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2001-2002 Eastern Conference PreviewBy Gene Huh1. MILWAUKEE BUCKS Starting Lineup C Ervin Johnson F Anthony Mason F Glenn Robinson G Ray Allen G Sam Cassell ---------------- Key Reserves F Tim Thomas F Darvin Ham G Michael Redd G Rafer Alston F Jason Caffey Analysis: The Bucks are by far the best offensive team in the Eastern Conference. Allen has stepped up and is now a legitimate superstar who will make teams pay for playing zone.George Karl is hoping that the addition of Mason will add toughness and muscle to relatively soft team defense. However, while this team may be good enough to win the East, a team with Ervin Johnson at center has very little chance of being able to match up with the best that the West has to offer. 2. ORLANDO MAGIC Starting Lineup C Patrick Ewing F Horace Grant F Grant Hill G Tracy McGrady G Darrell Armstrong ----------------- Key Reserves G/F Mike Miller G Troy Hudson F Pat Garrity F Bo Outlaw C Steven Hunter Analysis: The Magic will take a huge step up to elite status this season if Grant Hill can avoid reinjuring an ankle that kept him out for almost all of last season. In Hill's absence, T-Mac stepped up and become one of the best players in the league and should continue to be "the man" this season. The prehistoric power duo of Ewing and Grant may be enough for Orlando to win in the East, but will not allow them to match up with the best that the Western Conference has to offer. Head coach Doc Rivers has done an excellent job of maximizing his talent and will be able to find a way to use zones to minimize their weakness on the interior. Therefore, expect that Magic to make a solid run at winning the Eastern Conference, but don't expect them to be able to win a title. 3. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS Starting Lineup C Dikembe Mutombo F Derrick Coleman F Matt Harpring G Allen Iverson G Speedy Claxton ---------------------- Key Reserves G Aaron McKie G Eric Snow G Vonteego Cummings F Corie Blount C Matt Geiger G Raja Bell Analysis: The Sixers overachieved their way to the top spot in the Eastern Conference last season, behind brilliant coaching from Larry Brown and the scoring of Allen Iverson. However, last year's team featured very coachable tough guys loaded with intangibles, such as George Lynch and Tyrone Hill. This season, Lynch and Hill are gone and the Sixers will feature a new look thanks to the addition of a bad apple named Derrick Coleman. If Brown can harness DC's vast talent and keep hiim from poisoning the excellent team chemistry, there is a good chance that the Sixers will be back near the top again. However, it should be noted that Philadelphia is one bad Iverson injury away from being a lottery team, despite the talents of explosive rookie point guard Speedy Claxton. 4. TORONTO RAPTORS Starting Lineup C Hakeem Olajuwon F Antonio Davis F Morris Peterson G Vince Carter G Alvin Williams ---------------------- Key Reserves F/C Keon Clark G Chris Childs G/F Dell Curry F Tracy Murray F Jerome Williams F Michael Bradley Analysis: The problem with the Raptors is that they are built around a player in Vince Carter who many not have the competitive desire necessary to reach the top. Still, the Raptors should be a much better team this season now that Antonio Davis no longer has to battle bigger guys at the center position, thanks to the acquisition of Olajuwon. If The Dream has enough left in the tank to post 13 or 14 points a game while blocking shots and rebounding, Carter will become that much more difficult to defend. Peterson and Clark are rising stars who complement Carter well and if they both step up their games, the Raptors will challenge the top dogs. 5. INDIANA PACERS Starting Lineup C Jeff Foster F Jermaine O'Neal F Jalen Rose G Reggie Miller G Jamaal Tinsley ----------------------- Key Reserves G Travis Best F Al Harrington C Carlos Rogers F Jonathan Bender F Austin Croshere Analysis: Isiah Thomas shook things up during the preseason by naming Tinsley the starting point guard. Although this move appears risky considering the fact that both Jalen Rose and Travis Best are affected by this move, Thomas must be considered an authority on point guards. With, Tinsely at the point, Rose will be able to score more from the three position. Miller is still a big-time scorer who complements Rose well. If one of the young and talented frontcourt players steps up and gives the rapidly developing O'Neal some help in the paint, the Pacers will challenge. 