After a busy offseason, player movement has slowed and teams are beginning to think ahead to training camps. So, what better time to put out our preliminary rankings, which, like many other prognostications, are bound to cause some disagreement and judged in hindsight.

Now, on to the rankings!

	TEAM	2004-05.	BREAKDOWN
1	San Antonio	59-23	If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The Spurs held steady (and nabbed Finley!) with the team that earned the O'Brien trophy. Come Nov. 1, they'll put on their rings and begin the title defense.
2	Miami	59-23	The trade that ushered in Walker, Williams and Posey makes the Heat the East's best team on paper … and your computer screen.
3	Detroit	54-28	Does Larry Brown deserve credit for the team's success the last two years? Or the players? New coach Flip Saunders has the same squad at his disposal, so we'll soon find out.
4	Houston	51-31	Houston adds D.A. to the backcourt and Stro' to the frontcourt. With Yao and T-Mac, the Rockets will be in the hunt for the West's best record.
5	Denver	49-33	George Karl took over and the Nugs were suddenly one of the best teams in the second-half. With the same team returning, they should remain near the top this season.
6	Indiana	44-38	Artest's return alone makes this team better. Add Jasikevicius to a healthy O'Neal and Tinsley and the Pacers could make a run at the Heat and Pistons this season.
7	Phoenix	62-20	The Spurs proved to the Suns that defense does indeed win championships. So, in search of more defense, did Phoenix let too much of its offense slip away?
8	Sacramento	50-32	The Kings look strong on paper. But that's not where games are played. The main question is: Can Abdur-Rahim or Wells display the unselfishness customary of this team?
9	Dallas	58-24	Only Dirk remains from the trio that led Big D to a 60-win season in 2002-03, and he'll be counted on to shoulder the burden this season. It could be a long season.
10	Cleveland	42-40	Given all the team's offseason moves, there is no reason -- I repeat, no reason -- the Cavaliers finish out of the playoff picture this year.
11	New Jersey	42-40	With Kidd, Carter and Jefferson healthy and on the floor together all season, is there anybody who can challenge the Nets for the Atlantic crown?
12	Seattle	52-30	Re-signing Ray was huge. So was losing McMillan, Daniels and James. The Sonics are likely to find themselves looking up at Denver in the Northwest.
13	Washington	45-37	Filling the hole left by Hughes will be difficult, considering the Wizards were 10-11 without Hughes last season. Daniels, Butler and Atkins, though, will serve as capable replacements.
14	Philadelphia	43-39	With Mo Cheeks guiding Philly, C-Webb should gel better than last year. The development of Sam Dalembert and Andre Iguodala will have the Sixers back in the playoffs.
15	Boston	45-37	The C's are a tough read. The growth of Allen, Jefferson and West could have the team looking good. Then again, their youth could have them heading for summer vacation early.
16	Golden State	34-48	The Warriors came on strong late when Baron Davis came on board, but it was too little too late. If he stays healthy -- a considerable if -- the team could make a serious playoff push.
17	Chicago	47-35	Next to the Suns, the Bulls were the biggest surprise last year. The young team will have a tough time keeping pace this season, but is on the right track for future success.
18	Minnesota	44-38	Sprewell and Cassell are out in favor of Marko Jaric and rookie Rashad McCants. That alone should bring back some of the team's chemistry.
19	Milwaukee	30-52	Maybe Larry Harris should've bought a Powerball ticket, too. Landing Bogut, re-signing Redd, signing Simmons and getting Ford back on the court should yield a minimum of 7-9 more Ws.
20	New York	33-49	Hope returns to MSG with new coach Larry Brown, but how will he and Stephon Marbury co-exist? Look for Steph's move to the two and the Knicks to finish shy of .500.
21	L.A. Clippers	37-45	Last year was promising for the Clips, kings of the Staples Center. They'll likely take that title again, but the additions of Cassell and Mobley probably won't add much to the win column.
22	Memphis	45-37	There was a mass exodus in Memphis this summer -- Swift, Wells, Williams, Posey, etc. What does that mean for the team? They'll likely miss the playoffs but get stronger for future years.
23	L.A. Lakers	34-48	The Lakers may need more than Phil Jackson to solve the team's ills. They missed the playoffs for the first time since 1994 and could repeat the feat this year.
24	Orlando	36-46	Expectations are high for Grant Hill after weathering a healthy season. Howard is still young, Francis will man the two and questions surround the point guard position.
25	Utah	26-56	Kirilenko missed a bundle of time and Carlos Boozer spent his share of time injured, too, but the team will move up this year with a capable rookie holding down the point.
26	Toronto	33-49	Chris Bosh continues his transition to one of the game's top power forwards, but the Raptors will still bring up the rear in the Atlantic.
27	Portland	27-55	The Blazers youth movement virtually ensures a promising future for the club ... it just won't materialize this season.
28	Atlanta	13-69	The Hawks have plenty of youth and potential, but even the addition of Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams won't translate to many more victories than last season.
29	Charlotte	18-64	The Bobcats were better than anybody could have expected last season. They won't shock the world this year, but they'll continue to build and get better.
30	New Orleans	18-64	Focus in this city is on anything but hoops, but when the Hornets put the wraps on the 2005-06 season, they're likely to be somewhere near the bottom of the standings.