NBA 2K23 - The Kobe Era Reimagined

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(7) Dallas Mavericks 4 @ (1) San Antonio Spurs 3
Game 1: DAL 110 @ SAS 115 – T. Duncan (30 points, 9 rebounds)
Game 2: DAL 101 @ SAS 100 – D. Nowitzki (29 points, 15 rebounds)
Game 3: SAS 120 @ DAL 122 – N. Van Exel (32 points)
Game 4: SAS 121 @ DAL 101 – T. Duncan (35 points, 16 rebounds)
Game 5: DAL 113 @ SAS 121 – T. Duncan (29 points, 11 rebounds)
Game 6: SAS 87 @ DAL 103 – D. Nowitzki (29 points, 14 rebounds)
Game 7: DAL 113 @ SAS 104 – D. Nowitzki (24 points, 13 rebounds)

In a shocking result, the 7th seeded Mavericks remained hot and upset the top seeded Spurs in seven games. The Mavericks have now eliminated the three-time defending champions and the team with the best record in the West, as well as the exciting, young Clippers.

NBA Finals Preview

(7) 46-36 Dallas Mavericks @ (2) 55-27 New Jersey Nets
The Mavericks keep defying odds and upsetting teams, while the Nets have dominated at times in the East. It’s a battle of Dallas’s offense (7th best in the league) against New Jersey’s defense (2nd in the league). The Nash/Kidd matchup is key, while it’ll be interesting to see how Martin can defend Nowitzki. Part of why the Nets added Mutombo was to combat the likes of Duncan or Shaq but Dirk is a different kind of big man. It could come down to whether or not Jefferson can match Finley as his team’s third option. In the end, they say defense wins championships for a reason.

Prediction: Nets in 7

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(7) Dallas Mavericks 2 @ (2) New Jersey Nets 3
Game 1: DAL 109 @ NJN 115 – K. Martin (18 points, 9 rebounds)
Game 2: DAL 85 @ NJN 106 – K. Martin (27 points, 17 rebounds)
Game 3: NJN 97 @ DAL 122 – D. Nowitzki (17 points, 16 rebounds)
Game 4: NJN 94 @ DAL 114 – S. Nash (24 points, 14 assists)
Game 5: DAL 112 @ NJN 127 – J. Kidd (21 points, 10 assists)

Nets (Finals Stats)
Jason Kidd (17.0ppg, 11.4apg, 4.4rpg, 1.8spg, 45FG%)
Kerry Kittles (13.8ppg, 5.8apg, 4.6rpg, 1.0spg, 53FG%)
Richard Jefferson (13.4ppg, 4.8rpg, 1.4spg, 48FG%)
Kenyon Martin (16.6ppg, 11.2rpg, 3.4apg, 2.2bpg, 58FG%)
Dikembe Mutombo (7.2ppg, 6.8rpg, 1.6bpg, 32FG%)
6th Man: Rodney Rogers (12.6ppg, 3.8rpg, 45FG%)

Mavericks
Steve Nash (18.2ppg, 10.4apg, 52FG%)
Nick Van Exel (16.6ppg, 4.2apg, 3.2rpg, 44FG%)
Michael Finley (14.8ppg, 6.0rpg, 4.6apg, 35FG%)
Dirk Nowitzki (21.2ppg, 12.0rpg, 3.0apg, 1.2bpg, 50FG%)
Raef LaFrentz (7.8ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.4bpg, 40FG%)
6th Man: Adrian Griffin (6.0ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.0spg, 45FG%)

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The New Jersey Nets are your 2003 NBA Champions! They secured the title with a 111-107 win in Dallas thanks to some clutch defense and free throws. Dirk Nowitzki (30 points, 13 rebounds) had a chance to tie it with a three but missed with 2.0 left after Nick Van Exel (20 points) drained back to back threes to cut the lead down. Jason Kidd (21 points, 13 assists) cemented his Finals MVP run, getting everyone involved from Richard Jefferson (20 points) to Kenyon Martin (22 points, 10 rebounds) to even Dikembe Mutombo (11 points, 15 rebounds).

