Sport and Cinema.com

           The world’s best players have just tipped off another season of the National Basketball Association. In a case where the rich have gotten richer as the league’s best teams got stronger, this could be the most exciting title chase in some time, but it is a long way from October to June.

            Here’s a quick look at each of the teams culminating in a fearless prediction of who will face each other in the NBA Finals nearly nine months from now.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

 Atlantic Division -

            One of those strong teams that improved over the summer are the Boston Celtics. Within a game of the East finals last year, Doc Rivers now has Marquis Daniels and Rasheed Wallace to add some punch and power off the bench to an already talent laden unit. The Toronto Raptors lost Vince Carter to Orlando but scored the prized free agent from the Magic, Hedo Turkoglu. Chris Bosh has bulked up for some more power forward action averaging 22 points and ten boards, while point guard Jose Calderon won his second straight assist-to-turnover ratio. It is a real international mix when factoring in center Andrea Bargnani with Canadian coach Jay Triano. The Philadelphia 76ers bring sharp shooter Jason Kapono in with number one pick Jrue Holiday for new coach Eddie Jordan, but the team will progress only as far as Elton Brand can take them.  For the New York Knicks this certainly looks to be a pivotal year with a half-dozen players in a contract season. Coach Mike D’Antoni’s sophomore season will lean heavily on his big men, David Lee and Al Harrington. Unfortunately that doesn’t have opponents shaking in their shoes. A Russian billionaire, Mihail Prokhorov, purchased the team with dreams of a new home in Brooklyn, but the New Jersey Nets will have to be patient and grow with their young core of Brook Lopez, Courtney Lee and Devin Harris.

Central Division-

For the Cleveland Cavaliers the future is today. They went out and got Shaquille O’Neal as well as versatile vet Anthony Parker in an attempt to “win now” to keep their franchise man, LeBron James interested enough to re-sign. The Chicago Bulls let guard Ben Gordon shuffle off to Detroit and that may come back to haunt them because he seemed to be a solid backcourt fit with Derrick Rose. Still it is a young team that feeds off the energy of players like Joakim Noah and Kirk Hinrich. In the Motor City the Detroit Pistons there has been a wholesale change including a new coach as GM Joe Dumars goes with a youth movement working around vets Tayshaun Prince and Richard Hamilton. Dahntay Jones brings some much needed intensity to a porous Indiana Pacer defense on a  team led by All-Star forward Danny Granger. In his second season at the helm of the Milwaukee Bucks, Scott Skiles hopes Brandon Jennings’ Italian experience will pay off working with vet guard Michael Redd.

Southeast Division-

The Orlando Magic flew under the radar all the way to the NBA Finals, stunning the Cavs along the way. They lost Turkoglu but gained Vince Carter so the inside-out game is still there plus Dwight Howard is already one of the league’s best players and he’s getting better. In our capital, Flip Saunders takes over the Washington Wizards and if Gilbert Arenas becomes more of a playmaker and getting newcomer Mike Miller some scoring opportunities to go with the steady contribution of Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler as the forwards, this team will be playoff bound. Incoming for the Atlanta Hawks are Joe Smith, Jamal Crawford and their top pick Jeff Teague this is a young team that will look to go beyond their conference semifinal of last year with the help of vets like Mike Bibby and Al Hordford. The Miami Heat have lost Shawn Marion but gained Jermaine O’Neal but Dwayne Wade is going to need more help and right now Pat Riley hasn’t filled the roster with a team that looks to go deep. The Amazing Larry Brown will need do some more of his tinkering of the Charlotte Bobcats but he has a decent nucleus with Boris Diaw, Raja Bell, Tyson Chandler and Gerald Wallace.

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

         CELTICS OVER CAVALIERS

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Southwest Division-

The wily old San Antonio Spurs, winners of four NBA Titles between 1999 and 2007, may have lost to Dallas in the first round last year, but with new vet faces like Richard Jefferson, Theo Ratliff and Antonio McDyess, look for them to go much further this year.

Speaking of old, the Dallas Mavericks, with folks like Jason Kidd, Eric Dampier and Dirk Nowitzki are getting up there, but they too have some kick left. The New Orleans Hornets are a bit thin outside of Chris Paul, but the acquisition of Emeka Okafor to replace Tyson Chandler is not the answer. No sting for this team this year. Riddled by injury, the Houston Rockets are a wait and see team. They lost Ron Artest and Brent Barry with Mao out, but like last year, coach Rick Adelman is scrappy and clever. Allen Iverson and Zach Randolph will be wearing the uniform of the Memphis Grizzlies this year. Along with OJ Mayo they could surprise if they can mesh.

Northwest Division-

 If Greg Oden can overcome a poor NBA entry and knee surgery, then the Portland Trailblazers have a solid mix to challenge anyone in the west. Brandon Roy and Andre Miller figure to provide some terrific guard play and with a fine bench led by Spaniard Rudy Fernandez here is a group to watch out for. Young, tough and led by a brilliant coach, the Utah Jazz figure to be right in the playoff mix this year. Carlos Boozer, Andrei Kirilenko and Deron Williams provide a dangerous nucleus. The Denver Nuggets, like the Orlando Magic, surprised many last year but with coach George Karl at the end of his contract, he’ll need strong performances form Chauncey Billups and Kenyon Martin to keep the momentum going. Youth is served for fans of the Oklahoma City Thunder led by 21 year-old Kevin Durant. Fun and exuberance will have to sell tickets until experience can be added to the program. New coach Kurt Rambis takes the reigns of the Minnesota Timberwolves with speed at the guard slots (Johnny Flynn, Ramon Sessions, Corey Brewer) and athletic big men like Kevin Love and Al Jefferson, but both of whom are fighting injury.

Pacific Division-

The Los Angeles Lakers are poised to win it all again. The key will be Andrew Bynum, outside of that Ron Artest is a favorite of Coach Jackson and has only made the team stronger which it will need to be against the beasts in the East come springtime. The Phoenix Suns, now without Shaq, will return to their speed demon ways and the combo of Nash and Stoudemire make them a dangerous opponent. The Los Angeles Clippers have returned to er…form.  A form that is not good and despite the addition of Baron Davis and promising number one pick Blake Griffin, they don’t look to scare many this year either.  A team seemingly unable to untangle themselves from turmoil despite a new GM, the Golden State Warriors, with their best player quite unhappy (Stephen Jackson), don’t look to be part of the playoff crowd this year. Paul Westphal is the new coach of the Sacramento Kings and takes over a patchwork unit that seem full of misfits.

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

LAKERS OVER SPURS

NBA FINALS

LAKERS OVER CELTICS