Sir Patchwork

1. San Antonio Spurs 61-21 - They are the defending champions in their prime, with some nice offseason additions in Oberto, Finley and Van Exel.

2. Denver Nuggets 56-26 - They were 32-8 in the final 40 games of last season, then got run over by the Spurs. The key is health. They have the scorers, the interior defense and the rebounding. They excel at the most important aspects of the game.

3. Houston Rockets 55-27 - I think a year under the belt is the biggest thing going for them next season. I'm not sure about the Mike James/Rafer Alston swap, and I don't Swift is anything more than a rotation player, but the three names that matter most are Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming and Jeff Van Gundy.

4. Dallas Mavericks 52-30 - Dirk Nowitzki just got done having his best year, and they have some really nice young talent who got a lot of experience last season. They still need a center, but they're pretty much set at every other position. This is the most consistent team in the league outside of the Spurs.

5. Sacramento Kings 51-31 I expect them to win a lot of games in the regular season too. They always do, they're another consistent team. Unfortunetly, they'll probably run into a better team in the playoffs. With Bibby, Peja, Miller and now Rahim, with Adelman coaching, they'll always be a good team.

6. Seattle Supersonics 47-35 - This team is a question mark, because a team without it's coach is a team without it's identity. That identity won Seattle a lot of games last year. However, they still have Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, and a lot of talented players. We'll see what they can do with it.

7. Utah Jazz 46-36 - I have a lot of faith in Jerry Sloan. He has a mess on his hands, no doubt. He has a pretty unorthodox frontcourt. Regardless, at the end of the day, he has a lot of talent there and I think he can put it together. They will also play defense and play hard every night. Barring injury, this is a playoff team.

8. Memphis Grizzlies 43-39 - They are still a team with a good rotation and good coaching. I think they'll be right there in the playoff picture, although this spot is up for grabs in my opinion. Several teams will be fighting for it.

9. Los Angeles Lakers 43-39 - I think they'll be fighting for the last spot also. With Kobe healthy the whole season, with Phil being able to get the most out of players, hopefully improved defense, and whatever they can get from Kwame Brown, they should be a lot better.

10. Minnesota Timberwolves 43-39 - Here is another team fighting for the last spot. Garnett can get them a long way, but they still need another player to step up. My guy is Rashad McCants, I have him picked for rookie of the year. Depending on his play, they could win anywhere from 40-50 games.

11. Phoenix Suns 40-42 - No post presence, and stripped of their potent attack. Nash will have to try to keep this team afloat with his scoring, and that's not a good situation for him to be in.

12. Golden State 38-44 - They are a wildcard. Baron Davis is inconsistent with his shape. If he comes into the season inshape and not settling for three pointers, the Warriors could do a lot better than 38 wins.

13. Los Angeles Clippers 32-50 - They have too many isolation players. Cassell, Mobley and Maggette are only going to take shots away from the guy who should be getting the ball the most, and that's Brand. Their defense will also be among the worst in the league.

14. New Orleans Hornets 29-53 - Chris Paul and J.R. Smith should be fun to watch. I can't see them above any of the teams above though.

15. Portland Trailblazers 28-54 - It's going to be a long season for Portland I think. They went youth too quick and now they're beginning with a new coach.

I'm not worried about the totals adding up, because there is no right or wrong answer if you aren't including the eastern conference.