6. CHARLOTTE HORNETS Starting Lineup C Elden Campbell F P.J. Brown F Jamal Mashburn G David Wesley G Baron Davis ----------------------- Key Reserves F George Lynch G/F Stacey Augmon G Bryce Drew C Jamaal Magloire F Matt Bullard F Kirk Haston Analysis: The Hornets were a big surprise last season, so expectations will be much higher this season. Emerging superstar Baron Davis will become the focal point this season as he continues his development into a more athletic version of Jason Kidd. Mashburn is starting to become the player people thought he would be coming out of college and the frontcourt is filled with size and experience. The Hornets are a solid that team that will advance as far as Davis can carry them. 7. MIAMI HEAT Starting Lineup C Alonzo Mourning F Brian Grant F LaPhonso Ellis G Eddie Jones G Anthony Carter ---------------------- Key Reserves G Rod Strickland G/F Kendall Gill F/C Chris Gatling G Eddie House G/F Sam Mack G/F Rodney Buford Analysis: If Zo can stay healthy for the entire season, Miami could contend for a title. However, due to the uncertainty of his status, the Heat cannot be placed any higher. If Riley can keep Strickland in line, something that has not been successfully accomplished by many, the Heat will have a huge upgrade at point guard. Jones and Grant are solid players, but Riley will have to perform even more magic than usual in order to get the army of journeyman on the Heat roster to play championship caliber basketball. 8. NEW YORK KNICKS Starting Lineup C Marcus Camby F Kurt Thomas F Latrell Sprewell G Allan Houston G Mark Jackson ----------------------- Key Reserves G Howard Eisley G Shandon Anderson G Charlie Ward F Clarence Weatherspoon F Othella Harrington C Felton Spencer Analysis: The Knicks did almost nothing to improve their team during the offseason, so don't look for great improvement from them. They are built around tough team defense and the scoring of wing players Houston and Sprewell. When Marcus Camby is hurt, the Knicks have virtually no size or rebounding ability inside. Unless, New York can acquire a big man during the season, there is nothing they can reallly do to match up with the top teams. 9. BOSTON CELTICS Starting Lineup C Vitaly Potapenko F Antoine Walker F Eric Williams G Paul Pierce G Kenny Anderson ---------------------- Key Reserves G/F Joe Johnson C Tony Battie G Joseph Forte G Milt Palacio F Roshown McLeod F Kedrick Brown Analysis: Jim O'Brien did a masterful job with the Celtics last season once whining Rick Pitino stepped down. The Celts have holes in the frontcourt, but they also have explosive scoring punch thanks to the duo of Pierce and Walker. If Johnson can emerge as a Pierce clone this season, the Celtics will be capable of running and gunning with a lot of teams. Unfortunately, the horrible center combination of Potapenko and Battie will preclude Boston from competing with true contenders this year. 10. WASHINGTON WIZARDS Starting Lineup C Jahidi White F Christian Laettner F Michael Jordan G Richard Hamilton G Chris Whitney ----------------------- Key Reserves G Courtney Alexander G Tyronn Lue C Brendan Haywood F Kwame Brown F Tyrone Nesby F Popeye Jones Analysis: The return of MJ has people in Washington excited over basketball for the first time since the Bullets traded for Chris Webber. However, MJ will not have a legitimate supporting cast around him and he is clearly not the player he was even 3 years ago, so don't expect the Wizards to resemble a championship team this season. MJ's return will help the Wizards learn and we should all consider Air Jordan's season to have been a success if the Wizards win 40 games this year. Top pick Kwame Brown is not going to be ready to dominate this season, but down the road, he will combine with Alexander and possibly Hamilton to provide the Wizards with a decent nucleus of youthful talent. 