4 Teams That Could Challenge the Knicks

The New York Knicks' revamped roster already makes them better than at the start of last season—on paper.

New York welcomes defensive stud Tyson Chandler to the front court that already includes All-Stars Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire.

Another move the Knicks made was to sign veteran point guard Mike Bibby. He will add leadership and distribution to the back court.

First-round pick Iman Shumpert has impressed everyone so far in the offseason and during camp. The super athletic guard will likely get a chance to prove himself early this season.

Also, Mike Woodson was added as an assistant for the Knicks this offseason. During his six-year tenure with the Hawks, Woodson was known for his defensive prowess.

As the Knicks piece together the final parts of their puzzle, it's impossible to avoid looking forward to the upcoming season and picking out the top competition in the Eastern Conference.

Boston Celtics

This list would be incomplete without the division rivals.

The Celtics didn't land any superstars this summer, but they did add frontcourt depth in the trade for Brandon Bass. With energy contributor Glen "Big Baby" Davis about to be lost in free agency, Danny Ainge made a shrewd decision to conduct a sign and trade with Orlando and acquire a young big man in Bass.

Bass, who is only 28, will strengthen the aging front line in Boston.

The main reason the Celtics could be problematic for the Knicks is their chemistry. Rondo runs effectively, and each member of the big three fits his role for the organization.

The team has played together, with the same coach, for four seasons. This type of experience and their success in this time is something the Knicks simply have not had. Anthony and Stoudemire have played a total of 28 regular season games together.

Despite having fresher, younger legs, the Knicks will not roll over the Celtics because of Boston's essential cohesiveness.

Chicago Bulls

Unlike the slowly declining Celtics, the Bulls are an Eastern Conference contender that are on the upswing.

Led by the 2011-2012 MVP, Derrick Rose, the Bulls will look to improve their mark of 62-20 last season.

Chicago's defense, which allowed only 91.3 points per game last season—second lowest in the NBA—will be another year wiser and anchored by Joakim Noah.

The Bulls also added veteran shooting guard Richard Hamilton.

The Bulls will undoubtedly find themselves close to the top of the Eastern Conference at season's end, but the Knicks will hope to slow down Rose and improve on their 2-1 mark against the Bulls from 2010-2011.

New Jersey Nets

As much as it pains me to say this, the New Jersey Nets are no longer the joke of the Atlantic Conference.

With a full year of Deron Williams and the potential of Dwight Howard ahead, things seem to be looking up for the former cellar dwellers.

Avery Johnson is a solid coach and the Nets have some young talent. But let's face it, the Nets are irrelevant to the Knicks until they acquire Mr. Howard.

Whether he is truly available to them is unclear. Howard seems to have flip-flopped, and Orlando has taken him off the trading block.

The Knicks can rest easy until Williams and Prokhorov get their man in Newark. Then, and only then, will New York have something to worry about.

Miami Heat

Miami's "Big Bad Three" will pose a threat to every NBA team this season.

After being spurned in last year's NBA Finals, the Heat will have the taste of defeat fresh in their mouths.

Dwayne Wade is a winner and LeBron James is the most talented basketball player on the face of the earth, so this team will look for nothing less than a championship.

The Knicks' added depth in the frontcourt will help against most teams, but what they need most against the Heat is an on-ball defender for Wade or James. With Chandler clogging the lane, look for New York to man up on LeBron using rookie Iman Shumpert or second-year guard Landry Fields.

If the Knicks can lock down at least either James or Wade they should be alright, that is, if Carmelo and Amar'e can produce points on the other end.

James is a stout defender, one of the few players who can guard Melo effectively. When playing the Heat, New York cannot rely purely on isolations to Anthony's side of the floor. The Knicks will have to bring in their best half-court offense if they want to defeat the Heat.