NBA Western Conference preview
Western Conference at a glance
Here is Mike McGraw's predicted order of finish for the NBA regular season:
1. Los Angeles Lakers
Coach: Phil Jackson (10th season)
Last year: 65-17 (Won NBA title)
Newcomers: SF Ron Artest
Outlook: Jackson obviously loves a challenge and his latest Zen teaching project is to keep Artest focused on being a great defender, rather than stealing shots from Kobe Bryant. Regardless, the Lakers have a ridiculous amount of talent, especially when C Andrew Bynum is healthy.
2. San Antonio Spurs
Coach: Gregg Popovich (14th season)
Last year: 54-28
Newcomers: SF Richard Jefferson, PF Antonio McDyess, C Theo Ratliff, PF DeJuan Blair
Outlook: Clearly, the Spurs are trying to mount another championship run, maybe the last of the Tim Duncan era. Jefferson was part of a strong ensemble in New Jersey years ago and now must fit in with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
3. Portland Trail Blazers
Coach: Nate McMillan (5th season)
Last year: 54-28
Newcomers: PG Andre Miller
Outlook: Even without getting much from C Greg Oden, the Blazers seem to be a team on the rise. Portland chose to add a veteran point guard in Miller, even though SG Brandon Roy works well with the ball in his hands.
4. Denver Nuggets
Coach: George Karl (6th season)
Last year: 54-28
Newcomers: SG Arron Afflalo, PF Malik Allen, PG Ty Lawson
Outlook: Veteran PG Chauncey Billups was the league's best addition last season. The Denver native helped teach his new teammates to share the ball and play a little defense. Not much has changed other than defensive-minded SG Dahntay Jones moving to Indiana.
5. Dallas Mavericks
Coach: Rick Carlisle (2nd season)
Last year: 50-32
Newcomers: SF Shawn Marion, PF Drew Gooden, SF Tim Thomas
Outlook: The Mavs overpaid for Marion, but he's a nice addition for a team with a high payroll and limited trade bait. Jason Kidd (36) and Dirk Nowitzki (31) are getting older, so a better season from SF Josh Howard would help.
6. New Orleans Hornets
Coach: Byron Scott (6th season)
Last year: 49-33
Newcomers: PF Emeka Okafor, SF Darius Songaila, PG Darren Collison
Outlook: A year ago, Chris Paul and the Hornets seemed ready to join the league's elite, then collected seven fewer wins last season. The primary question is how well Okafor fits in. He's probably a better overall player than Tyson Chandler, but might not mesh as well with PF David West.
7. Utah Jazz
Coach: Jerry Sloan (22nd season)
Last year: 48-34
Newcomers: PG Eric Maynor
Outlook: This might be an awkward season for the Jazz after an expected divorce from PF Carlos Boozer didn't materialize because he didn't opt out of his contract. PG Deron Williams was plagued all of last season by a preseason ankle injury.
8. Los Angeles Clippers
Coach: Mike Dunleavy (7th season)
Last year: 19-63
Newcomers: PF Blake Griffin, SG Rasual Butler
Outlook: Getting rid of overpaid PF Zach Randolph to open a spot for Griffin was a coup. If PG Baron Davis and C Chris Kaman stay healthy and motivated, the Clippers could make a nice step forward. SG Eric Gordon was good in preseason.
9. Phoenix Suns
Coach: Alvin Gentry (2nd season)
Last year: 46-36
Newcomers: PF Earl Clark, PF Channing Frye
Outlook: The Suns might like to take back some of those draft picks they gave away in recent years, which turned into Luol Deng, Rajon Rondo, Rudy Fernandez and others. Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and PG Leandro Barbosa are the only good leftovers from Mike D'Antoni's heyday.
10. Houston Rockets
Coach: Rick Adelman (3rd season)
Last year: 53-29
Newcomers: SF Trevor Ariza
Outlook: Yao Ming is expected to miss the season with a broken foot, while Tracy McGrady may not return until January from a knee injury. They should still be competitive, but this might be a good time for the Rockets to retool with a lottery pick.
11. Oklahoma City Thunder
Coach: Scott Brooks (2nd season)
Last year: 23-59
Newcomers: SG James Harden, C B.J. Mullens
Outlook: This team certainly has a bright young nucleus with PF Kevin Durant, SF Jeff Green and PG Russell Westbrook. The Thunder had cap room this summer, but decided to sit on it.
12. Memphis Grizzlies
Coach: Lionel Hollins (2nd season)
Last year: 24-58
Newcomers: SG Allen Iverson, PF Zach Randolph, C Hasheem Thabeet, SF Sam Young
Outlook: Iverson should help sell tickets, but why the Grizzlies would choose Randolph, a longtime loser, to play next to promising youngsters like Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo was bewildering.
13. Minnesota Timberwolves
Coach: Kurt Rambis (1st season)
Last year: 24-58
Newcomers: PG Jonny Flynn, G Ramon Sessions, SF Damien Wilkins, SG Sasha Pavlovic, C Ryan Hollins, PF Oleksiy Pecherov, SG Wayne Ellington
Outlook: The T-wolves seem content to play for a high draft pick while waiting for PG Ricky Rubio to emigrate from Europe. Outside shooting is a glaring weakness on this roster, although PF Al Jefferson should have been an all-star last year.
14. Golden State Warriors