SOUTHWEST DIVISION

SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Last season: 54-28, lost to Dallas, 4-1, in first round of the playoffs.
Starting five: G Tony Parker (22.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 6.9 apg), G Michael Finley (9.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.4 apg), F Richard Jefferson (19.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.4 apg), F Tim Duncan (19.3 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.7 bpg), C Antonio McDyess (9.6 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 1.3 apg).
Coach: Gregg Popovich, 14th season; 686-330.
Eyes on: Manu Ginobili. Their super sub was out or slowed by injury in the past two postseasons, and the Spurs weren’t nearly the same team as the one that won three titles in the previous five years. He says he’s healthy after taking the summer off.

DALLAS MAVERICKS
Last season: :50-32, lost to Denver, 4-1, in second round of the playoffs.
Starting five: G Jason Kidd (9.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 8.7 apg), G Josh Howard (18.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.6 apg), F Shawn Marion (12.9 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.3 apg), F Dirk Nowitzki (25.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.4 apg), C Erick Dampier (5.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.2 bpg).
Coach: Rick Carlisle, second season with Mavericks, eighth season overall; 331-243.
Eyes on: Marion. Still a good rebounder and defender, but his offense has slipped in recent seasons. The Mavericks hope that playing with Kidd will help bring it back.

NEW ORLEANS HORNETS
Last season: 49-33, lost to Denver, 4-1, in first round of playoffs.
Starting five: G Chris Paul (22.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 11.0 apg, 2.8 spg), G Morris Peterson (4.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 0.4 apg), F Julian Wright (4.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.8 apg), F David West (21.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.3 apg), C Emeka Okafor (13.2 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 1.7 bpg).
Coach: Byron Scott, sixth season with Hornets, 10th overall; 349-349.
Eyes on: Paul and West. With such little offensive firepower around them, the Hornets’ All-Stars might need to be even better this season to keep the team competitive in the Western Conference.

HOUSTON ROCKETS
Last season: 53-29, lost to Los Angeles Lakers, 4-3, in second round of playoffs.
Starting five: G Aaron Brooks (11.2 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.0 apg), G Shane Battier (7.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.3 apg), F Trevor Ariza (8.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.7 spg), F Luis Scola (12.7 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.5 apg), C Chuck Hayes (1.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.6 apg).
Coach: Rick Adelman, third season with Rockets, 19th overall; 860-537.
Eyes on: Ariza. Whether it was botched negotiations or just a desire to get out of Los Angeles, Ariza left a starting spot on the NBA champions to take one with a team that looks headed for a fall. He can lessen it somewhat if he plays well.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
Last season: 24-58, missed playoffs.
Starting five: G O.J. Mayo (18.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.2 apg), G Allen Iverson (17.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.9 apg, 1.6 apg), F Rudy Gay (18.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.7 apg), F Zach Randolph (20.8 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 2.1 apg), C Marc Gasol (11.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.7 apg).
Coach: Lionel Hollins, second season of second stint with Grizzlies; 31-72.
Eyes on: Iverson. One of the NBA’s best scorers for years, all he could manage was a one-year deal from the Grizzlies after his disappointing stint in Detroit. Plenty will be watching to see what Iverson has left and how much he wants to fit in. But a hamstring injury will keep him on the bench and Mike Conley in the starting lineup to begin the season.

PACIFIC DIVISION

LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Last season: 65-17, won NBA championship.
Starting five: Derek Fisher (9.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.2 apg), G Kobe Bryant (26.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.9 apg), F Ron Artest (17.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.5 spg), F Pau Gasol (18.9 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 3.5 apg), C Andrew Bynum (14.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.8 bpg).
Coach: Phil Jackson, fifth season of second stint with Lakers, 19th season overall; 1,041-435.
Eyes on: Artest. He’s more talented than Ariza, the player he replaces. But if things go wrong for the Lakers, even he knows the finger will get pointed at him.

PHOENIX SUNS
Last season: 46-36, missed playoffs.
Starting five: G Steve Nash (15.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 9.7 apg), G Jason Richardson (16.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.0 apg), F Grant Hill (12.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.3 apg), F Amare Stoudemire (21.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.0 apg), C Channing Frye (4.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.4 bpg).
Coach: Alvin Gentry, second season with Suns, ninth season overall; 195-239.
Eyes on: Stoudemire. He’s back in the offense he wants and looking at a chance to cash in with a new contract next summer. That’s enough reason to expect huge stats from him this season.

