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The Denver Nuggets superstar  Carmelo Anthony was arrested early Monday on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
He was alone in the car and pulled over for weaving and not dimming his lights. He was stopped on Interstate 25 .  Anthony’s attorney, Dan Recht, said his client consented to a blood test, but results won’t be available for about two weeks.

Detective Sharon Hahn said Anthony failed a series of sobriety tests. He was charged with DUI, then taken to police headquarters before being released to a “sober responsible party,” Hahn said. Anthony is due in court May 14.
Earlier this year , in Feb , Anthony was ticketed in Colorado for driving 25 mph over the posted speed limit. A hearing is set for next month.
Mark Warkentien, the Nuggets’ vice president of basketball operations, said the team was aware of the situation but declined comment. The Nuggets did not practice Monday and Anthony wasn’t available. He’s expected at practice Tuesday .
Anthony was named an All-Star starter for the first time this year. He’s fourth in the NBA in scoring (25.8) and is averaging a career-best 7.4 rebounds.

We just passed on important mark in Toronto s Raptors history : 1000 games in the NBA !

As one, 33,306 people rose from their SkyDome seats with a thunderous roar. On the evening of Nov. 3, 1995, the NBA was back in Toronto after an absence of nearly half a century. Raptors won 94-79 against New Jersey Nets .

That was Game 1. Last night against the Los Angeles Clippers, 12 years, three months, hundreds of players, six coaches, six general managers, one arena and two ownership groups later, the Raptors played No. 1,000.

Along the pothole-filled road they’ve travelled, the Raptors have plumbed the depths of despair as a franchise, occasionally teasing their loyal fans with a handful of brilliant moments. Theirs is a relatively short history but one that is full of treachery, subterfuge, deception and gamesmanship. But enough about Isiah Thomas.

The intrigue actually began long before that, back in late 1992 and early ‘93 when both Larry Tanenbaum and John Bitove, Jr., were trying to fulfil lifelong dreams to bring the NBA to Toronto.
Tanenbaum, through his Palestra Group, that included CIBC and the beer boys from Labatt, had dropped a bid for an NBA expansion franchise the day the Blue Jays won their first World Series, in 1992.
While Palestra appeared to have more substance, the Bitove Group promised the NBA a new arena and that tipped the scales in its direction. Bitove was awarded the franchise but the arena ultimately would be the issue that forced him to give it up. In the interim, the team started its existence in the cavernous SkyDome.

- Ground Zero — In his heyday, Robertson was a multi-dimensional player who once had a quadruple-double (only four have been recorded in NBA history) while playing for San Antonio. On that milestone opening night for the Raptors, at 33, he was near the end of his career but still poured in 30 to lead Toronto to a 14-point win over New Jersey.
Brendan Malone was handpicked by Thomas to coach a fledgling roster that included gigantic centre Oliver Miller, who ate himself out of the league, Acie Earl, John Salley and the young dynamo who turned the draft-day boos into his own personal love-in. That would be guard Damon Stoudamire, who would go on to win the NBA’s rookie-of-the-year award.

- GAME 100: DEC. 7, 1996
HAWKS 101, RAPTORS 75
OVERALL RECORD: 27-73

All of the players in this intrigue knew one thing: To be viable, the Air Canada Centre had to house both the Raptors and the Maple Leafs.
Eventually, Bitove gave up and sold his share to partner Allan Slaight, who in turn passed control to Steve Stavro, the owner of the Maple Leafs and thus the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd., monolith was born.
In the midst of that drama, Thomas, who had designs on scooping up the basketball team himself, recognized he couldn’t tie the hockey and basketball teams together and decided to resign.
Meanwhile Stoudamire, upset at Thomas’ departure, wanted out and Glen Grunwald, now the GM, eventually traded the player who had been, to that point, the team’s foundation. A few months later, he would find a new cornerstone, Vince Carter.

