It's been a long off-season for hoops fans, but opening night of the 2004-2005 NBA season is just a few hours away! With the early releases of both NBA Live 2005 and ESPN NBA 2K5, rabid hoops fans have already been simulating out the upcoming season over and over again. But how will the real NBA season turn out? I've been following the Association since I was a wee lad, cheering on Magic Johnson and the Showtime Lakers. I've got some educated guesses on how things will shake out.

　　Remember, with the addition of the expansion Charlotte Bobcats, the league has been restructured into six divisions, three each in the Eastern and Western Conferences. The New Orleans Hornets have been moved to the West, Shaq has moved East, and a whole bunch of other star players have moved around, including Antoine Walker, Gary Payton, Jason Terry, and Kenyon Martin.

　　Atlantic Division - Predicted playoff teams: Philadelphia, New Jersey, Boston

　　This is the toughest division to figure, because the teams are so even in terms of relative strength. Philadelphia will make the playoffs on the will of Allen Iverson, and the young stars they have in center Samuel Dalembert and Andre Iguodala. Jersey will struggle early in the year without Jason Kidd, but once he returns, it's hard to see a Kidd-led team not making the playoffs even with the absence of K-Mart. Boston and Paul Pierce should see a lift from the arrival of an angry and motivated Gary Payton, as well as the return of Raef LaFrentz from injury. Sorry Knicks and Raps fans. There just isn't much defense in a Starbury/Jamal Crawford backcourt, while everyone in Toronto cringes anytime Vince Carter jumps.

　　Central Division - Predicted playoff teams: Indiana, Detroit, Cleveland

　　Despite Shaq's arrival in Miami, Indiana and Detroit are the still the cream of the East. Wallace and Wallace form the league's best defensive tandem at the 4 and 5 positions. But I still believe that Indiana is the better team, and will prove it by winning their division and coming out of the East to challenge for the NBA title. Jermaine O'Neal puts up numbers as well as the other O'Neal, and the arrival of Stephen Jackson gives the Pacers much needed firepower out of the backcourt. Early season injuries may doom the Pacers to a second place finish in their division, but they'll overcome the Pistons in the playoffs this time. Meanwhile, LeBron will finally get his Cavs into the playoffs, but they will really miss Carlos Boozer. Bucks and Bulls fans...there's always next year.

　　Southeast Division - Predicted playoff teams: Miami, Orlando

　　Easily the weakest division in the NBA. Miami will dominate here, thanks to the arrival of the Diesel. But the trade to the Lakers really gutted that team's depth. They really don't have much surrounding Shaq aside from Eddie Jones and Dwyane Wade. I don't see them getting past Detroit or Indiana in the playoffs. Orlando's heart was ripped out when Tracy McGrady left, but they got back a lot in Stevie Franchise, Cuttino Mobley, and Kelvin Cato. And hey, if Grant Hill can stay healthy and chip in 20 minutes a game, all the better. OK forget that. Hill's inevitable season-ending injury notwithstanding, Orlando has enough to sneak into the playoffs as a 7 or 8 seed. So what about the Hawks, Wiz, and Bobcats? Yeah. What about them.

　　Northwest Division - Predicted playoff teams: Minnesota, Utah, Denver

　　This is the T-Wolves' year. Despite stiff competition in their division from the Nuggets and Jazz who have both bulked up in the offseason with new players, this will be the year KG breaks through and wins the title he's worked so hard for. There's just too much talent on that roster for it to not happen. The only thing that screws this up is if Spree's and Cassell's selfish contract demands wreck the chemistry on that team. Utah will finish ahead of Denver. Jerry Sloan's coaching job was incredible last year, and they've added some nice players in Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur to complement AK47. Oh and Matt Harpring, perhaps the league's most underrated player, is returning from injury. The key here will be Carlos Arroyo at point--if he has the breakout year I think he's going to have, then the Jazz may finish as high as fourth in the West. Denver's not going benefit as much as they think they will from K-Mart's arrival. Andre Miller's a fine point guard in his own right, but Martin is going to really miss playing with Jason Kidd and in that open court style. Portland and Seattle don't have a prayer in this division.

　　Pacific Division - Predicted playoff team: Sacramento

　　The window of opportunity has shut on the Kings as far as their chances for a championship. But they should win this division easily because of weak competition. The Lakers will finish second, and as much as it hurts me to say it, they will just miss the playoffs because they have no frontcourt. You can't win with small ball in this conference. Lamar Odom can't masquerade as a 4 in the West, and Kobe will learn the painful lesson that he can't do this by himself. The Lake Show will toil in mediocrity for at least two years until they maybe get a chance to sign Yao Ming as a free agent. The Suns, Warriors, and Clippers hardly bear mentioning. Nash is a nice addition to the Suns, but even with the duo of Marion and Stoudemire helping, they can't crack the playoffs in a stacked West. Mike Montgomery will flop as an NBA coach like Pitino and Calipari before him. And the Clippers? They're the Clippers.

　　Southwest Division - Predicted playoff teams: San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Memphis

　　This is easily the toughest division in the league, but the Spurs are the 800 lb gorilla here. The addition of combo guard Brent Barry means that there's a real backup PG for Tony Parker, and more importantly, a legitimate three point threat that Duncan sorely needs. Dallas appears to be going with a youth movement by starting Devin Harris and Josh Howard in the backcourt instead of Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse. It's a bold move and I like it--Terry and Stack put up numbers but aren't proven winners. Unfortunately they still don't have enough to get by the Spurs. The Rockets are trying their own version of Shaq and Kobe with Yao and T-Mac. They have nice complementary guys in Jim Jackson and Juwan Howard too. It'll take a while for this team to gel though, so I'd give it a year before they're a real championship contender. Memphis will be this year's biggest disappointment. Their run to the #4 seed last year was memorable, but I doubt they can pull the feat off again. They sneak into the playoffs as a low seed. Hornets? Welcome to the Western Conference. Here's your complementary draft lottery ticket.

　　NBA Finals prediction: Wolves vs. Pacers. Wolves in 6

　　NBA MVP: Kevin Garnett

　　Rookie of the Year: Andre Iguodala

　　Scoring Champion: Kobe Bryant