gone, the Nets will need the one-time North Carolina star to lead a young team. His effort dropped when things went bad in Toronto, and skeptics will be watching to see if it does again.

Outlook: The Nets enter a season without realistic playoff hopes for the first time in years. Recent cost-cutting moves could set up a bright future, so the best that could happen for now could be the continued development of youngsters such as Devin Harris and Yi Jianlian.

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

ORLANDO MAGIC

Last season: 52-30, lost to Detroit 4-1 in Eastern Conference semifinals

Coach: Stan Van Gundy, second season with Magic, fifth overall (164-103)

Eyes on: Mickael Pietrus. A small forward with the Warriors, he'll shift positions to shore up shooting guard, a spot that has been an offensive weakness in recent years for the Magic.

Outlook: With Dwight Howard developing into the best center in the East -- maybe the NBA -- and plenty of excellent perimeter shooters, the Magic has all the firepower it needs to repeat as champion in a weak division.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS

Last season: 43-39, lost to Cleveland 4-2 in first round of playoffs

Eyes on: Etan Thomas. After he sat out last season following open-heart surgery, the Wizards need him to be productive right away. With center Brendan Haywood, a former Dudley and UNC standout coming off the best season of his career, expected to miss at least four months because of wrist surgery, there's no one else.

Outlook: The Wizards have learned to win without Gilbert Arenas, whose latest knee problem has him sidelined perhaps into 2009. With Haywood also out, things will be that much tougher. If Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison stay at an All-Star level and the role players remain consistent, Washington may be able to hang on until Arenas and Haywood return.

MIAMI HEAT

Last season: 15-67, missed playoffs

Coach: Erik Spoelstra, first season

Eyes on: Dwyane Wade. He hasn't been able to stay healthy since leading the Heat to the 2006 NBA title, but he is now and he's never looked better than he did during the summer while helping the U.S. Olympic team win the gold medal in Beijing. If his body lets him, Wade could be an MVP candidate this season.

Outlook: The Heat has a chance to be the NBA's most improved team -- mostly because Miami fell so far last season. Wade is spectacular, Udonis Haslem is steady, and if Shawn Marion and Michael Beasley put up the numbers they're capable of, Miami could make Spoelstra a winner in his rookie season.

ATLANTA HAWKS

Last season: 37-45, lost to Boston Celtics 4-3 in first round of playoffs.

Coach: Mike Woodson, fifth season (106-222)

Eyes on: Marvin Williams. The former UNC star finally started to show last season why the Hawks took him with the No. 2 pick in the 2005 draft -- before Deron Williams and Chris Paul -- but there's still the feeling that he could do much more. And the Hawks might need him to, since they lost Josh Childress, their top reserve, to a team in Greece.

Outlook: After the way they challenged the eventual NBA champion Celtics in the playoffs, there's no doubt the Hawks have the talent and potential to be a playoff team. Now they need to show it over the course of an entire season.

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

Last season: 32-50, missed playoffs

Coach: Larry Brown, first season with Bobcats, 24th overall (1,010-800)

Eyes on: Brown. Following ugly stints with the 2004 U.S. Olympic team and 2005-06 Knicks, it's fair to wonder if Brown is still the right guy to deal with today's NBA players. But Michael Jordan still believes, and Brown would love to show that the 23-59 debacle in New York wasn't a true indication of his abilities.

Outlook: The Bobcats believe they've addressed their biggest need, going for Brown's coaching experience after taking a shot last season with first-year coach Sam Vincent. They've been losing money and fans in Charlotte and the only hope to stop that is a good season.

CENTRAL DIVISION

DETROIT PISTONS

Last season: 59-23, lost to Boston 4-2 in Eastern Conference finals.

Coach: Michael Curry, first season

Eyes on: Curry. Joe Dumars vowed changes after last season, and replacing Flip Saunders with Curry is the only significant one he made. Curry inherits one of the NBA's best teams, but has to show that a first-year coach can motivate the Pistons to consistently keep their foot on the gas -- which Saunders couldn't do.