- GAME 200: JAN. 12, 1998
NETS 108, RAPTORS 100
OVERALL RECORD: 56-144

On the court, the 1997-98 season was an unmitigated disaster. The Raptors won only 16 games, but Tracy McGrady, the team’s top pick the year previous, was turning heads. But when Carter came on board to start the strike-shortened 1998-99 season, the team moved to a new level. They flirted with .500 in that 50-game schedule but blossomed in 1998-99, winning 45 games and making the playoffs for the first time.

- GAME 300: NOV. 7, 1999
RAPTORS 109, HORNETS 99
OVERALL RECORD: 93-207

Coach Butch Carter was able to get the most out of his young talent during the regular season in 1999-2000. But he tried to make a power play for Grunwald’s job. Even though he was probably the best coach the team had had, he essentially fired himself by his backdoor politicking.
Meanwhile, Vince had blossomed into one of the game’s biggest stars, earning his nickname, Air Canada. Watch highlights of the SLAM DUNK contest from the All Star Game with V Carter - Mr Air Canada .

- GAME 400: DEC. 14, 2000
RAPTORS 70, KNICKS 68
OVERALL RECORD: 147-253

The 2000-01 season still stands as the Raptors’ most successful. They hired classy Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens who fashioned a 47-win season unmatched until 2006-07.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Raptors took out the Knicks in five games, then sent the conference semi-final against Philadelphia to a seventh game. Vince Carter had the series in his hands in the dying seconds but missed the jump shot.

- GAME 500: JAN. 18, 2002
RAPTORS 89, NETS 77
OVERALL RECORD: 205-295

The Raptors went on a long, steady decline that coincided with Vince’s health problems. And as the team’s decline accelerated, so did its star’s desire to be elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Grunwald, who had made so many good moves, stumbled. To convince Carter to stay, he had to re-sign most of the team’s core players to long-term deals but they never performed again to earlier levels. The team won 42 games in ‘01-02 and lost in the first round of the playoffs.

- GAME 600: MARCH 5, 2003
ROCKETS 97, RAPTORS 95
OVERALL RECORD: 243-357

The decline accelerated at an alarming rate. A team that had looked so good just two years previously, was now a mess, winning only 24 games in ‘02-03 and 33 a year later.

- GAME 700: APRIL 4, 2004
BUCKS 90, RAPTORS 83
OVERALL RECORD: 278-422

Grunwald was replaced by Rob Babcock, who inherited an unhappy Vince Carter, made a horrible trade with New Jersey — getting little in return for a superstar — and wasted a first-round pick on the alarmingly unathletic Rafael Araujo.

- GAME 800: NOV. 23, 2005
CLIPPERS 103, RAPTORS 100
OVERALL RECORD: 315-485

On its way to a 27-55 record in 2005-06, Babcock was jettisoned in late January and, a month later, a new era began when Bryan Colangelo came on board and made a swift series of moves to set the stage for a rapid turnaround.
With Chris Bosh coming into his own as a star, the rebuilt Raptors went from 27 wins to 47 in one off-season.

- GAME 900: DEC. 29, 2006
BULLS 107, RAPTORS 97
OVERALL RECORD: 354-546

With stable management and a young, improving team on the court, it can be said that the future of the Raptors never looked any brighter.
That said, we remember saying something similar when Carter and McGrady were leaping tall buildings, oh, about 500 games ago.

- GAME 1,000: FEB. 8, 2008
CLIPPERS AT RAPTORS
OVERALL RECORD: 414-585

Last night the Clippers beat the Raptors 102-98.
Toronto guard T.J. Ford got a loud ovation when he entered the game at the start of the second quarter, his first home appearance since a Dec. 11 injury at Atlanta. Ford returned to the lineup Feb. 4 at Miami following a 24-game absence.
Toronto coach Sam Mitchell said his team may have underestimated the Clippers, who are last in the Pacific at 16-31.
“They deserved to win and we didn’t deserve to win,” Mitchell said. “We’re not good enough to just look at a team’s record and show up and play.”

