ATLANTIC DIVISION

BOSTON CELTICS
Last season: 62-20, lost to Orlando, 4-3, in second round of the playoffs.
Starting five: G Rajon Rondo (11.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 8.2 apg), G Ray Allen (18.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.8 apg), F Paul Pierce (20.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.6 apg), F Kevin Garnett (15.8 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.5 apg), C Kendrick Perkins (8.5 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.0 bpg).
Coach: Doc Rivers, sixth season with Celtics, 11th season overall; 401-348.
Eyes on: F Rasheed Wallace. Average of 12.1 points for Detroit last season – when he battled injuries – was lowest since his rookie season. The 35-year-old forward must show he only lost his spirit last season, not his game.

TORONTO RAPTORS
Last season: 33-49, missed playoffs.
Starting five: G Jose Calderon (12.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 8.9 apg), G DeMar DeRozan (rookie), F Hedo Turkoglu (16.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.9 apg), F Chris Bosh (22.7 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 2.5 apg), C Andrea Bargnani (15.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.2 bpg). Coach: Jay Triano, second season; 25-40.
Eyes on: Bargnani. Italian finally showed under Triano the level of play that spurred Toronto to take him with No. 1 pick in 2006 draft. The Raptors then gave him a huge extension during the summer, so they’ll expect continued improvement from the 7-footer.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
Last season: 41-41, lost to Orlando, 4-2, in first round of playoffs.
Starting five: G Louis Williams (12.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.0 apg), G Andre Iguodala (18.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 5.3 apg), F Thaddeus Young (15.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.2 apg), F Elton Brand (13.8 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.6 bpg), C Samuel Dalembert (6.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.8 bpg).
Coach: Eddie Jordan, first season with 76ers, ninth season overall; 230-288.
Eyes on: Brand. Even before his season-ending shoulder injury, he was on the way to his worst offensive campaign playing in an up-tempo system he didn’t fit into. Should be more comfortable in Jordan’s Princeton offense, but has to stay on the floor after being limited to just 37 games the past two seasons.

NEW YORK KNICKS
Last season: 32-50, missed playoffs.
Starting five: G Chris Duhon (11.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 7.2 apg), G Wilson Chandler (14.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.1 apg), F Al Harrington (20.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.4 apg), F Jared Jeffries (5.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.4 apg), C David Lee (16.0 ppg, 11.7 rpg, 2.2 apg).
Coach: Mike D’Antoni, second season with Knicks, eighth season overall; 299-222.
Eyes on: Danilo Gallinari. He played only 28 games last season before back surgery, but Knicks expect him to play a big role because of his ability from the perimeter. D’Antoni has already called him the best shooter he’s ever seen.

NEW JERSEY NETS
Last season: 34-48, missed playoffs.
Starting five: G Devin Harris (21.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 6.9 apg), G Courtney Lee (8.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.2 apg), F Chris Douglas-Roberts (4.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 1.2 apg), F Yi Jianlian (8.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.0 apg), C Brook Lopez (13.0 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.8 apg).
Coach: Lawrence Frank, seventh season; 222-225.
Eyes on: Yi. His stats were nearly identical in second year to his rookie season. The Nets need him to show there’s a reason to believe he can turn into anything more than he’s been so far.

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

ORLANDO MAGIC
Last season: 59-23, lost to Los Angeles Lakers, 4-1, in NBA Finals.
Starting five: G Jameer Nelson (16.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.4 apg), G Vince Carter (20.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.7 apg), F Matt Barnes (10.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.8 apg), F Rashard Lewis (17.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.6 apg), C Dwight Howard (20.6 ppg, 13.8 rpg, 2.9 bpg).
Coach: Stan Van Gundy, third season with Magic, sixth season overall; 223-126.
Eyes on: EYES ON: G Vince Carter. The Magic had all the inside power and perimeter shooting a team could want last season. They were missing someone who could put the ball on the floor and get to the basket, and Carter is still one of the best in the league at that.

ATLANTA HAWKS
Last season: 47-35, lost to Cleveland, 4-0, in second round of playoffs.
Starting five: G Mike Bibby (14.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.0 apg), G Joe Johnson (21.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 5.8 apg), F Marvin Williams (13.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.3 apg), F Josh Smith (15.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.6 bpg, 1.4 spg), C Al Horford (11.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.4 apg).
Coach: Mike Woodson, sixth season; 153-257.
Eyes on: G Jamal Crawford. Has shown he can be a great scorer on a bad team – he’s played in the most games among active players without appearing in the postseason – and now the Hawks hope the new addition can be productive on a good one.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Last season: 19-63, missed playoffs.
Starting five: G Gilbert Arenas (13.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 10.0 apg), G DeShawn Stevenson (6.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.1 apg), F Caron Butler (20.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 4.3 apg), F Antawn Jamison (22.2 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.9 apg), C Brendan Haywood (9.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.5 bpg).
Coach: Flip Saunders, first season with Wizards, 14th season overall; 587-396.
Eyes on: Arenas. He’s been off the court so much lately that it’s easy to forget it was just three seasons ago that he scored nearly 30 points per game. He’s managed only 15 games since, but if he stays healthy, he could put up big numbers under Saunders, a top offensive coach.