Outlook: As much as Dumars wanted to do something to shake up his team, he wisely realized the Pistons are too good to change just for the sake of change. With Boston clearly on top in the East, perhaps Detroit will be hungrier in the role of the hunter .

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Last season: 45-37, lost to Boston 4-3 in Eastern Conference semifinals

Coach: Mike Brown, fourth season (145-101)

Eyes on: Mo Williams. Cleveland has been seeking reliable help for LeBron James for years, and in Williams the Cavs may have found the best guard their superstar has had as a teammate in the NBA.

Outlook: Early holdouts and a rash of injuries kept the Cavs from building much momentum last season, yet they came closer than anyone to knocking off the eventual champions. If Williams is as good as the Cavs expect, a rematch could come in the East finals.

CHICAGO BULLS

Last season: 33-49, missed playoffs

Coach: Vinny Del Negro, first season

Eyes on: Ben Gordon. After failing to work out a contract extension with the Bulls, Gordon accepted a one-year qualifying offer and will become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The Bulls' leading scorer the last three seasons has until then to show the Bulls -- or another team -- that he's worth a long-term deal.

Outlook: The NBA's biggest disappointment last season, when the Bulls were considered a favorite to win the conference and instead never challenged for a playoff spot. They appear to still have the offensive problems that plagued them, even after lucking out in the draft lottery and earning the right to pick Derrick Rose.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS

Last season: 26-56, missed playoffs

Coach: Scott Skiles, first season with Bucks, 10th overall (281-251)

Eyes on: Luke Ridnour. Once so highly regarded that he was chosen to the original U.S. national team in 2006, Ridnour saw his scoring average nearly cut in half last season in a reserve role for Seattle. The Bucks have enough scorers that he mostly just needs to be a distributor.

Outlook: The Bucks will have no problem scoring, but won't become a playoff contender again until they become a good defensive team. With Skiles as coach, they should start making progress this season.

INDIANA PACERS

Last season: 36-46, missed playoffs

Coach: Jim O'Brien, second season with Pacers, seventh overall (218-204)

Eyes on: T.J. Ford. Two of his four NBA seasons have been cut short by injuries, and he was limited to a career-low 51 games and lost his starting spot last season with Toronto. Questions linger because of size and injury history, but he's a great pickup for the Pacers if he stays healthy.

Outlook: Even with injuries and more off-the-court troubles last season, the Pacers still nearly made the playoffs. If Ford stays healthy and some trades work out, Indiana could get back into the postseason.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

HOUSTON ROCKETS

Last season: 55-27, lost to Utah 4-2 in first round of playoffs

Coach: Rick Adelman, second season with Rockets, 18th overall (807-508)

Eyes on: Yao Ming, who was limited by injuries to 57, 48 and 55 games the last three seasons. He rushed through rehab to return and play well for China in the Olympics, but the Rockets likely will try to control their franchise center's minutes as much as they can.

Outlook: The Ron Artest trade gives Tracy McGrady the best chance he's ever had to advance in the playoffs. However, that assumes the Rockets stay healthy. McGrady says he's still got nagging injuries, and former Duke star Shane Battier began the preseason on the bench.

NEW ORLEANS HORNETS

Last season: 56-26, lost to San Antonio 4-3 in Western Conference semifinals

Coach: Byron Scott, fifth season with Hornets, ninth overall (300-316)

Eyes on: Peja Stojakovic. He avoided injuries to play in 77 games last season, his best total since 2003-04. The Hornets need their top perimeter shooter on the floor to stretch defenses and give Chris Paul room to penetrate or find Tyson Chandler and David West down low.

