NBA Eastern Conference Preview

There was a period of time when the Eastern Conference was an afterthought in the NBA and perhaps that period isn't over quite yet. Since the Chicago Bulls dynasty ended the East has only won three of the 13 Finals and has lost the last three. However, the conference keeps getting stronger and 2011-12 will be the second year Miami's Big 3 are together, Derrick Rose and the Bulls have playoff experience and the Knicks are hoping Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire can stay healthy the entire year. Questions are all around in the East though, as many are wondering if this is the last year we will see Deron Williams in a Nets uniform and everyone wants to know where Dwight Howard will be playing by the time the season ends. Los Angeles? New Jersey? Chicago? Dallas? The possibilities seem endless but for now it appears he will don a Magic jersey this season. Here is a quick look around the East with teams and players to watch along with predicted order of finish:



Rip Hamilton and Derrick Rose



Predicted Order of Finish

1. Miami Heat  

2. Chicago Bulls

3. Boston Celtics

4. Orlando Magic

5. New York Knicks

6. Atlanta Hawks

7. Indiana Pacers

8. Milwaukee Bucks
9. Philadelphia 76ers
10. Charlotte Bobcats
11. Washington Wizards
12. Toronto Raptors
13. Detroit Pistons
14. Cleveland Cavaliers
15. New Jersey Nets

Teams to Watch


The Big 3 in South Beach



Miami Heat: Everyone knows of the Big 3 and last year they certainly needed time to adjust to each other. Their slow start along with their inability to defeat Chicago prevented them from finishing first in the regular season. However, Miami looked unbeatable in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Bulls yet couldn't figure out how to win against Dallas in the Finals. LeBron's fourth quarter woes have been talked about over and over, but some of the blame rests on Dwyane Wade's shoulders. Going into Year Two of this experiment, Miami has to figure out whose team this is. Who gets the ball in late game situations? In the Finals Wade and James passed the ball back and forth like a hot potato, neither of them taking the big shot. Once that problem is solved, watch out. Chris Bosh should be more comfortable in his role this season and the Heat also added a defensive stopper/3-point threat in Shane Battier. He and a healthy Mike Miller will stretch opposing defenses.

Chicago Bulls: Last year's 62-20 record may have been a surprise to some, especially when we look at how much Derrick Rose had to do for the team to succeed. This year the Bulls could be even better due to the signing of Richard Hamilton. Although Rip is older, he is still a knockdown shooter who moves well without the ball. He will attract a defender on every play, sometimes two. That will give Rose more freedom with another scorer on the floor. So, while Rose's scoring may dip, expect his assists to be on the rise. Ronnie Brewer is another Bull whose production should increase. Brewer's mid-range jumper looked solid in two preseason games and coaches have lauded his play in the shortened training camp. Essential to Chicago's success will be a healthy Carlos Boozer. The big-name signing from a year ago will have to give the Bulls more over the course of the season.



Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony



New York Knicks: The Knickerbockers are an interesting team from the standpoint that they have two superstars but not a great supporting cast. The signing of Tyson Chandler was huge because he will run the floor and play defense, but doesn't need to score to be happy. Amare Stoudemire will handle most of the post scoring and Carmelo Anthony will complete a frontline that is one of the better ones in the league. If Stoudemire and Melo stay healthy then the Knicks can make some noise, but as we saw in the playoffs last season, when one goes down the Knicks are going no where. The backcourt is a question mark for New York. The signings of Baron Davis and Mike Bibby would have been great if this was 2002 but it's 2011 and those two are old and their stars don't shine as bright anymore.

Indiana Pacers: This is my number one team to keep an eye on. The young Pacers finished 8th in the East last season and were highly-competitive with the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. They had a great offseason, signing David West and trading for George Hill and they have a big lineup with West, Danny Granger, Paul George, Tyler Hansbrough and Roy Hibbert. For the Pacers to become successful they need Granger to become their go-to-guy. He has to become and all-around player and be the star this team needs. Indiana has the point guards in Darren Collison and Hill to get him the ball. Inside, the Pacers depth is key and this young team may be ready to reestablish itself as a perennail playoff team like they were in the 1990's.

Players to Watch
Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls: Obviously all eyes will be on Rose after his magnificent MVP season last year. As stated above, Rose's scoring may not be as high this year, but hopefully that's because it doesn't need to be. The addition of Rip Hamilton and a healthy Carlos Boozer will mean DRose can be more of a point guard and facilitate for his teammates. Defenses will be aimed at stopping Rose, but so far not many have been successful.

Dwight Howard

Chris Bosh, Miami Heat: The forgotten man of Miami's Big 3, Chris Bosh should have a great year in South Beach. Last year was an adjustment for him as he wasn't the featured player any more and he didn't know what his role was on the team. All of that is figured out now and Bosh can go back to being the 20 and 10 guy that he is. While LeBron and DWade steal all the spotlight, it's hard to deny that Bosh's performance is the key to a Miami title run.

Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic: With so many distractions how will Dwight Howard play this season? They can say they aren't going to talk about where he will end up playing, but the reality is that it will come up everyday. Fans of other teams will try to woo Howard to their team and the media will constantly be debating whether he will wind up in LA or stay in Orlando. This could have an effect on his play, as well as his team's.

Eastern Conference Rookies to Watch
Kyrie Irving, point guard, Cleveland Cavaliers (1st pick)
Tristan Thompson, power forward, Cleveland Cavaliers (4th pick)
Kemba Walker, point guard, Charlotte Bobcats (9th pick)

The East is very top heavy with the top four teams head and shoulders above the rest. However, many teams are trying to become contenders and in a shortened season like this, depth on the roster will help a lot. Expect the Bulls and the Heat to square off for the Eastern Conference title again and don't be surprised if the Boston Celtics go through a rough stretch due to age. Their championship window is closing and this may be one of the last years they have a legitimate shot with this group of players. Please comment with your opinions! Western Conference Preview coming soon!