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2003 Offseason Team Needs

• Philadelphia 76ers (48-34) – A viable #2 option behind Allen Iverson (23.4ppg). Keith Van Horn (16.9) played well but isn’t the answer.
• Milwaukee Bucks (50-32) – The starting five is among the league’s strongest (Cassell/Allen/Redd/Kukoc/Davis) but the bench is lacking outside of Tim Thomas.
• Chicago Bulls (39-43) – Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry have formed a strong duo at center (21.3ppg & 13.0rpg combined), yet the forward positions are a point of weakness.
• Cleveland Cavaliers (22-60) – Zydrunas Ilgauskas won Most Improved Player (20.8ppg) and Carlos Boozer was a strong rookie (12.2ppg, 9.7rpg), so the team needs a floor general to guide them.
• Boston Celtics (24-58) – Anything of value behind Paul Pierce (23.8ppg) and Antoine Walker (23.6). They were also the league’s worst defensive team.
• Los Angeles Clippers (47-35) – The young team was one of the league’s most exciting squads. They could use a veteran or two to help instill wisdom.
• Memphis Grizzlies (34-48) – There are rising talents at every position except shooting guard, so that should be their focus.
• Atlanta Hawks (24-58) – Dan Dickau (9.6ppg) & Jason Terry (17.7ppg) are a solid backcourt duo and Theo Ratliff (2.5bpg) is a stalwart in the paint. They need scoring forward.
• Miami Heat (41-41) – Offense. They were the worst scoring team of any to finish .500.
• New Orleans Hornets (45-37) – Scoring from the paint as their veteran bigs aren’t the best offensively.
• Utah Jazz (25-57) – With John Stockton retiring, only Andrei Kirilenko (DPOY) is a piece to build around so anything could help.
• Sacramento Kings (45-37) - A scoring big man and some defensive help for this already well-rounded squad.
• New York Knicks (36-46) – A point guard. The Charlie Ward (7.9ppg)/Howard Eisley (8.6ppg) isn’t cutting it.
• Los Angeles Lakers (51-31) – Youth. There are great veteran pieces here but Kobe, Shaq, and Malone need a bit more energy out there with them.
• Orlando Magic (50-32) – A 1 or a 5. Tracy McGrady (29.9ppg), Grant Hill (15.6ppg), and Shareef Abdur-Rahim (16.6ppg) make for a great trio but without a PG or Center, they might have a 2nd round ceiling.
• Dallas Mavericks (46-36) – Improvement in the middle. The team’s centers are fine but far behind the rest of the positions.
• New Jersey Nets (55-27) – As champs, there’s not much to improve. Continued focus on the development of Keyon Martin (15.8ppg) and Richard Jefferson (13.7ppg) is key.
• Denver Nuggets (27-55) – Other than Juwan Howard (22.7ppg), who might leave via free agency, there isn’t much on this team. Marcus Camby is a good piece (10.3rpg), so they could use any combination of guards and wings.
• Indiana Pacers (49-33) – A balanced team here. They could use a better point guard as Erick Strickland (11.8ppg) was rather inconsistent.
• Detroit Pistons (56-26) – On the cusp of greatness. Further commitment to defense can lead them to the promised land.
• Toronto Raptors (38-44) – Are they moving Vince Carter and starting from scratch? That’s the big question. Otherwise, they need major help from the 4 and 5.
• Houston Rockets (40-42) – A viable PF as most of their other positions are in good shape and Glen Rice is past his prime.
• San Antonio Spurs (55-27) – Another team on the cusp of greatness, they don’t really need to add much.
• Phoenix Suns (43-39) – Their small starting lineup caused problems all year. If they can really cement and perfect it, they can be a problem. They can also use help on the bench.
• Seattle Supersonics (37-45) – It might be time to move on from Gary Payton (20.8ppg). He’s still very good but he’s 34 and the team needs to get younger and build around Rashard Lewis (19.6).
• Minnesota Timberwolves (52-30) – A better center as Marc Jackson (8.9) isn’t enough to really help Kevin Garnett. A defensive minded one could work. They also need shooters.
• Portland Trailblazers (20-62) – Bonzi Wells (16.3) was good again and Zach Randolph (12.1ppg) showed potential but almost every other position could use an upgrade or replacement.
• Golden State Warriors (48-34) – A surprise of the league, they could use an upgrade in the middle and a veteran presence.
• Washington Wizards (42-40) – Whether Michael Jordan (23.1ppg) stays or leaves, this team needs desperate help in the middle and on the bench.