For reasons that aren’t easily explainable, Andrea Bargnani wasn’t consistently taking his man off the dribble, a dimension that has helped elevate his game recently. Rather than drive to the hole, Bargnani stood around the three-point arc.
Raptors coach Sam Mitchell had no choice but to replace Bargnani in the first quarter after Chris Kaman established a low-post presence. Mitchell turned to Rasho Nesterovic, who matched up better against the more physical Kaman.
Tim Thomas, who has been nursing lower back pains, started for the Clippers and played the entire opening quarter. His troublesome back woes then resurfaced, forcing Thomas to the sidelines for the balance of the evening.

Jamario Moon had 16 points, Andrea Bargnani had 14 and Jose Calderon had 11 points and 14 assists as Toronto came out the loser in the franchise’s 1,000th game.

Happy holidays , lots of luck and all the best wishes for the next year ! Enjoy !

After their horrible night in Dallas , when they had a 24 points advantage in the 2nd quarter , but they lost by 6 , many of us thought that they can t bounce back against the Grizzlies on back to back games . Even though their field goal percentage was 39 % , Raptors have something that other teams don t : a great ability to shot from the long range 3 pointers .

So , this is the story : 11 from 21 from beyond the arc : Calderon (2-4) , Bargnani (3-4) , Kapono (2-4 ), Parker (1-1) and Delfino (3-5) and you have a game .

Raptors won 95-89  the pick was lost .

Big night for the Grizzlies !
They managed to score big time again against a really tired team , Seattle.
Swift scored a season-high 24 points, Mike Miller added 19 points and seven assists and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Seattle SuperSonics 125-108 on Monday night.

“I just tried to move without the ball,” said Swift, who was 10-of-14 from the field. “They were focused on Pau (Gasol) mostly, and I was able to get open and get easy baskets. That helped me out a lot.”

Damon Stoudamire had 16 points and seven assists, and Hakim Warrick added 16 for the Grizzlies, who stopped a three-game skid. Gasol had 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and seven blocks, one short of his career high for rejections.

You can watch the video highlights of the game HERE !
Two of the Grizzlies’ three wins this season have come against the SuperSonics. Memphis defeated Seattle 105-98 on Nov. 7.

Stay tuned for more NBA free winning tips !

A great game for K Martin , a great game for the Kings !

Martin scored a career-high 43 points Friday night in a 123-118 double-overtime victory over the New York Knicks. The Kings won the 2nd OT 16-11 .

“It’s always good to do it and get the win. Last year I got 40 and we lost (to Washington),” Martin said.

Despite Martin’s effort, there was nothing easy about this victory, which snapped the Kings’ two-game losing streak. Sacramento squandered a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, but the Knicks missed chances to win the game in both regulation and overtime.

“They had two chances to win the game, so I told the guys before the second overtime we can’t give them a third,” Kings guard Beno Udrih said.

Ron Artest had 28 points and eight rebounds for the Kings. Salmons scored 16 points and Brad Miller had 12 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out in the first overtime.

“It was a good win for a team that in the past has had trouble winning close games, but we’ve got to learn from it because we made mistakes down the stretch that we have to get better from,” Kings coach Reggie Theus said.

That was another pick won for us , so stay tuned for some more !

David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy were knocked out of playoff contention Sunday when the Galaxy fell 1-0 to the Chicago Fire on the final day of Major League Soccer’s regular season.
The Galaxy, who had mounted a late-season surge to keep their playoff hopes alive, needed a victory in order to advance to the eight-team championship playoffs of the 13-team league.
The Fire only needed a draw but managed to go one better with a 90th-minute goal to claim the last playoff spot.
A sellout crowd of 21,374 at the Fire’s home stadium included standing room temporary seating added during the week in anticipation of seeing Beckham.
The English superstar had logged 25 minutes in a Thursday game against New York in his first appearance since a knee injury on August 29.
While Beckham was likely to play limited minutes, manager Frank Yallop noted that it was not a given.

“There’s no guarantee that he will get on the field,” he said right before the game. “We have to win this match. If it’s the right thing to do then we will do it, and if it’s not. Then we won’t. I think that he will be on at some point. He’s such a good player that he can see the game out or win it for you.”

