As the 2014-15 NBA season approaches, NESN.com will be taking a preseason look at each of the league’s six divisions. The final stop on our preview train is the Atlantic, which will try to shake the reputation it gained last season as the NBA’s worst division.
Teams are listed in predicted order of finish (last year’s result in parentheses).
1. Toronto Raptors (first)
Key additions: SG Lou Williams (trade), C Lucas Nogueria (trade), SF Bruno Caboclo (draft), C Greg Stiemsma (free agent)
Key departures: SF John Salmons
Raise your hand if you predicted the Raptors would finish with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference last season? Neither did we. But after bringing back almost their entire roster — plus the addition of Williams as a versatile guard off the bench — Toronto should be here to stay. The newly re-signed Kyle Lowry is a known commodity at the point guard position, and leading scorer DeMar DeRozan is on the verge of stardom after earning his first career All-Star nod last season.
2. Brooklyn Nets (second)
Key additions: PG Jarrett Jack (trade), SG Markel Brown (free agent), PF Cory Jefferson (trade; drafted by Spurs)
Key departures: SF Paul Pierce, PG Shaun Livingston, C Andray Blatche, SG Marcus Thornton
As you can see, the Nets had quite a bit of turnover during the offseason, but the most notable change came on the bench, with veteran coach Lionel Hollins taking over after the yearlong Jason Kidd regime. Brooklyn boasts one of the NBA’s oldest rosters — four of their five projected starters are over 30 — but should still have the legs to make a playoff run, especially in the watered-down Atlantic. The health of center Brook Lopez, who was limited to just 17 games last season, will be key.
3. New York Knicks (third)
Key additions: SG Cleanthony Early (draft), PG Jose Calderon (trade), PG Shane Larkin (trade)
Key departures: C Tyson Chandler, PG Raymond Felton
Last season, the Nets experimented with hiring a new coach fresh off his playing days. It worked — sort of. Their crosstown foes will attempt to do the same this year, as Derek Fisher takes over for the much-maligned Mike Woodson. Coaching legend Phil Jackson also signed on to run the team’s basketball operations, and his first big move was to bring back Carmelo Anthony, whose 27.4 point-per-game average ranked second in the NBA last season.
4. Boston Celtics (fourth)
Key additions: PG Marcus Smart (draft), SG James Young (draft), SG Evan Turner (free agent), C Tyler Zeller (trade), SG Marcus Thornton (trade)
Key departures: PF Kris Humphries
Injuries have already taken their toll on a young Celtics squad that really can’t afford them. Boston already has lost its best player, Rajon Rondo, for the early part of the season with a broken hand, and injuries to Young (hamstring) and Jeff Green (calf) might be more serious than originally expected. If they can remain healthy, though, the Celtics should at least improve on last year’s 25-57 record, especially if Smart, the team’s top draft pick, makes the impact many are expecting him to as a rookie.
5. Philadelphia 76ers (fifth)
Key additions: PF Joel Embiid (draft), SF Chris Johnson (waivers), PF Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (trade), PG Alexey Shved (trade), SG K.J. McDaniels (draft), SF Jerami Grant (draft)
Key departures: PF Thaddeus Young, SG James Anderson,
The Sixers have made it abundantly clear through their roster management that 2014-15 will be another tour through Tank City. One of these years, Philadelphia’s bevy of high draft picks — Michael Carter-Williams, Nelens Noel, Embiid, Dario Saric — should form the framework of a contending basketball team. This, however, will not be that year.
Previously: Northwest Division | Pacific Division | Southwest Division | Southeast Division | Central Division
Photo via Ed Szczepanski/USA TODAY Sports Images