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2003 NBA Offseason

Retirements
• John Stockton (14.0ppg), Scottie Pippen (10.3ppg), Charles Oakley (2.3ppg), Darrell Armstrong (10.5ppg), Arvydas Sabonis (7.8ppg), and Dikembe Mutombo (9.3rpg) are the most notable retirements.
• The big news is that Michael Jordan (23.1ppg) has decided to return for one more season with the Washington Wizards!
• David Robinson (7.8ppg) has also stayed on for one more season.
• John Stockton and Scottie Pippen have both been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
• John Stockton and Scottie Pippen also had their jerseys retired by the Jazz and Bulls, respectively.

Other Offseason Notes
• Division winners will no longer be guaranteed a top 3 seed in their conference.
• The trade deadline has been abolished, so deals can be done at any point of the season.
• The Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, and Houston Rockets are changing their jerseys.
• Rick Adelman is the new head coach of the Denver Nuggets.
• Toronto has named Michael Stauffer their new head coach.
• Walt Moore inked a deal to be the head coach of the Portland Trailblazers.
• Memphis named Luke Wallace their head coach for the upcoming season.
• Oliver Gordon has been announced as the new head coach for the Atlanta Hawks.
• Projected 1st round pick Josh Howard has an ankle injury that could harm his draft position.

NBA Draft Lottery Chances
1. Portland – 25.0%
2. Cleveland – 19.9%
3. Milwaukee (via ATL) – 13.8%
4. Boston – 13.7%
5. Utah – 8.8%
6. Denver – 6.3%
7. Detroit (via MEM) – 4.3%
8. New York – 2.8%
9. Seattle – 1.8%
10. Toronto – 1.2%
11. Chicago – 0.9%
12. Memphis (via Houston) – 0.8%
13. Miami – 0.7%

NBA Draft Lottery Order
13. Miami Heat
12. Memphis Grizzlies
11. Chicago Bulls
10. Toronto Raptors
9. Seattle Supersonics
8. New York Knicks
7. Denver Nuggets
6. Utah Jazz
5. Boston Celtics
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
3. Detroit Pistons
2. Atlanta Hawks (ATL protected pick and keep it since it landed in the top 3)
1. Portland Trailblazers

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2003 NBA Draft
1) Portland – SF - LeBron James
2) Atlanta – SF – Carmelo Anthony
3) Cleveland – SG – Dwyane Wade (CLE acquired the #3 pick for the #4 pick & DeSagana Diop)
4) Detroit – PF – Chris Bosh
5) Boston – C – Chris Kamen
6) Utah – PG – Kirk Hinrich
7) Denver – SF – Jarvis Hayes
8) New York – PG – Luke Ridnour
9) Seattle – C – Darko Milicic
10) Toronto – PF – David West
11) Chicago – PF – Nick Collison
12) Memphis – SG – Josh Howard
13) Miami – PG – TJ Ford
14) Washington – PF – Michael Sweetney
15) Phoenix – PF – Zarko Cabarkapa
16) New Orleans – C – Boris Diaw
17) Orlando – PG – Mo Williams
18) Dallas – SF – Dahntay Jones
19) Los Angeles Clippers – SF – Travis Outlaw
20) Golden State – SG – Marcus Banks
21) Boston – SG – Leandro Barbosa
22) Atlanta – PF – Matt Bonner
23) Orlando – C – Kendrick Perkins
24) Milwaukee – PF – Brian Cook
25) Utah – PF – Luke Walton
26) Minnesota – SG – Kyle Korver
27) San Antonio – SF – Mikael Pietrus
28) Detroit – PG – Steve Blake
29) New Jersey – Keith Bogans

Notable 2nd Round Picks
• Portland – Zoran Planinic
• Atlanta- Reece Gaines
• Utah – Sasha Pavlovic
• Toronto – Troy Bell
• Seattle – Ndudi Ebi

