1. Phoenix Suns

2006-07 record: 61-21, No. 2.

Key newcomer: Grant Hill.

Outlook: Aching to show their little offensive machine can too win in the playoffs, the Suns suffered the cruelest blow of all when Amare Stoudemire's suspension torpedoed them last spring in the second-round series they had just tied, 2-2, in San Antonio. Happily for the Suns, they're still improving as Stoudemire grows up and Leandro Barbosa happens. Hill gives Coach Mike D'Antoni, who goes with seven players, an invaluable play-anywhere piece. If Shawn Marion cares about winning a title too, this is his chance.

2. San Antonio Spurs

2006-07 record: 58-24, No. 3 (NBA champion).

Key newcomer: None.

Outlook: What's not to like after three titles in five seasons with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, a tough defense and chemistry that's the envy of the league? Of course, a year ago at this time everyone thought the younger, more athletic Mavericks had passed them by — including Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich, who pondered personnel moves for half the season before committing to his team, which then came together. Now with Parker's NBA Finals breakout suggesting he's still getting better, the road to the title goes through here.

3. Dallas Mavericks

2006-07 record: 67-15, No. 1.

Key newcomer: Eddie Jones.

Outlook: The Mavericks' 127 wins over two seasons are six more than next-best San Antonio. Unfortunately, after blowing their 2-0 lead in the 2006 Finals, they got whacked in last spring's first round, but Coach Avery Johnson looks at the bright side. "We can go 82-0 this year, and we're still going to be the underdog," he said. "There's no pressure on our team." They're still the NBA's deepest team and go all out for their hard-driving coach. The question is whether they're tougher for their experience or if they're spooked.

4. Utah Jazz

2006-07 record: 51-31, No. 4.

Key newcomer: Jason Hart.

Outlook: It's no small task for a tiny-market team on a tight budget with no appeal for big-ticket free agents to replace Karl Malone and John Stockton, but with rising stars Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams, Jerry Sloan's physical young team resembles his physical old ones. With Williams showing he's coming fast with the U.S. team last summer, the only question mark is shooting guard Ronnie Brewer, who's promising but lacks range. The Jazz just has to beat out Denver in the Northwest Division again, and that's doable.

5. Denver Nuggets

2006-07 record: 45-37, No. 6.

Key newcomer: Chucky Atkins.

Outlook: With all their firepower, not to mention all their potential for volatility, the Nuggets started off 19-25 with Allen Iverson before going 10-1 in April. Kenyon Martin's return makes them even deeper and more volatile. Untamed J.R. Smith will start — after serving his latest suspension, for a bar fight. In a problem for a team that lives by its offense, they couldn't shoot, but the emergence of Carmelo Anthony and the development of Linas Kleiza and Anthony Roberson changed that. Now their opponents have the problems.

6. Houston Rockets

2006-07 record: 52-30, No. 5.

Key newcomers: Coach Rick Adelman, Steve Francis, Luis Scola.

Outlook: Jeff Van Gundy's slow-paced style grated on owner Les Alexander, which was how Van Gundy won 52 games and wound up on the street. Adelman's Sacramento teams had all the flair anyone could want. He'll also be fortunate enough to have a much deeper team with the acquisition of Scola, the rugged Argentine power forward, and the return of Francis. It still comes down to Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, who have sat out 105 games in two seasons between them.

7. Golden State Warriors

2006-07 record: 42-40, No. 8

Key newcomer: No. 18 pick Marco Belinelli.

Outlook: After last spring's jubilation, the Warriors had a grisly summer as Nelson held out for a raise and extension talks broke off with Baron Davis, who can opt out next summer. In a typically quirky move, Nelson named Stephen Jackson a captain. Of course, Nellie once had a pig for a pet. Nevertheless, no one could guard their four-guard lineup as they finished 16-5 and rocked Dallas' world. Belinelli, the Italian sharpshooter, fits right in. If they hold it together, they'll be back.

8. Los Angeles Lakers

2006-07 record: 42-40, No. 7.

Key newcomer: Derek Fisher.

