[llperez]

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com
Friday, Sept. 24

The Lakers and Celtics got deeper after going seven games in the NBA Finals. Eight teams have hired new coaches. And three of the biggest free agents in league history have teamed up in one beach city in the signature chapter of the wildest offseason we’ve ever witnessed.

Now?

The Nets, Knicks, Rockets and Wolves are holding their media days on this very good Friday, with practices starting Saturday, which means that the most anticipated season in memory has finally arrived. That also means it’s time for your committee (of one) to return with the annual training camp edition of ESPN.com’s NBA Power Rankings, some 99 days since L.A.’s title-clinching win over Boston and 165 days since the last fresh batch.

The new season starts with the defending champions accorded the usual respect here by opening at No. 1, but the Lakers are followed closely by Miami, whose historic summer signing spree that flanked Dwyane Wade with LeBron James and Chris Bosh vaulted the Heat over the Celtics into the No. 2 slot, despite the fact we haven’t yet seen them as a threesome.

For the purposes of review, allow me to pass along my usual reminder that the season’s first rankings help measure each team’s standing and outlook heading into camps. It is not — repeat, not — a firm predicted order of finish. How last season ended and how good a team is projected to be in 2009-10 are big parts of the equation at this early stage, but how each team fared in its summertime dealings is a major factor/frequent tiebreaker as well, along with the usual dash of totally subjective whim from the committee.

The next batch will appear Oct. 25, on the eve of opening night, after all 30 teams have had a month to show us something. You then can click here every Monday throughout the regular season for our human, thoroughly non-automated leaguewide pulse-take. You can also rank the teams yourself or click here to comment on the first set.

Editor’s note: “Last Week” and “Record” categories are from the final Power Rankings of the 2009-10 regular season.

2010-11 Power Rankings: Training Camp
RK (LW) TEAM REC COMMENT

1 (4) Lakers 57-25 There will be the usual fretting about Bynum’s health, but the champs have a better roster than last season’s, Phil Jackson under contract for one more year and a healthy cushion on the competition in the West. Life is grand.

2 (13) Heat 47-35 After a haul to rival Jerry West’s Shaq/Kobe platter in 1996, those Heat Hater taunts of yore won’t be exclusively directed here. Too many haters to count now that Riles has built a dream team more loathed than L.A.

3 (12) Celtics 50-32 The Celts have succeeded the Spurs as the team you’re most afraid to write off no matter how old they are. And they’re doing it with a roster concoction so fascinating that the Dos Equis guy should be team spokesman.

4 (2) Magic 59-23 I’m off the Magic’s bandwagon, true, but I do still like them. The biggest reason why: All the chirpiness that keeps flying between Orlando and Miami is one of the best subplots of this can’t-start-soon-enough season.

5 (16) Bulls 41-41 Put me down as (A) rather impressed by Chicago’s salvage signings after it missed out on the big names, (B) picking the Bulls to win their division and (C) firmly in the camp opposed to giving up Noah in a trade for Melo.

6 (11) Thunder 50-32 Any fears Durant might struggle with lofty expectations were obliterated in Istanbul. But he’s going to need steady help to cement OKC as the No. 1 threat to L.A. out West. And I’m not completely sold KD’s crew is ready.

7 (6) Spurs 50-32 You can safely presume that the Spurs will halt a four-season run in which they’ve won fewer games than the season before, dropping from 63 W’s to 50 in that span. Though No. 2 in the West looks like their ceiling.

8 (7) Mavericks 55-27 The Mavs are still right there with OKC, San Antonio and the rest for the right to be a distant No. 2 in the West … and still desperately chasing a star sidekick for Nowitzki after a frustrating summer on the trade front.

9 (5) Jazz 53-29 You certainly have the latitude to ask if Big Al can produce for a winning team like he has for lottery-bound squads. Just make sure to tip your cap to the Jazz for responding to Boozer’s departure with more spending.