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2003 Free Agency News
• Philadelphia may have found Allen Iverson’s #2, inking Juwan Howard (22.7ppg) to a 3yr/$19.37M contract. They also added Erick Strickland (11.8ppg) the guard position.
• Tim Duncan (24.4ppg) signed on the dotted line, remaining with San Antonio for 5yr/$73.52M. David Robinson (7.8ppg) also returned for 1yr/$7.80M, as did Stephen Jackson(12.4ppg) for 3yr/$20.31M.
• The Clippers kept their core intact, signing Elton Brand (17.1ppg), Lamar Odom (14.3ppg), and Andre Miller (9.9apg) to new deals. Brand got 5yr/$63.59M, Odom got 4yr/$48.16M, and Miller received 3yr/$33.39M. They also added Antonio Daniels (6.1ppg) and Horace Grant (6.8ppg) to their ranks.
• The Golden State Warriors signed veteran Gary Payton (20.8ppg) to lead their offense with a 2yr/$26.61M deal. The Glove is returning to Oakland!
• Phoenix retained Shawn Marion (20.8ppg) after his breakout season thanks to a 4yr/$47.76M deal.
• Carlos Boozer (12.2ppg) re-upped with Cleveland for 3yr/$34.52M, while the team also inked a deal with Travis Best (11.6ppg) for 2yr/$5.99M.
• Atlanta kept Jason Terry (17.7ppg) around with a 4yr/$49.11M deal. Steve Smith (7.9ppg) also left the Spurs to rejoin the Hawks.
• Baron Davis (15.7ppg) stuck around in New Orleans with a 4yr/$43.34M contract.
• After a great season, Jermaine O’Neal (22.9ppg) stayed with Indiana for 5yr/$69.46M.
• Detroit made sure to lock up Richard Hamilton (21.1ppg) with a 4yr/$42.53M contract.
• Steve Francis (19.3ppg) remained alongside Yao Ming after signing a 3yr/$33.34M deal. Karl Malone (15.5ppg) also signed with the team for 1yr/$13.89M, as did Elden Campbell (10.2ppg).
• Minnesota kept former All-Star Wally Szczerbiak (19.0ppg) to the tune of 3yr/$29.42M. They also shored up the paint by giving Alonzo Mourning (12.9ppg) 2yr/$9.64M.
• In desperate need of some youth, the Lakers signed Desmond Mason (12.6ppg) to a 3yr/$27.66M contract.
• Boston needed scoring outside of their two stars and they may have found it with their new point guard, Gilbert Arenas (16.4ppg), who joined them for 4yr/$47.13M.
• The Denver Nuggets made some surprising splashes. First, they inked Corey Maggette (14.6ppg) to a 4yr/$46.83M contract and then they added Hedo Turkoglu (9.4ppg) for 3yr/$12.98M.
• The Heat haven’t added much scoring but they did sign Derrick Coleman (11.7ppg) to take over in the middle for 2yr/$6.31M. Jonathan Bender should help off the bench too after signing for 2yr/$17.20M.
• Seattle signed Rafer Alston (9.7ppg) to be their new point guard for 2yr/$4.33M, while also adding Cliff Robinson (10.6ppg) for 2yr/$8.16M and Jim Jackson for 2yr/$1.37M.

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2003-2004 NBA Season Preview

Philadelphia 76ers (48-34)
The 76ers needed to get Allen Iverson some help and they may have done that by adding Juwan Howard, who is coming off of his best season since ’96. Erick Strickland is also a strong addition, with everything allowing guys like Keith Van Horn to not worry about the pressure of being #2. This team overachieved last season but this time around, they should be improved.

Projected Record: 50-32
Projected Starters: Erick Strickland/Allen Iverson/Keith Van Horn/Juwan Howard/Todd MacCulloch

Milwaukee Bucks (50-32)
The Bucks were a welcome surprise last season, playing better than expected before really taking off after acquiring Antonio Davis. They’ll have him for a full season and they bolstered their bench with a few offseason moves. Don’t expect them to move much in the standings though.

Projected Record: 51-31
Projected Starters: Sam Cassell/Ray Allen/Michael Redd/Toni Kukoc/Antonio Davis

Chicago Bulls (39-43)
Chicago is one of the more interesting teams in the league. They didn’t make many offseason moves other than drafting Nick Collison but that was by design. They’re a young team looking to build and not rush anything. They were another overachieving team last season so look for a step back in wins but a step forward in terms of their young talent developing.

