ISAAC BOND
Sports Writer

October has arrived, which always carries anticipation for the upcoming NBA basketball season. This past summer had more moves than Kobe Bryant under the influence of speed, especially in the Eastern conference.

For the NBA freaks out there, here are three categories of teams to look out for: the contenders, the pretenders and the horrendous.

The contenders are the teams with a legitimate shot at taking home the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The pretenders will be fighting for playoff spots, then bowing out to the contenders. And the horrendous will just be bowing out.

A few teams fall between the cracks of these categories but most are accounted for in the Sheaf’s take on how the balance of power will pan out in the East this year.

The contenders

After taking the L.A. Lakers to a grueling game seven, you’ve got to think that the Boston Celtics lead this discussion, even if they are old. After picking up two all-star O’Neils (Jermaine and Shaquille), the Celtics frontcourt is looking mighty intimidating, even with Rasheed Wallace’s retirement and Kendrick Perkins’s ongoing rehabilitation from knee surgery.

But don’t forget about the Orlando Magic, a team that has a solid core led by Dwight Howard that still has room to grow after losing to the Celtics in the Conference Finals.

For those who like surprises, keep an eye on the Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls. Both teams are coming off playoff seasons loaded with youth and talent led by defensively minded coaches. These teams are the real deal, even if they don’t get the hype.

And then there’s the Miami Heat. After hauling in arguably the greatest free agent trio of all time by retaining Dwayne Wade and signing Chris Bosh and Lebron James, the Heat are poised to return to their championship glory of 2006.

Any less would be a disappointment for Miami.

Having assembled a decent supporting cast for a knowledgeable young coach, general manager Pat Riley is laughing while he polishes his ring collection with anticipation. Barring injuries, this is the team to beat. Hate Lebron as much as you want for ditching Cleveland, or Bosh for skipping town in Toronto, that won’t change their hunger and determination to build Wade’s team into a legend.

The pretenders

Leading this pack of mediocrity is the Atlanta Hawks. After two years of second round sweeps, the Hawks have done little more than fire their head coach and wonder what it would be like to have a frontline that isn’t undersized and a starting point guard who can dribble the ball without a cane.

There is such a point guard in Washington rookie John Wall, who may be what that team needs to put them even close to the playoff picture again. That would be a blessing for the Wizards after the whole gun-in-the-locker-room-fiasco with Gilbert Arenas last year.

It’s difficult to forget the Knicks, who have gone from disastrous mediocre to hopeful mediocre after signing Amar’e Stoudemire and Raymond Felton. The Charlotte Bobcats, who lost Felton, will be hard-pressed to improve their seventh-place first round sweep from last season.

The horrendous

Sorry Raptors fans but this is where you can expect to see our country’s lone franchise this season. They won’t, as some have predicted, be the worst team in the league, but they will struggle and at times struggle mightily.

It’s hard to believe that the Detroit Pistons could do any worse than last season, but they will. What can Tracy McGrady offer a team full of soft scorers who can’t play defence and veterans who can’t carry a team anymore? Perhaps a few seat sales, some locker room drama and a higher tally in the loss column.

Lastly, an elegiac sigh of exasperation for the Philadelphia 76ers. Doug Collins is a good coach but this team doesn’t have a clue who they are or how to play. Expect some roster shake-ups and if they get really desperate, one last hurrah from Allen Iverson to inscribe on the franchise’s tombstone.

– –
image: Flickr