Outlook: Key players stayed healthy last season and the Hornets finally developed a home-court advantage in New Orleans. The result was the best success in team history. They added a proven winner in James Posey, and they hope to help him win his third ring in four years.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS

Last season: 56-26, lost to L.A. Lakers 4-1 in Western Conference finals

Coach: Gregg Popovich, 13th season (632-302)

Eyes on: Bruce Bowen. Critics keep expecting the Spurs to start showing their age, and Bowen would be a likely candidate if that happens, since he's 37, missed only one game over the last six seasons, and is called upon to defend the opponent's top offensive player.

Outlook: Odd-numbered years have belonged to the Spurs, who won the NBA title in 1999, 2003, '05 and '07. But without leading scorer Manu Ginobili until mid-December after an Olympics ankle injury, it wouldn't come as a shock if they slipped to the lower half of the division.

DALLAS MAVERICKS

Last season: 51-31, lost to New Orleans 4-1 in first round of playoffs

Coach: Rick Carlisle, first season with Mavericks, seventh overall (281-211)

Eyes on: Josh Howard. The former Wake Forest star has found himself in enough off-the-court situations that fans could turn on him if his level of play slips. Luckily for Howard, that shouldn't be a problem, since some people consider him, and not Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks' most talented player.

Outlook: The Jason Kidd trade didn't work for the Mavs, ending in another brief playoff appearance. But with a whole season for the point guard to learn how to get the most out of the players around him, Dallas hopes to move back toward the top of the West standings.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

Last season: 22-60, missed playoffs

Coach: Marc Iavaroni, second season (22-60)

Eyes on: Marc Gasol. Though not as talented as older brother Pau, whom the Grizzlies traded to the Lakers to get Marc's rights, Marc played well for Spain in the Olympics.

Outlook: There's plenty to be excited about in Memphis, including the potential of O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay. But that's for later. For now, the Grizzlies are a young team playing in the league's toughest division, and that means losses -- lots of them.

PACIFIC DIVISION

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

Last season: 57-25, lost to Boston 4-2 in NBA Finals

Coach: Phil Jackson, fourth season of second stint with Lakers, 18th overall (976-418)

Eyes on: Andrew Bynum. His rapid improvement had him on the brink of becoming one of the league's dominant centers before his season-ending knee injury, and the Lakers need him to pick up where he left off. Los Angeles showed how badly it missed his interior toughness in its loss to the Celtics in the NBA Finals.

Outlook: They've got the best guard in the game in Kobe Bryant (if he's healthy), so the key to the Lakers' hopes of getting back to the Finals is their frontcourt. Bynum has to show he's all the way back, he and Pau Gasol have to demonstrate they can play together, and Lamar Odom has to adjust to playing away from the basket. All that happens, and this team is the best in the West again.

PHOENIX SUNS

Last season: 55-27, lost to San Antonio 4-1 in first round of playoffs

Coach: Terry Porter, first season with Suns, third season overall (71-93)

Eyes on: Steve Nash. The two-time MVP became the league's best point guard playing under Mike D'Antoni's offensive system. With his old coach now in New York, Nash gets a chance to show he made the system look good, not vice versa.

Outlook: They won't be as entertaining as they were under D'Antoni, and with a lineup filled with players whose best days seem behind them, they won't be as good, either.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

Last season: 48-34, missed playoffs

Coach: Don Nelson, third season of second stint with Warriors, 30th overall (1,280-954)

Eyes on: Corey Maggette. An explosive scorer who was often overlooked playing with the Clippers, the former Duke swingman could put up huge numbers playing for Nelson.

Outlook: The Warriors essentially lost two point guards during the summer, with Baron Davis leaving for the Clippers and Monta Ellis sidelining himself for perhaps a couple of months with an ankle injury in a moped accident. Until Ellis returns -- and proves he hasn't lost much of his speed -- it's up to Maggette and Stephen Jackson to keep the Warriors' offense rolling.

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

Last season: 23-59, missed playoffs

Coach: Mike Dunleavy, sixth season with Clippers, 16th season overall (573-625)

Eyes on: Chris Kaman. He followed a disappointing 2006-07 season in which he clearly took a step backward by having the best season of his career. Now Kaman needs to show he is over the hump and can play at that level consistently.