Projected Record: 34-48
Projected Starters: Jay Williams/Jamal Crawford/Jalen Rose/Donyell Marshall/Tyson Chandler

Cleveland Cavaliers (22-60)
Making the move to get Dwyane Wade in the draft could be a game changer for the Cavaliers. Combining the promising talent with Most Improved Player Zyndrunas Ilgauskas and All-Rookie team member Carlos Boozer makes for a strong core to build around. Guys like Ricky Davis and Darius Miles can round out the team, while Travis Best makes for a quality veteran to lead. Look for them to surprise many.

Projected Record: 41-41
Projected Starters: Travis Best/Dwyane Wade/Ricky Davis/Carlos Boozer/Zyndrunas Ilgauskas

Boston Celtics (24-58)
One team that should make a major leap forward is the Boston Celtics. Two years ago they were in the Conference Finals and last year, they were near the bottom of the standings. Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker are getting help from Gilbert Arenas and rookie Chris Kamen in the starting rotation, while the likes of DeMarr Johnson and Leandro Barbosa can give a boost to the bench. The Celtics will be back in the playoffs.

Projected Record: 47-35
Projected Starters: Gilbert Arenas/Tony Delk/Paul Pierce/Antoine Walker/Chris Kamen

Los Angeles Clippers (47-35)
The league’s darlings last year, the youthful Clippers were as fun to watch as the league has ever seen. The majority of that team is back with a few additions on the bench like Antonio Daniels. The main change sees Quentin Richardson step into a starter’s role after Corey Maggette’s departure. He’s not as versatile but his numbers were similar in fewer minutes. They won’t surprise anyone this time but they feel like they have staying power.

Projected Record: 48-34
Projected Starters: Andre Miller/Quentin Richardson/Lamar Odom/Elton Brand/Michael Olowakandi

Memphis Grizzlies (34-48)
As a young team without major hopes for the playoffs, the Grizzlies are building slowly and through the Draft. Though Detroit had their top pick, they still managed to grab Josh Howard to be their new starting shooting guard. Other than a few bench pieces, this is mostly the same squad as last year.

Projected Record: 33-49
Projected Starters: Jason Williams/Josh Howard/Shane Battier/Drew Gooden/Pau Gasol

Atlanta Hawks (24-58)
Obviously, the biggest change for the Hawks comes from the debut of Carmelo Anthony. The highly-touted #2 pick is a favorite for the Rookie of the Year award. He can form a formidable scoring trio with Jason Terry and Glenn Robinson, while Theo Ratliff shuts things down inside, and they have shooting from a few guys like Mike Miller. Expect improvement though not enough to be a playoff threat.

Projected Record: 34-48
Projected Starters: Jason Terry/Mike Miller/Carmelo Anthony/Glenn Robinson/Theo Ratliff

Miami Heat (41-41)
The Heat are another team that didn’t make many changes in the offseason. It does feel like they downgraded though. TJ Ford has talent but will take time to get there leading a team, while Derrick Coleman is a far cry from Alonzo Mourning. They still don’t have much scoring and their defense took a step back, which is a bad sign.

Projected Record: 25-57
Projected Starters: TJ Ford/Eddie Jones/Caron Butler/Brian Grant/Derrick Coleman

New Orleans Hornets (45-37)
It feels like the Hornets are going to be a lot like the team they were last season. The offense could move better with rookie Boris Diaw starting since he is a great passer for a big man. Otherwise, this is basically the same team and they’ll likely hover around the 5-7 seed in the East again.

Projected Record: 44-38
Projected Starters: Baron Davis/David Wesley/Jamal Mashburn/PJ Brown/Boris Diaw

Utah Jazz (25-57)
For the first time since the ‘80s, the Jazz start the season without Stockton and Malone. That means it’s a new era and there will be growing pains. Kirk Hinrich steps into Stockton’s shoes, which will be interesting and they still have Defensive Player of the Year Andrei Kirilenko but this is going to be a struggle.