Chicago, who boast their own superstar in Mexican international Cuauhtemoc Blanco, completely dominated the Galaxy for the first 45 minutes of the game, out-shooting them 10-1, but Los Angeles goalkeeper Joe Cannon was in superb form, coming up with big saves time and time again and the first half ended scoreless.
After the Galaxy weathered more prolonged battering from the Fire, Beckham entered the game in the 58th minute, but could not add any spark to his team.
He looked rusty on the several corner and free kicks he took in his time on the pitch, sometimes not even getting the ball over the first defender. He was very obviously not match fit, and was continually gasping for air as the game wound down.

With Los Angeles pushed up looking for a goal, the game-winner came three minutes into injury time, when Caleb Carr lifted a ball from the right wing to substitute John Thorrington, who was unmarked in the middle of the field.

Thorrington - the first American player signed to the same Manchester United youth academy that produced Beckham - slipped the ball under Cannon and gave Chicago fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

The Galaxy will return to Los Angeles and begin the process of retooling for the 2008 MLS season, including an off-season trip to Australia and New Zealand.

Beckham, whose playing time was severely limited in his first half-season with the Galaxy due to injury, may also take part in another kind of tour.

Wife Victoria will be part of a two-month, 11-date Spice Girls reunion tour that kicks off in Los Angeles on December 7 and will include dates in New York City, London, Cologne, Madrid, Beijing, Hong Kong, Sydney, Cape Town and Buenos Aires.

After the preview about the Estern Conf - you can see it in here - we re back with a few lines about the other side . A lot of changes again and many transfers between the teams . We re getting ready for the season … so bookmakers , get ready !

DALLAS MAVERICKS

Before joining Team Germany for the European Championship, Dirk Nowitzki spent the summer backpacking in Australia to get away from media scrutiny. He slept in a car and neglected to shave for over three weeks … The Mavs signed Devin Harris to a five-year extension believed to be worth more than $42 million.
Will this roster be able to come back after a devastating loss to Golden State? Will Dirk be able to overcome the scrutiny he faces after disappearing in playoffs.

DENVER NUGGETS
Nene suffered a calf strain in the FIBA Americas tournament and most likely will miss the first few weeks of camp … The Nuggets moved forward Reggie Evans to Philadelphia for Steven Hunter and Bobby Jones in early September … Carmelo Anthony starred with the U.S. at the Olympic qualifying.
How much can a full season with Allen Iverson help the Nuggets? Iverson hasn’t played a full season since 2002-03. With each passing year he racks up more miles on his odometer and it seems to be wearing him down. The Nuggets had a better record with A.I. out of the lineup (19-13) than in (26-24).

GOLDEN ST. WARRIORS

The Heat tried for two months to acquire Mickael Pietrus through fruitless sign-and-trade scenarios but the Warriors didn’t bite. Pietrus should be in camp with a $3.47-million deal and a focus on becoming a free agent next summer … The Warriors played with their roster over the summer to fit even better into returning coach Don Nelson’s system.
Can the Warriors shock anyone this year like they did last April? The element of surprise may be gone from the Warriors but they will still have some of the liveliest fans in the league behind them. Another year playing Nellie-ball should prove for more shootouts and high-scoring affairs.

HOUSTON ROCKETS

The Rockets not only brought in Steve Francis through free agency, they drafted Aaron Brooks with their top pick and traded to bring back Mike James … Both Rafer Alston and Justin Reed had run-ins with the law … Luis Scola, who starred in Argentina’s silver medal win at the FIBA Americas tournament, came over from San Antonio.
How in the world will coach Rick Adelman find playing time for the five point guards? There aren’t enough minutes in a game to keep everyone happy. Also, with 18 players on their roster, some bodies will have to be moved.

L.A. CLIPPERS

Elton Brand, who is on the shelf after rupturing an achilles tendon in August, remains optimistic that he can return before season’s end. He has had the cast removed and has been fitted for a removable walking boot … The Clippers hope that the signing of Ruben Patterson will help ease the loss of Brand … Former lottery pick Yaroslav Korolev won’t be back with the team after they declined his option … Shaun Livingston’s rehab from a severe knee injury is ahead of schedule, but he is still a ways away from sprinting or jumping.
Can the Clippers win without Brand? His injury leaves the Clippers small up front but they can make up for it with a solid backcourt and great depth. The team’s only concern should be rebounding but the remainder of the cast could easily pick up some slack … Corey Maggette, Tim Thomas and Patterson all averaged five or more rebounds per game last season and could see bumps in those numbers with Brand out.