10 (15) Bucks 46-36 Don’t be surprised to see/hear folks picking the Bucks to win the Central. Can’t go that far until we’re sure about Bogut’s recovery, but this is a team deserving of coverage/chatter it won’t get in the Miami/Boston conference.

11 (8) Trail Blazers 50-32 Seems cruel to point out that Oden has played in only 82 games in his first three seasons. But that’s where the conversation has to start (again) because Portland will be a different team if he can ever stay healthy.

12 (3) Suns 54-28 Our Good Ship Nash ticket is a lifetime pass. But even if Hedo pans out we wouldn’t dare forecast a repeat of ’09-10, when the Suns Cinderella’d their way to the West finals after we were mocked for starting them at No. 10.

13 (18) Rockets 42-40 Reasonable expectations for Yao Ming’s latest comeback from a serious foot injury? Hate to be cynical, but seeing what the Rockets eventually do with their decent cache of trade assets is the more interesting question.

14 (10) Hawks 53-29 Don’t expect many Monday debates this season about whether the Hawks belong in East elite chatter. With Joe Johnson getting that massive contract but no help up front, they could slip to sixth in the conference.

15 (9) Nuggets 53-29 The Nuggets finished fourth back in August in the Team Turmoil category when ESPN.com polled the whole 93-member staff back in August. Rest assured they’d be a near-unanimous No. 1 now thanks to their Melo drama.

16 (23) Knicks 29-53 MSG didn’t crumble when LeBron snubbed NYC for Miami. Yet it would be way more painful for the Knicks to see Melo go elsewhere, since they know Melo, unlike LeBron, badly wants to be a Knick and team up with Amare.

17 (26) 76ers 27-55 No one doubts Doug Collins’ ability to mastermind a significant improvement in Year 1. The doubts are still all about the mix of players: Can Elton Brand mesh with Iguodala, Holiday, Thad Young and the rest of the runners?

18 (14) Bobcats 44-38 Reclamation projects Shaun Livingston and Michael Jordan’s old pal Kwame Brown will have to be huge successes to offset the letdown of a summer in which the Bobs’ biggest achievement was reducing MJ’s luxury-tax bill.

19 (22) Hornets 37-45 Melo’s uncertain future has overtaken Chris Paul’s as this season’s LeBron-style obsession. But if the Hornets can’t manufacture fast improvement and/or more help for CP3, their turn is coming soon.

20 (19) Grizzlies 40-42 Can Gay justify his max deal? Can Z-Bo repeat his breakout leap to All-Star status? Can the Griz flirt with .500 again with little depth or outside shooting and without the benefit of sneaking up on teams? Skepticism abounds.

21 (24) Wizards 26-56 After one of the most depressing seasons turned in by any team in history, Washington has me way more excited than I should be admitting out loud about its exhibition opener in Dallas on Oct. 5. The John Wall effect!

22 (17) Pacers 32-50 Can’t remember the last time Indy had this much to talk about besides Granger: 1. Collison. 2. George. 3. Hibbert. 4. The prospect of a trade or two instead of waiting to see if cap space can lead to a big summer score.

23 (27) Clippers 29-53 It’ll take a ROY from a still-eligible Blake Griffin and a mythical Comeback POY from Baron Davis this season to make up for the flushed-with-cash Clips, thanks to the Sterling factor, getting nowhere in free agency.

24 (21) Warriors 26-56 The Cohan regime was so abysmal for so long that the new Lacob/Guber ownership partnership can almost certainly count on a lengthy honeymoon no matter what happens this season. Especially after ousting Nellie.

25 (29) Nets 12-70 If he knew his biggest free-agent score would be Avery Johnson, maybe Prokhorov wouldn’t have said all that stuff about getting to the Finals in five years or less. The flip side: Proky’s Nets remain firmly in the Melo mix.

26 (25) Pistons 27-55 We’d love to pretend T-Mac’s comeback or the next trade of a glory-days holdover — Rip or Tayshaun — can keep everyone captivated. But Motown will remain in limbo as a hoops town until this team is sold.