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Last season: 19-63, missed playoffs.
Starting five: Baron Davis (14.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 7.7 apg), G Eric Gordon (16.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.8 apg), F Al Thornton (16.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.5 apg), F Blake Griffin (rookie), C Marcus Camby (10.3 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 2.1 bpg).
Coach: Mike Dunleavy, seventh season with Clippers, 17th season overall; 592-688.
Eyes on: Davis. Griffin, the college player of the year last season, is drawing much of the attention. But the Clippers won’t go anywhere if Davis repeats his horrendous first season in Los Angeles, when his scoring average tumbled seven points from his final year with Golden State and he seemed to have trouble remaining in shape and motivated.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Last season: 29-53, missed playoffs.
Starting five: G Monta Ellis (19.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.7 apg), G Stephen Curry (rookie), F Stephen Jackson (20.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 6.5 apg), F Anthony Randolph (7.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.2 bpg), C Andris Biedrins (11.9 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 1.6 bpg).
Coach: Don Nelson, fourth season of second stint with Warriors, 31st season overall; 1,309-1,007.
Eyes on: Ellis and Curry. Ellis already said he doesn’t think the Warriors can win with the duo playing together, and since both are only 6-foot-3, he might be right. But if they can, it would give Golden State an explosive backcourt.

SACRAMENTO KINGS
Last season: 17-65, missed playoffs.
Starting five: G Beno Udrih (11.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 4.7 apg), G Tyreke Evans (rookie), F Kevin Martin (24.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.7 apg), F Jason Thompson (11.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.1 apg), C Spencer Hawes (11.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.2 bpg).
Coach: Paul Westphal, first season with Kings, eighth season overall; 267-159.
Eyes on: Evans. With the worst record in the league last season, Kings had the best shot at Blake Griffin, the No. 1 player in the draft. They ended up with the No. 4 pick but might have landed the second-best player in Evans, who can play either guard position.

NORTHWEST DIVISION

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
Last season: 54-28, lost to Houston, 4-2, in first round of the playoffs.
Starting five: G Andre Miller (16.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 6.5 apg), G Brandon Roy (22.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 5.1 apg), F Martell Webster (0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg, 0.0 apg), F LaMarcus Aldridge (18.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.9 apg), C Greg Oden (8.9 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.1 bpg) or Joel Przybilla (5.5 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 1.2 bpg).
Coach: Nate McMillan, fifth season with Blazers, 10th season overall; 360-363.
Eyes on: Oden. More injuries made his injury-delayed rookie season a disappointment. But Oden looked sharp during the offseason, and if he can finally stay healthy, he might be ready to show more of the skills that made him the No. 1 pick in 2007.

DENVER NUGGETS
Last season: 54-28, lost to Los Angeles Lakers, 4-2, in Western Conference finals.
Starting five: G Chauncey Billups (17.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 6.4 apg), G J.R. Smith (15.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.8 apg, 2.0 spg), F Carmelo Anthony (22.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.4 apg), F Kenyon Martin (11.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.1 bpg), C Nene (14.6 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.3 bpg).
Coach: George Karl, sixth season with Nuggets, 22nd season overall; 933-642.
Eyes on: Smith. Follows his best season as a reserve by moving into the lineup spot vacated by Dahntay Jones’ departure. The move will have to wait, though. Smith has been suspended for the first seven games by the NBA because he pleaded guilty to reckless driving in New Jersey.

UTAH JAZZ
Last season: 48-34, lost to Los Angeles Lakers, 4-1, in first round of playoffs.
Starting five: G Deron Williams (19.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 10.7 apg), G Ronnie Brewer (13.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.2 apg), F Andrei Kirilenko (11.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.6 apg), F Carlos Boozer (16.2 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 2.1 apg), C Mehmet Okur (17.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.7 apg).
Coach: Jerry Sloan, 22nd season with Jazz, 25th season overall; 1,137-751.
Eyes on: Boozer and Paul Millsap. Boozer didn’t opt to become a free agent, and the Jazz didn’t trade him, even after going into luxury tax territory to match Portland’s offer sheet to Millsap. So how Sloan divides up the power-forward minutes is Utah’s most interesting question.

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Last season: 23-59, missed playoffs.
Starting five: G Russell Westbrook (15.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 5.3 apg), G Thabo Sefolosha (5.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.7 apg), G Kevin Durant (25.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.8 apg), F Jeff Green (16.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.0 apg), C Nenad Krstic (9.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.1 bpg).
Coach: Scott Brooks, second season; 22-47.
Eyes on: Durant. Superb second season included setting the scoring record in the rookie game at All-Star weekend. It’d be a surprise if he’s not playing in the real game this time.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
Last season: 24-58, missed playoffs.
Starting five: G Jonny Flynn (rookie), G Corey Brewer (6.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.7 apg), F Ryan Gomes (13.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.7 apg), F Kevin Love (11.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.0 apg), C Al Jefferson (23.1 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 1.7 bpg).
Coach: Kurt Rambis, first season with Timberwolves, second overall; 24-13.
Eyes on: Flynn and G Ramon Sessions. The Timberwolves couldn’t get Ricky Rubio, their top draft choice, to leave Spain for the Twin Cities, but they have two good point guard options in Flynn and Sessions. How they handle that spot could influence how Minnesota proceeds with Rubio in the future.