L.A. LAKERS

Kobe, Kobe, Kobe will be all you hear coming out of the Lakers camp this season. Bryant’s well-documented demands to be traded if the Lakers fail to bring in another top-tier player have been brushed over while he was playing — and dominating — with Team USA over the summer. The only talent they were able to land was the returning Derek Fisher and first-round pick Javaris Crittenton.
How long will Kobe remain a Laker? If the team around him starts performing better and gets off to a winning start, Bryant may be fine in Laker-land. But unless the team can get another solid performer to flank him, his days in Los Angeles are looking numbered.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

Pau Gasol is still the undisputed best player on this squad and hopefully he didn’t get too accustomed to playing with players who were the calibre of his Spanish teammates … Darko Milicic unleashed a tirade of profanity at the media regarding the referees at the European Championship which upset his new employers … Marc Iavaroni takes over as coach.
How much will the new guys in town help this sad sack franchise? Mike Conley and Milicic, along with Juan Carlos Navarro, Casey Jacobsen and Andre Brown probably won’t be enough to help the team that had the worst record in the league last season get out of the gutter.

MINNESOTA T-WOLVES

The club will have to deal with the death of guard Eddie Griffin, who was killed this summer when his SUV collided with a train … Juwan Howard, who was acquired during the summer, already has asked to be traded … The deal that sent Kevin Garnett to Boston brought in a lot of young talent. Gerald Green and Al Jefferson should get a lot of minutes.
Who’s going to lead this team? The Garnett trade left the T-Wolves devoid of veterans. This young squad, with an average age of 25.8, will have to look up to the likes of Mark Blount, Theo Ratliff and Howard. The oldest guard on the team, Marko Jaric, turns 29 in October. The younger guys may have to lead themselves.

NEW ORLEANS HORNETS

Off-season acquisition Melvin Ely will be vying for front court playing time against an already deep front court … Tyson Channdler has shown up for camp early after playing with the U.S. team in hopes of developing a jump shot … Long-time Raptor Morris Peterson is looking to land a starting job but with will have competition in Rasual Butler.
New Orleans has two big questions facing it: Can the team stay healthy throughout the season? The club suffered with key players Chris Paul, Peja Stojakovic and David West missing chunks of last season. Secondly, are the Hornets good enough to make the playoffs in an always tough Western Conference? They have the talent but face stiff competition.

PHOENIX SUNS

The Suns and new GM Steve Kerr were so desperate to get out of luxury tax hell, they dealt Kurt Thomas and two first-round picks to Seattle for its second-round choice. The deal will end up saving the team roughly $15 million … The Suns have one roster spot remaining that needs to be filled. They have been looking at several fringe big men … Coach Mike D’Antoni is so impressed with newcomer Grant Hill’s workouts that he’s lobbying for his name to be put on the all-star ballot.
Can the team win if Steve Nash gets hurt? When Nash was forced out of the lineup last season, the Suns were 2-5 and looked disjointed. While Leandro Barbosa is a quality player, he didn’t seem able to run the offence nearly as well as Nash. Nash, who turns 34 this season, won’t be getting any more durable and the Suns’ window for taking home a championship is starting to close.

PORTLAND BLAZERS

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know that first overall pick Greg Oden will miss his rookie season after undergoing microfracture surgery on his right knee. Reports are that he has back problems as well … After drafting Oden, the Blazers dealt their leading scorer and rebounder, Zach Randolph, along with Dan Dickau and Fred Jones for Steve Francis (since waived) and Channing Frye.
How will the team cope with the losses of Oden and Randolph? They do still have good young players like LaMarcus Aldridge and rookie of the year Brandon Roy so the team might not be as bad as some will anticipate. But, this is a rebuilding year and the possibility of teaming a top-five pick next year with a potentially healthy Oden is a solid foundation for the future.

