PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

1. DENVER
2. OKLAHOMA CITY
3. UTAH
4. PORTLAND
5. MINNESOTA

DENVER
HEAD COACH:  GEORGE KARL
LAST YEAR:  53-29
BIGGEST ADDITION: AL HARRINGTON
BIGGEST LOSS: NONE
TOP DRAFT PICK: NONE

OUTLOOK
The Denver Nuggets basically stood pat in the off-season, but one loss is looming large, as they don’t appear able to sign Carmelo Anthony and that will really hurt them. This may be the Nuggets’ last chance to do something special. They have the PG in Billups, the strength in Nene, and Martin if they are healthy, to duplicate last year’s 53 wins. They also may have some inspirationl motivation with Coach karl battling cancer. The elements are there for success, and if this group realizes the sand is running through the hourglass, and steps up for 82 gams, thy could find themselves on a par with the Lakers, but it will take good health, and everything they have to do it.

OKLAHOMA CITY
HEAD COACH: SCOTT BROOKS
LAST YEAR: 50-32
KEY ADDITIONS: NONE
KEY LOSSES: NONE
TOP DRAFT PICK: COLE ALDRICH

OUTLOOK
This team was at rock bottom less than two years ago and off to a 2-27 start. Presto! Good draft picks, a superstar player and they are now becoming a bonafide contender as their young talent matures and comes of age. Scott Brooks has done a great job getting all the young talent on the same page, and the upside here is tremendous with Kevin Durant leading the way. If they can keep their corps of young, talented players growing and in tact, this team is going to be making a lot of noise in the NBA in the near future. They have the potential to grow from the 50 wins a year ago  to a threat come April.

UTAH
HEAD COACH: JERRY SLOAN
LAST YEAR: 53-29
BIGGEST ADD: AL JEFFERSON
BIGGEST LOSS: CARLOS BOOZER
TOP DRAFT PICK: GORDON HAYWARD

OUTLOOK
Jerry Sloan has survived 23 years as a head coach in Utah. Many thought that when Malone and Stockton departed, he should too, in order to preserve his legacy. Most thought that Utah would fall off the mp, but not true. Last year they went on to win 53 games, and the outlook is bright to equal that this year. Carlos Boozer moves on, but Utah steals Al Jefferson from Minnesota – a younger player with a higher ceiling and legit star power. Deron Willias is in the arguement of being the best point guard in the NBA, so the Jazz have that inside-out magic once again. I would not be surprised to see the Jazz back in the 50+ win column once again this season.

PORTLAND
HEAD COACH: NATE MCMILAN
LAST YEAR: 50-32
BIGGEST ADDITION: WESLEY MATTHEWS
BIGGEST LOSS: KEVIN PRICHARD
TOP DRAFT PICK: LUKE BABITT  F

OUTLOOK
If you’re the Portland Trailblzers you have to feel confident that you can increase the win total from the 50 won just a year ago. This team was beset with multiple key injuries to star players, that reached seven deep into the roster, yet they still managed to come away with 50 wins. Based on that, this team can certainly add some to the win column, but it remains to be seen if they can stay healthy. They have proved to be an above average NBA team with health issues, so if they can manage to stay healthy this season they can approach the 60-win mark, and be a legit contender to dethrone the Lakers.

MINNESOTA
HEAD COACH: KURT RAMBIS
LAST YEAR:  15-67
BIGGEST ADDITION:  DELONTE WEST
BIGGEST LOSS: AL JEFFERSON
TOP DRAFT PICK: WESLEY JOHNSON

OUTLOOK
Questions abound as to what this team is doing. They drafted two point gaurds last year in the first 10 picks of round one. They then shipped their only star quality player in Al Jefferson to Utah, with what appears to be much less in return. This team has a lot of potentially good young players but they are far from ready to make an impact that can be measured in a playoff appearance. That leaves this franchise bottled in mediocrity until they establish a firm direction. This team won all of 15 games a year ago, and even with the maturation of young players, a hole has been left inside and for them to reach 20-25 wins would be an achievement.