Projected Record: 20-62
Projected Starters: Kirk Hinrich/Calbert Cheaney/Andrei Kirilenko/Scott Padgett/Greg Ostertag

Sacramento Kings (45-37)
The Kings were a disappointment after a 61-win campaign. That said, they still think they the recipe for success. All that they lost this offseason was Hedo Turkoglu, while retaining the starting five and main key bench players from last year. It’ll be intriguing to see if they’re the 2002 or 2003 Kings. We’re leaning toward the latter.

Projected Record: 47-35
Projected Starters: Mike Bibby/Doug Christie/Peja Stojakovic/Chris Webber/Vlade Divac

New York Knicks (36-46)
Despite struggling again last season, the Knicks were surprisingly quiet in the offseason. They drafted Luke Ridnour to help with their point guard woes but the rest of the team is literally exactly how it was last season. While Ridnour could be the answer for the future, they’ll likely take a small step back with someone so young at the helm.

Projected Record: 32-50
Projected Starters: Luke Ridnour/Allan Houston/Latrell Sprewell/Antonio McDyess/Kurt Thomas

Los Angeles Lakers (51-31)
The league’s biggest enigma last season. At times, the Lakers looked like the three-time defending champions and at others, they looked lost. They also got bumped in the opening round, which was concerning. Adding Desmond Mason helped in the youth/athleticism department but this is all about Kobe and Shaq. Can they co-exist for another season? They’ll also be looking to acquire another veteran scorer at some point.

Projected Record: 49-33
Projected Starters: Derek Fisher/Kobe Bryant/Desmond Mason/Robert Horry/Shaquille O’Neal

Orlando Magic (50-32)
Adding Shareef Abdur-Rahim last season was a huge boost for this team, which took the eventual champion Nets to seven games. This season has question marks though. The team retains its three stars but now rookies Mo Williams and Kendrick Perkins join the starting lineup. How they perform will likely determine where this team goes. We think it shouldn’t miss a beat.

Projected Record: 51-31
Projected Starters: Mo Williams/Tracy McGrady/Grant Hill/Shareef Abdur-Rahim/Kendrick Perkins

Dallas Mavericks (46-36)
After finishing 7th in the West, the Mavericks surprised many by making it to the finals. They feel good about their chances this season, keeping the exact same team together. There literally isn’t a single change on the roster, though the main difference is a ton of confidence after that playoff run. We see a jump for them in the standings.

Projected Record: 54-28
Projected Starters: Steve Nash/Nick Van Exel/Michael Finley/Dirk Nowitzki/Raef LaFrentz

New Jersey Nets (55-27)
The Nets made good on their second trip to the finals, winning it all against the Mavericks. Dikembe Mutombo retired and Jason Collins steps into the starting lineup, which is a downgrade unless Collins surprises. They also lost Jim Jackson and the bench is weaker too. A repeat is highly unlikely but make no mistake, this is still a dangerous top-tier team.

Projected Record: 52-30
Projected Starters: Jason Kidd/Kerry Kittles/Richard Jefferson/Kenyon Martin/Jason Collins

Denver Nuggets (27-55)
There’s something to admire about Denver’s offseason. The team opted to sign some notable players like Corey Maggette and Hedo Turkoglu, showing they aren’t content with the bottom of the league. Those are also young guys who can join rookie Jarvis Hayes and veteran Marcus Camby to impress. They still don’t have a floor general and that bench is weak, meaning there won’t be much of an improvement this year.

Projected Record: 31-51
Projected Starters: Kenny Satterfield/Corey Maggette/James Posey/Hedo Turkoglu/Marcus Camby

Indiana Pacers (49-33)
The loss of Erick Strickland will prove to be a big blow for the Pacers. As much as everyone loves Earl Boykins, he’s not someone who feels like a starter. The rest of the rotation is about as good as it was last season but a significant drop in your floor general is very difficult to overcome. They need to address that during the season.

Projected Record: 43-39
Projected Starters: Earl Boykins/Reggie Miller/Ron Artest/Al Harrington/Jermaine O’Neal

Detroit Pistons (56-26)
The Pistons used lockdown defense to cause problems for the entire league, yet got run over by the Nets in the Conference Finals. They were silent in free agency, feeling they have their core set. However, watch out for their Draft selection, Chris Bosh. He has potential to score at a solid rate and he is long enough to only add to a vaunted defense. They’re title favorites.