SACRAMENTO KINGS

The Kings have made it clear they intend to make last season’s leading scorer Kevin Martin the face of their franchise and have given him a five-year extension worth upwards of $50 million. The departure of coach Eric Musselman might have played into Martin’s decision … New coach Reggie Theus once starred in the teen-oriented sitcom Hang Time. This experience may help him deal with a unique character like Ron Artest.
Where is this team going? Sacramento is in need of a shakeup since this group of players clearly isn’t working. The biggest off-season acquisition was Spencer Hawes, the 10th pick of the draft who won’t be the saviour of the franchise — this season at least — and the rest of the cast is aging.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS

Stars Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili both sat out the FIBA Americas tournament and will be well rested … NBA final MVP Tony Parker spent the summer trying to help France qualify for the Olympics. Parker also was busy tying the knot with Eva Longoria and releasing his debut rap album.
Can this Spurs team, a year older, repeat and keep its dynasty going? As long as the key players can stay healthy, Gregg Popovich’s squad shouldn’t have any problem making the playoffs and thriving.

SEATTLE SONICS

The Sonics will be without their two leading scorers from last year. Ray Allen was dealt to the Celtics while Rashard Lewis opted out of his contract and accepted a max-money deal with Orlando. A loss of talent like that would concern most teams but with the additions of Kevin Durant and Jeff Green through the draft as well as Delonte West and Wally Szczerbiak from the Allen deal the dropoff won’t be as much as expected … P.J. Carlesimo gets another shot.
What’s going on with the Sonics ownership? How long will the team stay in Seattle? While the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe has offered to donate 26 acres of land as a site for a stadium, there is still no plan to provide the $450 million needed to build it. After Clay Bennett and fellow Oklahoma-based owners purchased the Sonics, rumours immediately began about a move.

UTAH JAZZ

Andrei Kirilenko led Russia to a shocking gold medal at the European Championship. He took home the MVP award from the tournament and he’ll be looking to improve on a lacklustre 2006-07 season … Kirilenko has demanded a trade and the Jazz has been in talks with the Suns over a possible trade involving Kirilienko and Shawn Marion. Nothing appears close to fruition and Kirilenko is expected to be present when camp opens … Emotional playoff leader Derek Fisher bolted the team for a return to Los Angeles.
Can the Jazz improve on its 2007 playoff run? Utah is hard-pressed to break through the West’s proverbial glass ceiling with Dallas, San Antonio and Phoenix on the top. They could fend off the Nuggets and take the Northwest division again, but making the leap to the NBA finals sounds like a stretch.

Hopefully it s gonna be useful for you and when the NBA season starts you ll find many free tips from the American League . Stay tuned !

The season is coming and we have a lot of changes this year . We ll have a look today about what happened in the Eastern Conference in every team . As a reminder the pre season starts on oct 6th , and the regular season on oct 30th. Are you ready ???
ATLANTA HAWKS

Star guard Joe Johnson has recovered from a calf injury that held him to just 57 games last season … How will coach Mike Woodson find enough minutes for SF/PFs Josh Smith and Marvin Williams, as well as Al Horford, sophomore Shelden Williams, Zaza Pachulia and Lorenzen Wright?
  Have the point guard-starved Hawks finally found the long-term answer in 11th overall selection Acie Law? The Hawks, who passed on star point men Deron Williams and Chris Paul in 2005 in favour of yet another swingman (Marvin Williams), sure hope so.

BOSTON CELTICS
The Celtics are energized and hungry thanks to the blockbuster trades that brought Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to town … Two-thirds of the roster was shipped away to acquire them … The thin Celtics will expect a lot from veteran James Posey, who won a championship with Miami in 2006, as well as gunner Eddie House.
How long will it take the superstar triumvirate to jell? All three are far more willing to pass the ball than most superstars, but don’t expect magic right off the bat. The trio is used to playing with far lesser talent and will have to adapt to not having to carry a team solo.