11. NEW JERSEY NETS Starting Lineup C Todd MacCulloch F Kenyon Martin F Keith Van Horn G Kerry Kittles G Jason Kidd ---------------------- Key Reserves G Lucious Harris G/F Richard Jefferson F/C Aaron Williams F/C Jason Collins G Brandon Armstrong Analysis: The Nets will have the firepower to scare teams if their fragile forward combination of Van Horn and Martin can stay intact. Kidd is a rare true point guard who possesses the innate ability to make his teammates better. Expect Kidd's playmaking to provide a significant boost to the shooting percentages of Van Horn and Martin, who now have a point guard who will want to set them up, instead of the sneering, selfish Stephon Marbury. Athletic rookie swingman Richard Jefferson was one of the steals of the draft. If MacCullouch can provide decent play in the middle and Kittles can stay healthy, the Nets have enough starting talent to push for the final playoff spot. 12. ATLANTA HAWKS Starting Lineup C Theo Ratliff F Shareef Abdur-Rahim F Toni Kukoc G Jason Terry G Jacque Vaughn ------------------------ Key Reserves G Emanuel Davis F/C Nazr Mohammed F Alan Henderson G DerMarr Johnson G Dion Glover Analysis: The Hawks are another team with the talent to finish in the top eight if things come together thanks to some astute offseason trading. Abdur-Rahim must show that he is not simply a player who can post great statistics for bad teams by being a quality go-to-guy. Ratliff is defensive force when healthy and Terry is a terrific young scoring guard. If Vaughn can do a competent job running the show from the point guard slot, the Hawks could definitely win over 40 games. 13. DETROIT PISTONS Starting Lineup C Clifford Robinson F Ben Wallace F Rodney White G Jerry Stackhouse G Chucky Atkins ---------------------- Key Reserves G Dana Barros G Jon Barry F Corliss Williamson F Brian Cardinal Analysis: The Pistons are going to be bad once again, but I doubt that Stackhouse minds since he will once again be allowed to take a ton of shots. Wallace is a tough role player and White has the talent to be an impact player as a rookie, but the rest of the roster is filled with marginal players. If White does not have a Rookie of the Year type season, a 20 win season could be a distinct possibility. 14. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS Staring Lineup C Michael Doleac F Chris Mihm F Lamond Murray G Bryant Stith G Andre Miller --------------------- Key Reserves G Jim Jackson G Bimbo Coles F Tyrone Hill > C Zydrunas Ilgauskas F Jumaine Jones G Trajan Langdon Analysis: The Cavs are basically a star-less, unexciting team with very little hope for the future. Point guard Andre Miller is a quality playmaker, but he has nobody to make plays for. Ilgauskas is a top ten center when not injured, but his foot problems are becoming Waltonesque, so it would unwise for Cavs to bank on a dramatic return to health from him. Without Ilgauskas, this team simply does not have the firepower to match up with legitimate NBA teams, so expect a very ugly season. 15. CHICAGO BULLS Starting Lineup C Brad Miller F Charles Oakley F Eddie Robinson G Ron Mercer G Greg Anthony --------------------- Key Reserves F Marcus Fizer G A.J. Guyton C Eddy Curry F Ron Artest F Tyson Chandler G Fred Hoiberg Analysis: The Bulls are still rebuilding, despite the many top draft picks they have burned in Jerry Krause's egotistical attempt to build a team out of the wasteland that the Bulls have become in the post Jordan era. Last year, the Bulls were the worst team in the league because they had only two legitimate players, Elton Brand and Ron Mercer. Now, they only have Mercer and a bunch of suspects. Eddie Robinson could break out this season and become a standout, but youngsters Chandler and Curry are not ready for the NBA yet. Expect the Bulls to use this season to maximize their odds in the 2002 Yao Ming lottery. |
Features Marbury for Kidd 2001-2002 Eastern Conference Preview Future Stars 2001 NBA Draft Grades 2001 NBA Draft Scouting Report Zoned Out
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