NBA Preview: Atlantic Division

1. Boston Celtics (63-19). Only a fool would pick another team to win the Atlantic. If Paul Pierce can pick up where he left off, I think he has a legitimate shot at winning the MVP award this year. Not to mention, Boston has those two other guys as well... 

Apart from the Big Three, guys like Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins had time to develop last season, and their improvements are vital to the success of the C's this year. Going in to the '07 season, I thought that Boston didn't have enough depth around Pierce, KG, and Ray Allen, but a lot of times last year, it was the role players that stepped up. 

2. Philadelphia 76ers (44-38). Any team that adds a guy like Elton Brand is going to be good. Especially when you also have a coach like Mo Cheeks, and a group of players who've more or less been together for the past few years. The have also made their first playoff appearance since the AI-era. The East is getting tougher, and teams like the Sixers are the ones making it that way.

It was only a couple of years ago that Philly was in the cellar. After giving Detroit a run for the money in the playoffs, I think that the 76ers are one of the best young teams in the league. Adding Brand gives them a veteran who has made a few trips to the playoffs, and Philadelphia should make another one this year.

3. Toronto Raptors (42-40). Toronto made a big move this offseason to improve. Yeah, they had to give up T.J. Ford, who when healthy is a very talented guard, but they got Jermaine O'Neal. The oft-injured big-man can rejuvenate his career in Toronto, and I really think he just needed to get a start in a new city. Add O'Neal to a team with Chris Bosh, Jason Kapono (who I think will have another break-out year), and Anthony Parker and you have a playoff team.

Before the Celtics acquired Pierce and Allen, the Raptors won the Atlantic. The talent is still there. Toronto has been in the playoffs for the past two years, but have had very little success. This won't be a year where the Raptors make a deep run, but they could be a threat to a higher-seeded team like Cleveland or Detroit, which they could see in the playoffs. 

4. New Jersey Nets (36-46). There's no question that the Nets are pretty much rebuilding. Don't expect to see Vince Carter in New Jersey for much longer. Richard Jefferson was already dealt for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons. I don't see how this trade is going to benefit the Nets. I figured that they would try to build their new team around Jefferson, who is a young guy and who has always kind of been overshadowed by Jason Kidd and Carter. 

Devin Harris will be a key in this new Nets team, and was the most important part of the Kidd deal last year. I liked the Kidd trade, and dislike the Jefferson trade. I think if they didn't trade Jefferson, the Nets could potentially be a playoff team this year. However, Jianlian still has time to develop. He's a young player (no one knows his real age though), and he could become a Nowitzki-type player.

5. New York Knicks (33-49). The mess that is the New York Knicks will bring up the rear in the Atlantic. It's pretty disappointing that one of the most historic franchises in the NBA has been going through this awful slump, but I have faith in Mike D'Antoni. I'm not a huge fan of taking Danilo Gallinari with the sixth pick last June in the draft, and the Zach Randolph trade is looking pretty bad too. However, I don't think it could get much worse than last season for the Knicks, and they will improve a little bit.

It's time to make a decision on Starbury and the near $20 million he'll be making this year. The Knicks have a lot of young talent in guys like Nate Robinson, Wilson Chandler, and David Lee. They also have a couple vets that will have to try to lead a Knicks team that will undoubtedly lose a large amount of games this season.