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
The arrival of star guard Jason Richardson has this 33-win team thinking the playoffs could be in reach … Sophomore Adam Morrison has a lot to prove after co-owner Michael Jordan chose him third overall in 2006. Morrison was a major disappointment in his rookie year, shooting just 38% from the floor.

Can these guys stay healthy? Former rookie of the year Emeka Okafor has missed 81 games over the past two years. Gerald Wallace has missed 37. Centre Primoz Brezec sat out 24 last season, while power forward Sean May has managed to play in only 58 games in his first two NBA seasons. Richardson missed 31 games in 2006-07.

CHICAGO BULLS

Rookie Joakim Noah (shoulder) missed summer league but should be ready to go when camp opens … Rising star Luol Deng (18.8 points, 7.1 rebounds a year ago) had an outstanding summer, leading Great Britain to a 6-0 record and a promotion to the A division of next year’s European Championships.

Are the Baby Bulls ready to grow up? Their best player, Deng, is only 22. Point guard Kirk Hinrich is 26. Ben Gordon is 24, Noah is 22 and potential standout Tyrus Thomas, is just 21. The young core should be scary good in a few seasons, but big things are expected right away.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Management of the surprise NBA finalists risks poisoning the locker room by low-balling restricted free agents Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic who remain unsigned … Summer rumours had team mulling shipping out Drew Gooden for Sacramento point guard Mike Bibby in order to make room for Varejao in the starting lineup.

When will LeBron James get his supporting cast? The Cavs need to upgrade LeBron’s aging sidekicks, but have tied up far too much money in the oft-injured Larry Hughes (over $38 million US owed over next three seasons), plus the declining Zydrunas Ilgauskas ($32 million/3).

DETROIT PISTONS

Young big men Amir Johnson, who signed a three-year $12-million deal after tearing up the D-League to the tune of 18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.1 blocks, and Jason Maxiell will be asked to pick up the slack with the departure of Chris Webber. The starting centre spot is up for grabs.
Have they had their day? The Pistons have been to the Eastern Conference final each of the past five seasons, winning the 2005 NBA title, but their starting lineup is now the league’s oldest, averaging 31 years.

INDIANA PACERS

Jim O’Brien takes over for taskmaster Rick Carlisle as the Pacers look to rebound from a disastrous 35-47 campaign that saw the team miss the playoffs for the first time in a decade … Troy Murphy, Mike Dunleavy and Ike Diogu, acquired from Golden State halfway through last season, get their first training camp with the Pacers.

Will Jermaine O’Neal be a Pacer at season’s end? Ever since Ron Artest’s outburst in Detroit almost three years ago turned the Pacers from contenders to pretenders, franchise player O’Neal has waffled between committing to the team and asking to be shipped elsewhere. O’Neal was heavily pursued by the Lakers, Nets and Knicks this off-season.

MIAMI HEAT

It’s a good-news/bad-news situation for the league’s most high profile pairing. Shaquille O’Neal has worked himself into excellent shape after posting career lows across the board last season, but Dwyane Wade, who put up mostly career highs, is still recovering from May shoulder surgery and is expected to miss the first month of the season … The Heat did little to beef up aging and declining supporting cast.

How many games will the dynamic duo play together? O’Neal and Wade missed 42 and 31 games respectively last season as the defending NBA champions stumbled to a 44-38 record and a first-round exit. Shaq is in shape, but at 36 and well over 300 pounds, it’s unlikely he’ll suit up for all 82 games.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS

Owner and U.S. Senator Herb Kohl had to use all of his political wiles in order to convince sixth overall selection Yi Jianlian to sign with Milwaukee. Yi only ended his lengthy holdout once Kohl guaranteed he would get significant playing time … The team can only get better under Larry Krystkowiak who took over for overmatched Terry Stotts.

Can these guys play even passable defence? It’s obvious they can score. Michael Redd ranked sixth in the league with a 26.7 scoring average, Mo Williams averaged 17.3, Charlie Villanueva can fill it up in a variety of ways, but only Williams is an average defender out of that trio. Jianlian is also a finesse player who duplicates a lot of what Villanueva provides.