Projected Record: 61-21
Projected Starters: Chauncey Billups/Richard Hamilton/Tayshaun Prince/Chris Bosh/Ben Wallace

Toronto Raptors (38-44)
Vince Carter was the subject of trade talks throughout last season and considering Toronto’s offseason, that might be the case again. They didn’t make many moves to change the roster, only adding Dion Glover to the bench and drafting David West. It’s going to be a rough season north of the border and Carter will likely be moved this year.

Projected Record: 32-50
Projected Starters: Alvin Williams/Vince Carter/Morris Peterson/Jerome Williams/David West

Houston Rockets (40-42)
It took a while but the Rockets finally started putting it together in the second half of the season. They still want to move on from Glen Rice who struggled last season but adding Karl Malone and DeShawn Stevenson should boost the offense. Yao Ming and Steve Francis proved to be a strong duo late and that will carry them into the playoffs.

Projected Record: 45-37
Projected Starters: Steve Francis/Cuttino Mobley/Glen Rice/Karl Malone/Yao Ming

San Antonio Spurs (55-27)
By almost every metric, the Spurs were the favorites to win the title last season. They fell short of the finals again, which they haven’t returned to since 1999. San Antonio kept the team the same outside of drafting Mikael Pietrus but the key is a jump from a more experienced Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, which could catapult them to the championship.

Projected Record: 60-22
Projected Starters: Tony Parker/Stephen Jackson/Bruce Bowen/Tim Duncan/David Robinson

Phoenix Suns (43-39)
The Suns tried to change basketball last season by going small. It helped them cause problems for the league and they took the Spurs to seven games in the first round. That team is mostly back and they’ll have another year together under their belt, meaning we see a step up from them.

Projected Record: 46-36
Projected Starters: Stephon Marbury/Penny Hardaway/Joe Johnson/Shawn Marion/Amar’e Stoudemire

Seattle Supersonics (37-45)
It looks like a rebuild is in line for the Supersonics. Gary Payton leaving means this is officially Rashard Lewis’s team. They have aging guys like Cliff Robinson, Jim Jackson, and Vin Baker around, so look for them to sell those guys off for picks and young pieces. Don’t expect a competitive Seattle squad this year.

Projected Record: 21-61
Projected Starters: Rafer Alston/Joseph Forte/Brent Barry/Rashard Lewis/Darko Milicic

Minnesota Timberwolves (52-30)
Minnesota finally got past the first round thanks to a ridiculous season from Kevin Garnett. He’s even hungrier this time around and the team fixed their biggest problem, which was in the middle, as they added Alonzo Mourning. If anyone out West can contend with the Spurs and Mavericks, Minnesota feels like the safest bet.

Projected Record: 57-25
Projected Starters: Terrell Brandon/Kendall Gill/Wally Szczerbiak/Kevin Garnett/Alonzo Mourning

Portland Trailblazers (20-62)
Nearly 20 years after missing out on Michael Jordan, Portland landed another once-in-a-generation prospect in LeBron James. That has fans in Oregon excited and though they didn’t make many other moves, James is enough. He can change everything for this franchise. Vets like Damon Stoudamire and Derek Anderson can combine with young guns like James and Zach Randolph to sniff .500 at times.

Projected Record: 37-45
Projected Starters: Damon Stoudamire/Derek Anderson/LeBron James/Maurice Taylor/Zach Randolph

Golden State Warriors (48-34)
Although the Warriors won’t sneak up on anyone this season, they have a fair amount of talent and adding Gary Payton was a huge deal. This is an All-Star and defensive stopper who can combine with Antawn Jamison and Jason Richardson to cause problems. They’re still weak in the middle but 50 games feels like a legitimate possibility.

Projected Record: 50-32
Projected Starters: Gary Payton/Jason Richardson/Mike Dunleavy/Antawn Jamison/Erick Dampier

Washington Wizards (42-40)
Michael Jordan once again tricked everyone and returned for another season. It took a hot stretch to close the season for them to make the playoffs but they didn’t really add anyone outside of rookie Michael Sweetney. With the East improving, it feels like Jordan’s final season (we think) sees him outside of the playoffs.

Projected Record: 36-46
Projected Starters: Larry Hughes/Michael Jordan/Jerry Stackhouse/Christian Laettner/Brendan Haywood