Outlook: In the good news for the Lakers, even assuming the top seven spots are spoken for, it's hard to imagine anyone else beating them out. In the bad news, there's everything else. Events have been tumbling out of control since Jerry Buss said he would trade Bryant, who skulked around so noticeably, his lone ally, Phil Jackson, zinged him. Of course, last fall Kobe and Phil missed the entire preseason and they started 26-13. On the other hand, this makes last October look like the good old days.

9. New Orleans Hornets

2006-07 record: 39-43, No. 10.

Key newcomer: Morris Peterson.

Outlook: Blunt-spoken Byron Scott's teams tended to exceed expectations but none like his Hornets who stayed in the race with Peja Stojakovic lost for 69 games, Chris Paul for 18, David West for 30 and Bobby Jackson for 26. They used to be smurfs, but that ended as Tyson Chandler, freed from Scott Skiles' doghouse in Chicago, figured it out, averaging 12.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. Nevertheless, even if going home is the right thing to do, they'll miss that 48-34 home-court advantage they had in two seasons in Oklahoma City.

10. Los Angeles Clippers

2006-07 record: 40-42, No. 9.

Key newcomer: No. 14 pick Al Thornton.

Outlook: Actually, they're not really upset they have to wait until Friday to open. If the truth be told, they'd like to wait until a year from Friday. As it is, it'll be months before they know where Shaun Livingston and Elton Brand are, before Brand and Corey Maggette can become free agents. Until then, the big question is Chris Kaman, who regressed to his old three-head-fakes-and-a-miss repertoire when they gave him $52 million. Thornton looks promising. Now to see if anything else still does.

11. Portland Trail Blazers

2006-07 record: 32-50, No. 12.

Newcomers: Steve Blake, Channing Frye.

Outlook: Their future looks assured. The problem is their present after Greg Oden's knee surgery postponed his debut for a year. There's even more here than Oden and last season's rookie of the year, Brandon Roy. LaMarcus Aldridge and Martell Webster are not far away, and there are more behind them: Frye, Jarrett Jack, Travis Outlaw and Sergio Rodriguez. Whether they're ready to win many games is another question. Fans' hopes are high, which may be a problem for Coach Nate McMillan.

12. Sacramento Kings

2006-07 record: 33-49, No. 11.

Key newcomer: Coach Reggie Theus.

Outlook: The Maloof brothers' decision to back off after weeks of searching for a new coach looked like a great idea when their choice, Theus, broke through to Ron Artest. Artest had chilled out a few too many degrees, turned off by former coach Eric Musselman. After he met Theus, Artest's mood picked up so noticeably, the Kings stopped trying to trade him. Artest also has an opt-out coming, and there are few forces in nature that rival Artest in a free-agent season. But Mike Bibby's thumb injury will keep him out 6-12 weeks.

13. Memphis Grizzlies

2006-07 record: 22-60, No. 15

Key newcomers: Coach Marc Iavaroni, No. 4 pick Mike Conley Jr.

Outlook: Jerry West is gone, with all he built in ruins after the team that had never won 24 games won 50-45-49 in successive seasons. Michael Heisley pocketed all the easy money he got to move and put the team up for sale as it compiled the worst record (great!) but wound up with the No. 4 pick (oops). The highly regarded Iavaroni will play Suns-style, but after Heisley told all the applicants he's still intent on selling, the question is why he took this job.

14. Seattle SuperSonics

2006-07 record: 31-51, No. 14

Key newcomers: Kevin Durant, Coach P.J. Carlesimo.

Outlook: The SuperSonics may have a bright future too, whenever it arrives, wherever they are and whatever they're called. By the time they got the appealing Durant in the lottery, owner Clay Bennett had the operation on such a shoestring budget, it was unable to parlay its good fortune into a new arena. The organization is still on hold while Bennett tries to move to Oklahoma City. There are more promising players, like last spring's No. 5 pick, Jeff Green, but this is like a development league team.

15. Minnesota Timberwolves

2006-07 record: 32-50, No. 13.

Key newcomers: Al Jefferson, Antoine Walker.