EASTERN CONFERENCE: ATLANTIC DIVISION... Eventually, the chances of the Boston Celtics (57 1/2) reclaiming their NBA crown rest with Kevin Garnett's ailing knees. In the meantime, however, Doc Rivers should be able to better handle any potential KG absences now that Rasheed Wallace has been enlisted, and depth has been further augmented by the addition of swingman Marquis Daniels. Although the aging roster is beginning to resemble a hoops version of George Allen's old Washington Redskins, we're still looking "over" in Beantown...Never mind what HC Mike D'Antoni and the New York Knicks (31 1/2) front office might be saying; this season is all about clearing cap room in the Big Apple for a run at one of the potential big-name free agents (LeBron, D-Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, etc.) on the horizon next summer. The Knicks made no significant upgrades in the offseason, and the fact remains this is not an efficient shooting team, which kind of wrecks the whole concept of D'Antoni's well-orchestrated offense. Look "under" at Madison Square Garden... New HC Eddie Jordan hopes to implement a modified Princeton-style offense with the Philadelphia 76ers (40 1/2) . He's got an athletic yet curious mix of slashers and wings to make it work... or maybe it won't, considering that the Sixers might lack a proper orchestrator now that PG Andre Miller has moved to Portland. Meanwhile, can we ever count on a somewhat healthy season from Elton Brand? Look "under" at Wachovia Center.

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SOUTHEAST DIVISION... We can assume that Larry Brown now has the sort of roster that he wants with his Charlotte Bobcats (35 1/2) , given all of the housecleaning over the past year. But the Bobcats already have some injury concerns (Raja Bell potentially out for an extended period with a bad wrist, and new C Tyson Chandler never noted for durability), and we're not sure even Brown can coax any consistency out of Boris Diaw. In what appears to be a stronger Southeast, we're looking "under" at Time Warner Cable Arena... It's all about getting back to the Finals for the Orlando Magic (57 1/2) , which moved quickly to replace Hedo Turkoglu's FA departure by acquiring Vince Carter from the Nets. We believe a more important development, however, is having a healthy Jameer Nelson back at PG to run the show. There are still plenty of good shooters and scorers surrounding Dwight Howard, giving the Magic a lethal inside-outside look. Look "over" at Amway Arena... Can one piece be so important to a puzzle? Washington Wizards (41 1/2) fans hope that's the case with G Gilbert Arenas, apparently healthy after appearing in just 15 games the past two years. New HC Flip Saunders has worked best in his career with an explosive nucleus, which the additions of Mike Miller and Randy Foye from the T-wolves, along with holdovers Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler, and Arenas seem to provide. The upside might not be as much as D.C. fans envision, but it should be enough to go "over" at Verizon Center.

CENTRAL DIVISION... Our first reaction to the Cleveland Cavaliers (61 1/2) acquiring Shaquille O'Neal was that it might clog the middle for LeBron James' noted commando raids into the paint. Then we realized that Shaq has done a pretty good job getting out of the way of Penny Hardaway, Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade throughout his career. "Over" at "The Q"...The championship window has shut tight for the Detroit Pistons (40 1/2) , so GM Joe Dumars made the best of his offseason options by adding some interesting pieces such as G Ben Gordon & F Charlie Villanueva, as well as new HC John Kuester, the latest Dean Smith disciple on NBA sidelines. But with the frontcourt still looking thin and defense not exactly a strong point, we're looking "under" at Auburn Hills... When injury problems mount before the season begins, it's red flag time, which is how we envision the Indiana Pacers (34 1/2) . Mike Dunleavy's lingering knee problems could rob the team of its best hoops IQ, not to mention a necessary scoring complement for Danny Granger. Another playoff miss and an "under" beckon at Conseco Fieldhouse.

WESTERN CONFERENCE: SOUTHWEST DIVISION... There's no title talk around the Toyota Center these days. But underestimate HC Rick Adelman and the Yao Ming-less Houston Rockets (36 1/2) at your own risk. Adelman mixes and matches his role players expertly, and the Rockets have learned to deal with Tracy McGrady's absences (T-Mac's return from micro-fracture surgery still?). It's risky, but we're looking "over" in Houston... The capitulation of the New Orleans Hornets (46 1/2) in the playoffs last season suggested deeper internal and chemistry problems on Byron Scott's roster. We don't think the addition of C Emeka Okafor (battling a nagging toe injury) will be an answer, and Scott is relying a lot on Julian Wright and Morris Peterson (back from injury) to make the transition game work with Chris Paul. Too many trip wires in the Big Easy; we're looking "under"...The San Antonio Spurs (54 1/2) aren't getting any younger, but scouts like what they've seen in the preseason. Manu Ginobili is now healthy, Tim Duncan has slimmed down a bit, Theo Ratliff and Antonio McDyess provide more frontline depth, and Richard Jefferson adds the sort of athleticism and outside shooting that was lacking last year. And as an extra bonus, Mrs. Tony Parker will still show up at plenty of games. "Over" at AT&T Center.

NORTHWEST DIVISION... It would have been interesting to see the Minnesota Timberwolves (27 1/2) with Ricky Rubio in the lineup. But with Rubio staying in Spain, new HC Kurt Rambis will opt for Syracuse rookie Jonny Flynn and ex-Buck Ramon Sessions to pull the strings for what the new braintrust promises will be an up-tempo look. Keeping C Al Jefferson healthy and getting back F Kevin Love quickly from his broken hand are key, but if nothing else goes wrong, it should be "over" at Target Center... The Portland Trailblazers (53 1/2) are on the rise, but winning another 54 games in the West won't be easy unless C Greg Oden is ready to contribute on more of a full-time basis. Let's also see how Brandon Roy (who likes to create shots for himself) and newly-acquired Andre Miller (who likes to get everyone involved) co-exist in crunch time. It'll be close, but we're looking "under" at the Rose Garden.

PACIFIC DIVISION... As usual, the Golden State Warriors (34 1/2) will provide interesting viewing. And a nice young nucleus might be emerging with F Anthony Randolph and rookie G Stephen Curry. But the potential to unravel is also very real, with the unpredictable Stephen Jackson and a roster already full of nagging hurts in the preseason. Sources also won't be surprised if HC Don Nelson has enough by midseason and turns the reins over to assistant Keith Smart. We're looking "under" in Oakland... We've been down this road before with the L.A. Clippers (34 1/2) , but this time there might be reason for encouragement. Top draft pick Blake Griffin adds a unique dimension to the frontline that suddenly looks rather formidable if Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby can stay healthy, while G Eric Gordon flashed considerable upside as a rookie. And the wear and tear on PG Baron Davis could be reduced by Sebastian Telfair's presence. We'll roll the dice and call for an "over" in Clipperland... The L.A. Lakers (62 1/2) have become even more of a tabloid favorite after Lamar Odom's marriage to Khloe Kardashian. We wonder, however, if adding Ron Artest to an already potentially-volatile mix was the best idea. Kobe & Co. will be ready to go for the postseason, but with some potential bumps in the road, it would be no surprise if the Lake Show goes "under" before defending its crown in spring.