Tracy "T-Mac" McGrady of the Houston Rockets

NBA Preview 2004-2005:
Is T-Mac the New Shaq?
Will Seattle Wind Up in the Lottery?

By Mack Williams
SeeingBlack.com Sports Writer

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This year's off-season has seen more movement of marquee NBA players than any in recent memory. One would have to go back to the 1998-99 season—after the second MJ retirement—to find a year where things seemed as wide open as they do now.

Some are calling Yao and T-Mac the new Shaq and Kobe, while the old Shaq says Dwyane Wade can become the best he's ever played with, and the old Kobe has a bunch of new running partners in L.A.

The addition of BET Bob Johnson's expansion Charlotte Bobcats spurred the league to create six five-team divisions. Here's how things will work out in the newly realigned NBA:

East Side—Atlantic Division
New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets,
Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics

The 411: Year two of Isiah Thomas's Extreme Makeover should find the Knicks on top in the Atlantic. Stephon Marbury, Allan Houston, Penny Hardaway and newcomer Jamal Crawford form a strong backcourt, and their frontcourt should be improved through the growth of sophomore Michael Sweetney. The Sixers, adding Corliss Williamson to the Iverson & Co. crew, will be right behind N.Y.

Two disgruntled superstars, New Jersey's Jason Kidd and Toronto's Vince Carter, will be the factors in how far their respective teams will go, especially in the case of the Nets, who will greatly miss Kenyon Martin. As for Celtic fans, they’d better revel in the successes of the Patriots and Red Sox.

East Side—Central Division
Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers,
Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls

The 411: Unlike last season, I believe the Pistons now, but might nonetheless have selected Indiana to win the division were it not for Reggie Miller's broken left hand, which will sideline him for six weeks. In any case, these two teams should battle to season's end.

LeBron James and the Cavs, joined by the steady Eric Snow, will take another step or two forward. Milwaukee will contend for a playoff spot, while Chicago will still be in post-championship rebuilding mode.

The East Side—Southeast Division
Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards,
Charlotte Bobcats

The 411: Let's start bottoms up: Charlotte is an expansion team, and Atlanta and the Wizards aren't all that much better, although Al Harrington and Antoine Walker should make the Hawks more competitive and definitely more enjoyable to watch.

That leaves us with Miami and Orlando. Both teams have depth problems, but from a center standpoint alone I'll take the Heat's Shaq, Wade, and Eddie Jones over the Magic's Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, and the ever-recuperating Grant Hill.

The Wild, Wild West—Southwest Division
San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets,
Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Hornets

The 411: Team most likely to apply for membership in the NBDL - New Orleans. A perennial contender in the Eastern Conference, they will be hard-pressed to evade the lottery in the West, having landed in the thickest divisional nest in the NBA.

The preseason favorite San Antonio Spurs have gotten stronger with the addition of Brent Barry, while youngsters Josh Howard and Marquis Daniels will help the still talent-laden Dallas Mavericks compensate for the loss of Steve Nash. The Houston Rockets will be dangerous with scoring champ Tracy McGrady, and Pau Gasol and the Grizzlies continue to improve.

The Wild, Wild West—Northwest Division
Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz,
Portland Trail Blazers, Seattle SuperSonics

The 411: Is this the year for KG and the Wolves? Could be, especially if Wally Szcerbiak remains healthy. Kenyon Martin may help take the Nuggets to another level, and Carlos Boozer may do the same for the Jazz.

Portland will be a force to be reckoned with if coach Maurice Cheeks can put it together from the sidelines the way he ran the point on the court. Seattle is young and will wind up in the lottery.

The Wild, Wild West—Pacific Division
Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers,
Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers

The 411: Now we will learn just how great a scorer Kobe Bryant really is. I expect a Jordan-like season from him, but the question is how far he will be able to take his teammates. Since the Kings biggest problem of the Kings in years past has been the presence of Shaquille O'Neal in their division and conference, this should be their year. Even without Vlade Divac, who has returned to the Lakers, Sacramento should be the class of this division.

Phoenix is not particularly deep, but when they have Steve Nash, Quentin Richardson, Shawn Marion, and Amare Stoudemire on the floor, many teams will have match-up problems. Golden State and the Clippers will round it out as usual.

When all is said and done, and all the new and old players have settled into the new season, my sense is that—just as the sun sets in the west—the championship trophy will ultimately settle down in a Western Conference city. But let’s watch and see…

— November 10, 2004

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