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

1. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
2. PHOENIX
3. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
4. GOLDEN STATE
5. SACRAMENTO

LOS ANGELES LAKERS
HEAD COACH: PHIL JACKSON
LAST YEAR: 57-25
BIGGEST ADDITION: MATT BARNES
BIGGEST LOSS: JORDAN FARMAR
TOP DRAFT PICK: DEVIN EBANKS

OUTLOOK
As long as Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson are there, the Lakers are going to be a contender. They will miss Jordan Farmar, but the fact is that the Lakers can cruise through a 50+ win season, assess the help they need, if any, and find themselves in the NBA Championship series. What they lost in Farmar, they replaced in Barnes and Blake, so they will have key role players to give support to the star players. The Lakers will have bigger challenges this year, but they are good enough still to be right there when the last game is played.

PHOENIX
HEAD COACH: ALVIN GENTRY
LAST YEAR:  54-28
BIGGEST ADDITION: HEDO TURKOGLU
BIGGEST LOSS: AMARE STOUDEMIRE
TOP DRAFT PICK: GANI LEWEL G

OUTLOOK
The Suns are probably feeling the pressure from losing Amare Stoudemire, but they can still win and did so through his injuries in the past, but he is gone. Steve Nash shows no signs of slowing down, and appears likely to have at the very least onemore All-Star season in him. Hedo Turkoglu is a good signing, and adding Warrick and Chlidress will certainly lessen the blow. This will probably be a better defensive team, so they can compensate in that way as well. I wouldn’t count the Suns out at this point, and a 50+ win season is well within the realm of possibility.

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
HEAD COACH: KIM HUGHES
LAST YEAR: 29-53
BIGGEST ADDITION:  RANDY FOYE
BIGGEST LOSS: DREW GOODEN
TOP DRAFT PICK: AL-FAROUQ AMINU

OUTLOOK
The Los Angeles Clippers are the land of unfullfilled promise. They seem to be a tease with good players ready to gel, then always seem to be the dark horse that never materializes. Once again they appear to be heading up, but the question remains will they? Blake Griffin should be healthy and Al Farouq Aminu has potential. Baron Davis and Eric Gordon also offer hope. It remains to be seen what will happen as the players are in place for improvement, but somehow it won’t reach the win column.

GOLDEN STATE
HEAD COACH: DON NELSON
LAST YEAR:  26-56
BIGGEST ADDITION:  DAVID LEE
BIGGEST LOSS: COREY MAGGETTE
TOP DRAFT PICK: EKPE UDOH F

OUTLOOK:
It has been the same old story for the Golden State Warriors – score 120 points and give up 125. Perhaps the landscape is changing. The Warriors have Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry in the backcourt and if they continue to grow, they could be one of the best backcourts in the NBA. They also bring in David Lee who comes from the Mike D’Antoni school of running, and is a double-double machine, so he should fit in nicely. These players and their impacts, however, will not be enough to catapult the Warriors into a playoffs spot this year. But looks like the new ownership is taking footing in Golden St., so the foundation and potential for a brighter future is in place.

SACRAMENTO
HEAD COACH: PAUL WESTPHAL
LAST YEAR: 17-65
BIGGEST ADDITION: SEAN MAY
BIGGEST LOSS: IKE DIAGU
TOP DRAFT PICK: TYREKE EVANS G

OUTLOOK
This is a team that is a long way from finding their way. They won all of 17 games a year ago, and that came after a 5-8 start. John Salmons was their most produtive player and he was dealt to the Bulls. The roster is full of players that were supposed to be better than the opportunities they have had, so anything is possible here. I would expect more of the same to be the more likely scenerio as they need too many things to happen to even find their way into the playoffs. I’ll give them more wins, but not many. I think this franchise remains nameless and faceless and until that changes, the playoffs are just a dream.