NEW JERSEY NETS

Dug deep to find the $61.8 million necessary to bring back Vince Carter. Will he play hard or regress like he did soon after signing his first mega-contract with the Raptors? … Upgraded front court with return of Nenad Kristic (averaged 16.4 ppg and 6.8 rpg before tearing anterior cruciate ligament 26 games into the season), and addition of former all-star Jamaal Magloire and shot-blocking rookie Sean Williams.

Will Jason Kidd’s body hold up for another season? The Nets will go only as far as Kidd takes them. While the team has talent, they likely would be in the lottery without their floor general. Kidd was remarkable in the playoffs, averaging a triple-double (14.6 points, 10.9 assists and rebounds per-game), but is now 34-years-old and playing on a surgically repaired knee.

NEW YORK KNICKS

Team president and coach Isiah Thomas will have to avoid being distracted by his court case because he has a lot on his plate with this team. Stephon Marbury spent the off-season putting his foot in his mouth about dog fighting among other things, but should have been working on his declining game. Marbury scored only 16.4 points last season, his lowest since his rookie year and put up career- low assist numbers.

Can Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph co-exist? While teams like the Raptors and Warriors try to emulate Phoenix’s frenetic style, Thomas has decided to build a team that does the exact opposite. There’s no question Randolph and Curry will do damage on the offensive end, but they are not quick enough to stop athletic big men and may get into foul trouble long before they can assert themselves offensively.

ORLANDO MAGIC

Well-regarded coach Stan Van Gundy gets another gig in Florida after being shafted by the Heat. Van Gundy will get the most out of a team that has little depth and major holes at shooting guard and up front. Dwight Howard still has a huge upside, but the Magic will need him to play like Kevin Garnett if it is to make the playoffs.

Can Rashard Lewis possibly live up to his contract? The Magic gave Lewis a staggering six-year contract that pays him an average of $19.6 million, or about twice what he probably deserves. Lewis is certainly not a top-10 player, but yet he’ll be paid like one, earning more than the likes of Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and Dirk Nowitzki. The Magic also had to part ways with free agents Darko Milicic and Grant Hill.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Bland Sixers go into season for first time in almost a decade without headline-generating Allen Iverson … Coach Maurice Cheeks and general manager Billy King are in final year of contracts, so pressure is on to win, despite weak roster … Samuel Dalembert suited up for Canada in Las Vegas with a stress fracture in his left foot but expects to be ready to go when camp opens.

Are they destined for no man’s land again? The Sixers did themselves no favours last season by finishing the season on a 30-29 run after starting 5-18. A team that should have been in contention for potential championship building blocks Greg Oden or Kevin Durant, instead found itself selecting 12th. Sixers once again have too many solid veterans to be truly abysmal.

TORONTO RAPTORS

Much to the chagrin of reigning coach of the year Sam Mitchell, camp begins in Treviso, Italy, and moves on to Rome where Andrea Bargnani will get a chance to play in front of family and friends … Bargnani should supplant Rasho Nesterovic in the starting lineup, despite the Slovenian big man’s strong play at the recent Eurobasket tournament … Off-season acquisitions Jason Kapono and Carlos Delfino will battle it out for starting small forward assignment.

Can they defend the Atlantic? Toronto caught the league off-guard last season, but nobody will be looking past them this season. The Raptors are not used to being the hunted, but will have to get used to it. The Atlantic Division has improved greatly, so the Raptors will have to utilize their superior depth to neutralize the star-powered Celtics and Nets.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS

Stole USC’s Nick Young with the 15th pick of the draft … Stars Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison will be playing for expensive new contracts … Centres Brendan Haywood and Etan Thomas take fighting for a spot to a new extreme by constantly brawling with each other.

Can they keep everyone healthy? Arenas and Caron Butler were having career years before suffering season-ending injuries last April. Antawn Jamison also missed 12 games because of injury. Arenas was a legitimate MVP candidate and had earlier led the Wizards to the East’s best record just before the all-star break, while Butler made his first all-star appearance.

We ll continue with the Western Conf in the next days . Till then , thanks to Mr Ryan Wolstatfrom from Sunmedia .