MIAMI HEAT
Last season: 43-39, lost to Atlanta, 4-3, in first round of playoffs.
Starting five: G Mario Chalmers (10.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 4.9 apg), G Dwyane Wade (30.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 7.5 apg), F Michael Beasley (13.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.0 apg), F Udonis Haslem (10.6 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.1 apg), C Jermaine O’Neal (13.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.0 bpg).
Coach: Erik Spoelstra, second season; 43-39.
Eyes on: Beasley. After good but not great rookie season, moves over to play a new position as the starting small forward. Extra attention will be paid to him after his stay in a rehabilitation facility in Houston over the summer.

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
Last season: 35-47, missed playoffs.
Starting five: G Raymond Felton (14.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 6.7 apg), G Raja Bell (11.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.1 apg), F Gerald Wallace (16.6 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.7 spg), F Boris Diaw (13.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.1 apg), C Tyson Chandler (8.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 1.2 bpg).
Coach: Larry Brown, second season with Bobcats, 25th overall; 1,045-847.
Eyes on: Chandler. Brown should love him for his rebounding, defense and attitude. But Chandler’s offensive abilities without Chris Paul setting him up are questionable, as is his ability to stay healthy.

CENTRAL DIVISION

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Last season: 66-16, lost to Orlando, 4-2, in Eastern Conference finals.
Starting five: G Mo Williams (17.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.1 apg), G Anthony Parker (10.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.4 apg), F LeBron James (28.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 7.2 apg), F Anderson Varejao (8.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.0 apg), C Shaquille O’Neal (14.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 1.6 bpg).
Coach: Mike Brown, fifth season; 211-117.
Eyes on: O’Neal. Returned to All-Star form last season in Phoenix after a couple of injury-plagued years. Now needs to stay in shape and stay content being the No. 2 guy.

CHICAGO BULLS
Last season: 41-41, lost to Boston, 4-3, in first round of the playoffs.
Starting five: G Derrick Rose (16.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 6.3 apg), G John Salmons (18.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.2 apg), F Luol Deng (14.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.9 apg), F Tyrus Thomas (10.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.9 bpg), C Joakim Noah (6.7 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.4 bpg).
Coach: Vinny Del Negro, second season; 41-41.
Eyes on: Deng. The amazing thing about the Bulls’ strong finish last season is that it came without Deng, who was often considered their best player. He didn’t play after February because of a stress fracture in his leg and has missed 52 games over the past two seasons.

DETROIT PISTONS
Last season: 39-43, lost to Cleveland, 4-0, in first round of playoffs.
Starting five: G Rodney Stuckey (13.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.9 apg), G Richard Hamilton (18.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.4 apg), F Tayshaun Prince (14.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.1 apg), F Charlie Villanueva (16.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.8 apg), C Ben Wallace (3.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.3 bpg).
Coach: John Kuester, first season.
Eyes on: Wallace. Considered retirement after ending last season with Cavaliers and getting traded to Phoenix. Instead, comes back to Detroit, where he was the NBA’s best interior defensive player in the middle of the decade before his game declined after he left in 2006.

INDIANA PACERS
Last season: 36-46, missed playoffs.
Starting five: G T.J. Ford (15.0 ppg, 5.3 apg, 1.2 spg), G Dahntay Jones (5.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.0 apg), F Danny Granger (25.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.7 apg), F Troy Murphy (14.3 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 2.4 apg), C Jeff Foster (6.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 1.8 apg).
Coach: Jim O’Brien, third season with Pacers, eighth overall; 254-250.
Eyes on: F Tyler Hansbrough. Whenever he is back to full strength after a shin injury that sidelined him following summer the league, the forward from North Carolina can try to prove he’s more than a great college player and that he can flourish in the NBA.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Last season: 34-48, missed playoffs.
Starting five: G Luke Ridnour (9.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 5.1 apg), G Michael Redd (21.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.7 apg), F Carlos Delfino (didn’t play in NBA last season), F Kurt Thomas (4.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg; 0.8 apg), C Andrew Bogut (11.7 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 2.0 apg).
Coach: Scott Skiles, second season with Bucks, 10th season overall; 315-299.
Eyes on: G Brandon Jennings. Boasted that he was the best true point guard in the draft and now finds himself playing for a demanding coach who played the position.