Outlook: It's difficult to tell if the Clippers got back more than they lost when Elton Brand and Corey Maggette left via free agency. Baron Davis improves the offense and Marcus Camby bolsters the defense, but both have a history of injuries.

SACRAMENTO KINGS

Last season: 38-44, missed playoffs

Coach: Reggie Theus, second season (38-44)

Eyes on: Kevin Martin. Another season like the former Western Carolina shooting guard had last season would warrant All-Star consideration, but the lack of attention paid to the Kings, combined with the likelihood that they'll struggle, will probably cost him any real shot in the West.

Outlook: A team that played hard under Theus might have been a factor in the West playoff race last season if it was healthy. But after trading Ron Artest so soon after dealing Mike Bibby, the Kings have little beyond Martin.

NORTHWEST DIVISION

UTAH JAZZ

Last season: 54-28, lost to L.A. Lakers 4-2 in second round of playoffs

Coach: Jerry Sloan, 21st season with Jazz, 24th overall (1,089-717)

Eyes on: Deron Williams. He followed Chris Paul's rookie of the year campaign by having the stronger 2006-07 season. Paul now has the upper hand again in their friendly rivalry after his runner-up MVP finish last season, so it's Williams' turn to answer again.

Outlook: With two Olympians in Williams and former Duke star Carlos Boozer, a deep bench and one of the league's best home-court advantages, the Jazz seems set for a deep playoff run. But Utah must show it can win on the road after going 17-24 last season.

DENVER NUGGETS

Last season: 50-32, lost to Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 in first round of playoffs

Eyes on: Carmelo Anthony. Known as a scorer who does little else, Anthony is now the Nuggets' leading returning rebounder. With Marcus Camby and Eduardo Najera gone, and Kenyon Martin and Nene injury-prone, the Nuggets need 'Melo to rebound.

Outlook: They barely grabbed the No. 8 spot last season, and even getting that again will be difficult after giving away Camby in a move that weakens an already awful defense. They will need plenty of scoring from Anthony and Allen Iverson -- whose names will pop up in trade rumors if the Nuggets struggle -- to keep pace in the West.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

Last season: 41-41, missed playoffs

Coach: Nate McMillan, fourth season with Blazers, ninth overall (306-335)

Eyes on: Greg Oden. The Blazers get to add a potential franchise big man who has a year of being around the NBA under his belt. And since he's playing alongside an emerging star in LaMarcus Aldridge, Oden won't even be asked to do much beyond shot blocking and rebounding, which are his specialties.

Outlook: The Blazers should continue to improve, but the league's longest playoff drought -- since 2003-03 -- could last another season in a deep division. Still, Portland will be back in the postseason soon, and with the best young core in the league, it won't be long before this team makes a deep run.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

Last season: 22-60, missed playoffs

Coach: Randy Wittman, third season with Timberwolves, fifth overall (92-196)

Eyes on: Mike Miller. Plenty of teams would have loved to have him last season before the trade deadline. Miller's outside shooting, ability to start or come off the bench and veteran leadership are a boost to a young team.

Outlook: With good inside-outside balance and an emerging star in Al Jefferson, the Timberwolves would have hopes of competing for a playoff spot if they played in the East. Instead, they'll have to settle for trying to be competitive against the West powers and continue building.

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

Last season: 20-62, missed playoffs

Coach: P.J. Carlesimo, second season with Thunder, eighth overall (203-284)

Eyes on: The Oklahoma City fans. They supported the Hornets in a big way when they played most of two seasons there following Hurricane Katrina, and the Thunder will be looking for that same response after moving from Seattle.

Outlook: This team endured a miserable experience last season, losing and dealing with the constant uncertainty about its future in Seattle. The losing will continue, but at least it should come in a friendlier environment.

-- Brian Mahoney, The Associated Press