Phoenix Suns (61-21)
The run and gun Phoenix Suns lost in the Western conference Semifinals to the champion San Antonio Spurs. With the addition of Grant Hill in the off season, the Suns hope they have the final recipe to win it all. Aging two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash will turn 34 this season so they’ll need to make the most of it this year.

The Suns lost James Jones in a trade and free agents Pat Burke, Jalen Rose and Kurt Thomas as well. Kurt Thomas proved his ability to score and rebound last year in the playoffs. He filled in for the suspended Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw. His departure could leave a hole at back-up center. He is a good defensive player probably standing out even more so against the offensive-minded Suns. Of course the addition of Grant Hill to the frontcourt should help in filling that hole. Amare Stoudemire underwent his third knee surgery in early October which should only slow him for a couple of weeks. Shawn Marion was vocal in the preseason about his unhappiness with the team. If he can get over it, he will contribute on both ends of the court. He averaged 17.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game last year with the majority being defensive boards. He also averaged more than one blocked shot per game.

The leader of the backcourt is Steve Nash who averaged 11.6 assists and 18.6 points per game last year. Things could get rough if Nash isn’t on the court. The Suns lack a true back-up for Nash. Raja Bell is an excellent perimeter shooter and defender, and Leandro Barbosa is becoming deadly from outside the paint. He should contribute more defensively this year after his break-out season last year. D.J. Strawberry, a draft pick out of Maryland, could see some minutes, especially as he proves his defensive abilities.

The Suns should have another stellar year, helped by the additions to the roster this pre-season. That is, if they can avoid injuries. The Suns had winning streaks of 15 and 17 straight games as last season. They’ll look to continue the fast paced offensive style and hope their improved defense will be the key to finally winning the title.

Golden State Warriors (42-40)
The oft described “Cinderella” team of last years playoff season has much to look forward to this year. Don Nelson (entering his 29th overall season, 9th with Golden State) uses a very small line up of players who aren’t afraid to shoot. The Warriors were 2nd in the league in points scored at 106.54 per game. Coach Nelson manages to get the best out of his players. This was evident in the upset wins over the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2007 playoffs. The question is whether that series was a fluke, or have the Warriors proved they are a contender?

Golden State gained multiple players during the off-season. They drafted Brandan Wright, Stephane Lasme of Gabon, Kosta Perovic of Serbia and Marco Belinelli of Italy. Belinelli should fit in well with the high-speed offense as he proved in this years Eurobasket tournament where he played for Team Italy. The Warriors also signed free agents Austin Croshere and Troy Hudson. The biggest roster change came when they traded away guard Jason Richarson who provided the Warriors scoring and defensive.

Guard Baron Davis ranks first on the team with points per game average (20.1), assists per game (8.1) and in steals per game (2.14). Andris Biedrins led the team in rebound average per game at 9.3 and in blocks per game at 1.66. Guard Monta Ellis averaged 16.5 points and 4.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He and Davis will continue to work together in the backcourt. Ellis struggles with 2.9 average turnovers per game, but in Coach Nelson’s style; those turnovers are not as detrimental as they would be on other teams. Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington will return as forwards and as fixtures in the low post game. Austin Croshere is a good addition to an already strong frontcourt. He’s a big man with the ability to shoot from any of the frontcourt positions. Troy Hudson will be a key player off the bench as will Kelenna Azubuike and Belinelli.

With the exception of the Richardson trade, the Warriors have done well for themselves in adding more fire power to their offense. If they can maintain, or even improve their defense, they should be a tough team to beat in the upcoming season.

Los Angeles Lakers (41-41)
The Lakers roster this year is virtually identical to last years. Kobe Bryant led the team with an incredible average of 31.6 points and 5.4 assists per game. Who says he takes all the shots? Bryant made very public his desire to be traded if his team didn’t sign another big name player. He didn’t get his wish, but he’ll play like an MVP anyway.

The team did pick up guard Javaris Crittenton in the draft and signed free agents Elton Brown, Coby Karl, Larry Turner and Derek Fisher. Fisher is not only a quality veteran, he also knows the Lakers’ triangle offense and will provide leadership at the point position. After a year of experience, Jordan Farmar, who averaged 4.4 points per game last season, will see decent minutes off the bench.

Center Andrew Bynum, now 20 years-old, played all 82 games last year. He stepped in and became a starter when teammate Kwame Brown went down with injuries. Look for these two to compete for the center position and for Chris Mihm to back them up. If power forward Lamar Odom stays healthy, he’ll be a defensive presence with the ability to pass and score. He led the team with a 9.8 rebound per-game average. Luke Walton will come off of the bench and earn a respectable 4.3 assist per game average.

Could this player combination work for the Lakers? Kobe doesn’t think so, but with the combination of veterans, younger talent and promising rookies, the Lakers will find themselves a little further along in the post season.

Los Angeles Clippers (40-42)
At the commencement of the last season, hopes were high for the “other L.A. team.” They’d had their best season since moving to California, having won more games than the Lakers. Unfortunately, the Clippers missed the 2007 post-season by a meager two games. To make matters worse, Elton Brand ruptured his Achilles’ tendon during the summer break. Considered the Clipper’s biggest weapon, Brand led the team with 20.5 points and 9.3 rebounds last year.

Veteran guard Sam Cassell will likely guide the team at point. He averaged 4.7 assists and 12.3 points per game but was plagued with the injury bug. Fourth-year point guard Shaun Livingston injured his knee last season and will look to return some time at the beginning of this one. The Clippers lost even more depth at guard with the departure of Jason Hart who went to the Utah Jazz as a free agent. Veteran Cuttino Mobley plays at shooting guard, and Brevin Knight will fill in for Cassell.

Corey Maggette should start at small forward. He averaged 16.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists during the 2006-07 season, ranking second behind Brand as the points-per-game leader. Draftee Al Thornton should see some minutes, and Chris Kaman will return as starting center. Ruben Patterson joined the Clippers via free agency and will contend for the starting power forward position.

Coach Mike Dunleavy returns for his fifth season with the Clippers. Don’t be surprised to see several different offensive sets as the Clippers deal with injury problems and newcomers vying for starting spots.

Sacramento Kings (33-49)
The Sacramento Kings continued their downward slide in 2006-07 for the second year in a row. The battle cry of Coach Eric Musselman last year was defense. Apparently, he wasn’t persuasive enough. Under first-year NBA coach Reggie Theus, the battle cry is again, defense.

The Kings do have a few things going for them. Mike Bibby remains one of the foremost point guards in the NBA. However, if the Kings are to succeed, Bibby will need to increase his assist average of 4.7 per game. Kevin Martin, who compliments Bibby in the backcourt, nearly doubled his scoring average last year from 10.8 points per game to 20.2. Sacramento rewarded Martin with a long-term contract.

The Kings’ front court has depth. Small forward Ron Artest led the team with an average of 6.5 rebounds and 2.13 steals per game, ranking second in the league in steals behind Baron Davis. A defensive monster, Artest should help Coach Theus in his quest for better defense. Former All-Star Brad Miller remains with the team. He is a valuable 7 footer who can pass and shoot well for his size, but he is aging which could affect his performance. The signing of free agent Mikki Moore should provide additional defensive help for the Kings.

Sacramento drafted freshman college center Spencer Hawes who comes from Washington where he averaged 15 points per game and an impressive 53 percent shooting average. He’s been compared to a young Dirk Nowitzki. If he can stay healthy, he’ll be a rising star for the Kings.

Wins won’t be as plentiful as they once were for the Kings, and it could be a struggle for them to reach the playoffs this year.

- By Annie Whittaker