2010-2011 NBA Season: This Is Pretty Much How The Eastern Conference Will Look

The NBA season is starting, you guys, and that means excitement is pretty much floating out of my pants (not that end, sick-o).

And while we've already been told that this could be one of the greatest NBA seasons ever, I'll reinforce the idea: This could be one of the greatest NBA seasons ever.

There's quite a few reasons for this. The most important (and most obvious): The Washington Wizards' acquisition of - you guessed it - Adam Morrison. Probably the biggest thing that's happened this season so far, people.

Seriously, though, we can rave all we want about LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh being awesome guys that decided to join together in an awesome city and create an awesome team (awesomely, of course). But that's not the only thing that went down in the offseason.

We pretty much seen the new rise of the Eastern Conference, the fall of the Western Conference, the rise of a superstar in the Western Conference and the creation (and expansion) of some new blogs to help us keep track of it all.

So, I won't keep you guys waiting. This is what the Eastern Conference will look like come May:

Seed 1: The Orlando Magic

Just because they didn't make any huge offseason moves (in the offseason, of course), doesn't mean they don't have a great team. While the entire Eastern Conference got better by switching teams with the Utah Jazz, the Orlando Magic got better by simply getting another year older and another year wiser. Sure, Dwight Howard disappeared in the playoffs, but this seeding has nothing to do with playoff performance, guys.

Seed 2: The Miami Heat

I always said I wouldn't drink the Kool-Aid here, and I'm not about to anytime soon. As stated way up there, this seeding has nothing to do with playoff performance, which is where stats and on-paper teams are pretty much disregarded. And that's exactly what the Heat are right now: a bunch of stats and a great team "on paper." Last time we said something like this, we were referring to Communism and how it looked good "in theory." Way to go. Anyway, the Heat have all the talent, but can they mesh? That's the question.

Seed 3: The Boston Celtics

This is one of those situations where you and your buddies (all in your guys' 20s) say, "Hey, let's challenge those old farts to a pickup game. We need to build some confidence!" only to get absolutely schooled by those same old farts who are slower, faster and way, way smellier. Why did you guys lose? Because, you lack swagger and experience (more swagger than experience, though). That is exactly what the Celtics have. Don't think about how terribly Shaq will screw up the locker room chemistry and think about how hard you'll have to try and score on the already-vaunted interior defense of the Celtics.

Seed 4: The Chicago Bulls

The Bulls are a total dark horse. Why is that? Because Carlos Boozer cannot open a door without breaking his hand. Typical Chicago Bulls. Such clumsy kids.

And while they'll miss their first real threat to score in the post, they'll have enough talent to hold the fort until Boozer comes back, which should be in about eight weeks when momentum may have been too much for those Bulls. Way to go, Carlos Boozer.

Seed 5: The Atlanta Hawks

Whoa, guys, hold the phones: Joe Johnson was re-signed to a max contract. That should seriously shake up the East now. (Please note the ridiculous amount of sarcasm.)

While Joe Johnson is a complete jerk to fans of the team he just re-signed with, he'll still have his typical regular-season impact. Now that the East has gotten so much tougher, don't expect the Hawks to have home-court advantage this time around. But do expect them to be playing post-April.

Seed 6: The New York Knicks

While we love absolute train-wrecks with basketball teams, we like to see multiple train-wrecks come together and compile one whole possible train-wreck. Add Amare' Stoudemire to the Knicks and former coach Mike D'Antoni, and we could have a monster train-wreck. However, if things work out like they should (and they usually never do) this could be a scary team for any real playoff contender. Yes, you guys, Amare Stoudemire has that much of an impact.

Seed 7: The Milwaukee Bucks

People are forgetting that this team took their first-round opponents to seven games last season. Sadly, people are forgetting that they took the Atlanta Hawks to seven games last season.

I'm not about to be all not-nice about the Bucks' playoff chances, but I am about to completely bash them: The Bucks won't get far in the playoffs and they definitely won't have a really awesome record like they did last year. (Bucks' awesome, not Lakers' awesome. Different standards, folks.)

Give the Bucks a playoff spot, though. They managed to have a decent postseason without Australian mate Andrew Bogut, while Greg Jennings had a hell of a showing. I'm guessing the Bucks hit an oil well with Jennings. So go acquire that oil, son.

Seed 8: The Washington Wizards

What's that? Gilbert Arenas and something about a comeback? Don't call it a comeback, he's been here for years.

Now, I'm not sure if Arenas is going to have that same impact, especially with the not-feeling-too-hot-guys-I-want-to-be-Robin-let-John-be-Batman mood he is in right now. However, if he and John Wall can co-exist and play well, this could be quite the little team that could, with that explosive backcourt.