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Can anyone unseat Cleveland Cavaliers in NBA East?

Although the Cleveland Cavaliers have some questions to answer regarding the health of key players, they have the best chance to rule the NBA Eastern Conference again this season.

Our preseason rankings for the NBA East:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers

Coach: David Blatt (2nd season)

Last year: 53-29 (lost in NBA Finals)

Outlook: Cavs owner Dan Gilbert forked over a ton of cash to keep this team together, so the pressure is on LeBron and friends to deliver. No one is sure when PG Kyrie Irving will return from his Finals knee injury. SG Iman Shumpert is out until probably January with a wrist injury, so beware of a slow start. PF Kevin Love played two preseason games, so he appears to be back from the dislocated shoulder that knocked him out of the playoffs.

2. Bulls

Coach: Fred Hoiberg (1st season)

Last year: 50-32

Outlook: The Bulls should have the talent to give Cleveland a run for the top seed. The first question is whether they'll hit the ground running (literally) with Hoiberg's fast-paced offensive system, or will it take some time to get used to it?

3. Atlanta Hawks

Coach: Mike Budenholzer (3rd season)

Last year: 60-22

Outlook: Everything came together perfectly for the Hawks last year, but they lost defensive stopper DeMarre Carroll in free-agency to Toronto. It will be interesting to see if Budenholzer can continue with his San Antonio East blueprint of the Hawks turn out to be a one-year wonder.

4. Milwaukee Bucks

Coach: Jason Kidd (2nd season)

Last year: 41-41

Outlook: The Bucks looked like a young team with a bright future during last year's playoff series against the Bulls. Now they added a high-level post scorer by signing PF Greg Monroe from Detroit and get SF Jabari Parker back from a torn ACL. Milwaukee might still lack a late-game, go-to scorer.

5. Washington Wizards

Coach: Randy Wittman (5th season)

Last year: 46-36

Outlook: Paul Pierce did most of the damage when Washington swept Toronto in last year's first round and he bailed for the Clippers. John Wall and Bradley Beal may still turn out to be the best backcourt in the East, and those big guys, Marcin Gortat and Nene, can be a handful when motivated.

6. Toronto Raptors

Coach: Dwane Casey (5th season)

Last year: 49-33

Outlook: The Raptors are trying to reshape their style into a better defensive squad. They added SF DeMarre Carroll from Atlanta and potential shot-blocker Bismack Biyombo from Charlotte. Toronto really needs C Jonas Valanciunas to develop into a strong third option to go with PG Kyle Lowry and SG DeMar DeRozan.

7. Orlando Magic

Coach: Scott Skiles (1st season)

Last year: 25-57

Outlook: The Magic are really young, but Skiles has worked miracles before. PG Elfrid Payton, SG Victor Oladipo and C Nikola Vucevic is the start of a nice lineup, although Vucevic hasn't learned to embrace defense yet.

8. Boston Celtics

Coach: Brad Stevens (3rd season)

Last year: 40-42

Outlook: Stevens is an excellent coach, no doubt, and led the Celtics into the playoffs ahead of schedule. Look over the roster, though, and try to pick out Boston's best player. Is it Isaiah Thomas, Jared Sullinger, Avery Bradley? The Celtics need more talent.

9. Miami Heat

Coach: Erik Spoelstra (8th season)

Last year: 37-45

Outlook: After hitting a post-LeBron lull, the Heat will try to regroup with a healthy Chris Bosh. PG Goran Dragic arrived in midseason from Phoenix and should be better now that he's been through training camp.

10. Indiana Pacers

Coach: Frank Vogel (6th season)

Last year: 38-44

Outlook: The Pacers will try to become the East's ultimate guard-oriented offense after losing big men Roy Hibbert and David West, then signing ex-Dallas PG Monta Ellis. SF Paul George looked good against the Bulls in preseason, so there is hope for the new-look lineup.

11. Detroit Pistons

Coach: Stan Van Gundy (2nd season)

Last year: 32-50

Outlook: The Pistons placed a huge bet on PG Reggie Jackson this summer, signing the former OKC backup for $80 million. Van Gundy's plan this summer was to add outside shooters to clear driving lanes for Jackson and alley-oops for C Andre Drummond.

12. Charlotte Hornets

Coach: Steve Clifford (3rd season)

Last year: 33-49

Outlook: Perhaps in an effort to be less guard-oriented, the Hornets got rid of Mo Williams, Gerald Henderson and Lance Stephenson - all big scorers from last year's team. They added SF Nicholas Batum, PG Jeremy Lin and C Spencer Hawes.

13. New York Knicks

Coach: Derek Fisher (2nd season)

Last year: 17-65

Outlook: The Knicks were hoping to make a splash in free agency last summer, but C Robin Lopez, SG Arron Afflalo and positionless Derrick Williams probably won't be enough to lift Carmelo Anthony into the playoffs.

14. Brooklyn Nets

Coach: Lionel Hollins (2nd season)

Last year: 38-44

Outlook: SG Joe Johnson and C Brook Lopez are just about the only familiar Nets left after the team let Deron Williams walk away. Things have gotten so bad in Brooklyn, the Nets turned to Andrea Bargnani to fill a roster spot.

15. Philadelphia 76ers

Coach: Brett Brown (3rd season)

Last year: 18-64

Outlook: The endless rebuild continues. C Joel Embiid is expected to miss another season with a foot injury. On the bright side, the Sixers drafted PF Jahlil Okafor and C Nerlens Noel looked good at the end of last year.

Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James (23) lays in a shot against Chicago Bulls' Nikola Mirotic (44), from Montenegro, in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 19, 2015, in Cleveland. James scored 26 points to lead Cleveland to a 108-94 win. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
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