27 (1) Cavaliers 61-21 You know how people say that it takes half as long as the relationship itself for the heartbroken to get over that relationship? Probably not in this case. Who dares to think Clevelanders will be healed 3 1/2 years from now?

28 (20) Raptors 40-42 Something tells me the combo of Hedo’s departure and the usual longings here about moving the committee’s offices to Toronto won’t bring nearly enough comfort to our Canadian friends. Not after L’Affaire Bosh.

29 (28) Kings 25-57 These very young Kings will definitely be bigger with Cousins and Dalembert, but don’t bank on anything more than marginally better yet. Tyreke and Cousins, as a franchise duo, have some questions to answer.

30 (30) Timberwolves 15-67 The Wolves did admit in a full-page newspaper ad that competing for a championship this season is on the unlikely side. What they didn’t say: It might be 2011 before they match K-Love’s 9-win summer with Team USA.

ESPN Conversations

[Michael.S.Participant]

Marc Stien is too biased to listen to. He’s proven that.

[llperez]

 

bucks at 10? I dont think they make the playoffs in the west and ahead of portland?

[HaleParticipant]

I think the Bucks could make the playoffs in the west. They are really deep this year.

[llperez]

i like the bucks, but they have a lot of question marks. Is bogut gonna be at full strength, is jennings gonna learn to shoot consistently, what is redd capable of providing. I mean, they are probably gonna start drew gooden and corey maggette and those guys didnt make any differences in the west before.

[HaleParticipant]

All good points.

[sheltwon3Participant]

Portland is obviously better if Oden is healthy, but Bucks are looking good in the East.  They will be that team like ATL was that comes out of nowhere and is trying to join the elites.  Cavs should be 2nd or 3rd worst team.  Kings and Toronto should get over 30 wins but I don’t know about Cavs.

[TooNice4TVParticipant]

i agree with sheltwon… i think the bucks do look good in the east as well. Their wing rotation looks very rounded, with salmons, maggette, redd and cdr rotating in the 2 and 3 spots, plus they have a top 10 center in bogut, and a rising star in jennings. they also have a bargnani 2.0 in ilyasova, and can change it to the defensive side in mbah a moute. They can definitely be a 5 or 6 seed in the east. 

[mgreener_34Participant]

 "i like the bucks, but they have a lot of question marks. Is bogut gonna be at full strength, is jennings gonna learn to shoot consistently, what is redd capable of providing. I mean, they are probably gonna start drew gooden and corey maggette and those guys didnt make any differences in the west before"

To be honest man what team can’t you say that with? Can Wade stay healthy? Is lebrons ego going to get in the way? Will not having a legit pg and c hinder the play of the team?…anyone not picking the heat to win the east? The bucks have great guard play, and top 5 center in the league, who if healthy would have brought them at least to the second round. You know…the place were the blazers have lived at for awhile now. 

[llperez]

mcgreener, i have no idea what you are trying to say. i brought up boguts health because he has been injured and people dont know if he will come back healthy right away next season. But you seem to make fun of me like "well can wade stay healthy" hell, who knows. if you wanna go that rout, we cat predict anything from anybody becasuse injuries are an issue. I might as well say the heat will suck becasue lebron and wade will get injured if you wanna go your rout. I was talking about guys who are actually injured. And what on earth does your comment have to do with the blazers vs bucks?

[mgreener_34Participant]

 Not making fun of you. Sorry if it seemed like it 🙂 Just trying to make the point that every team has a lot of questions going into the season, and asking those questions about the Bucks only is a little unfair to them. Made it seem like just because of those questions you thought the Bucks aren’t that good. 

"Portland is obviously better if Oden is healthy"

The blazers comment was directed to every person on this site who has Portland as that next great team, and has for years. It just gets annoying because the Blazers have had just as much success as any other team, including the bucks. 

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