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Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News picks the winners and losers in each conference, and identifies players, coaches and rookies to watch.

Eastern Conference

Central Division

1. Cleveland: Shaquille O'Neal says his goal is to make sure LeBron James secures his first championship.

2. Chicago: The loss of Ben Gordon (Detroit) will hurt, but there's still plenty to like.

3. Detroit: The Pistons will be able to score points. Can they stop people?

4. Milwaukee: Draft pick Brandon Jennings looked superb during the exhibition season, but team has weaknesses offensively and defensively.

5. Indiana: A team with a lot of holes. No wonder rumors have surfaced president Larry Bird will retire after season.

Atlantic Division

1. Boston: The last hurrah for Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rasheed Wallace.

2. Philadelphia: A lot depends on the health of Elton Brand, who needs to establish a presence down low.

3. Toronto: Hedo Turkoglu and Marco Belinelli hope to find winning chemistry with free-agent-to-be Chris Bosh.

4. New York: A bad team waiting anxiously for the free agent summer of 2010.

5. New Jersey: Brook Lopez has a chance to be a decent center, and Devin Harris is a talented point guard, but that's about it.

Southeast Division

1. Orlando: Vince Carter joins Dwight Howard, who's emerging as one of the dominant players.

2. Atlanta: Jamal Crawford joins one of the league's best, young teams.

3. Washington: Expect Flip Saunders to get the most out of Antawn Jamison and Gilbert Arenas.

4. Miami: Once again, it's Dwyane Wade against the world.

5. Charlotte: Larry Brown doesn't have much talent to coach.

Western Conference

Southwest Division

1. San Antonio: Former Pistons F Antonio McDyess should fit right in with this competitive team.

2. Dallas: This is a definitely a playoff team, with Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Jason Terry.

3. New Orleans: Chris Paul is a remarkable talent, but he can't carry this financially strapped franchise.

4. Houston: Yao Ming is out for the year, so the Rockets might go as far as speedy point guard Aaron Brooks can carry them.

5. Memphis: Can Allen Iverson and Zach Randolph play nice together?

Northwest Division

1. Portland: Even Brandon Roy says Greg Oden's ability to dominate is the key to the Blazers' success.

2. Denver: The Nuggets will be entertaining with a lot of scoring, but they don't have enough depth.

3. Utah: Solid team that once again isn't strong enough to advance far in the playoffs.

4. Minnesota: Kurt Rambis inherits a young team on the rise.

5. Oklahoma City: There's hope with a young talented roster that includes Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook.

Pacific Division

1. L.A. Lakers: Ron Artest gives the Lakers toughness and an elite defender.

2. Phoenix: Without Shaq, it all depends on Steve Nash.

3. Golden State: The antics of Stephen Jackson provide a daily distraction.

4. L.A. Clippers: Rookie of year candidate Blake Griffin brings hope to franchise.

5. Sacramento: Team rebuilds with coach Paul Westphal.

Predictions

Eastern champion: Cleveland

Western champion: L.A. Lakers

NBA champion: Cleveland

Players to watch

Shaquille O'Neal, Cleveland: He's won a championship with Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles) and Dwyane Wade (Miami), and looks intent on helping LeBron James get his ring. If O'Neal remains healthy, there's a good chance Cleveland will rock in June.

Ron Artest, L.A. Lakers: Simply, Artest isn't one of the most stable individuals. That's known. Everyone will be tuned in to see whether he upsets the delicate balance of the champion Lakers.

Brandon Roy, Portland: You've heard of him, but probably never seen him. But trust us, Roy is one of the best players in the league and a good guy.

Derrick Rose, Chicago: His rookie season was remarkable and many feel this kid is going to become a big-time player quickly.

Dwyane Wade, Miami: It'll be interesting to watch how Wade handles the question of whether he'll stay or go? The Heat have a good cast around him, but not great.

Coaches to watch

Flip Saunders, Washington: He has a ready-made playoff team at his disposal. His laid-back personality might be a good fit for this roster, too.

Mike Brown, Cleveland: Talk about pressure. It's a championship or bust in Cleveland with LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal on the roster.

Phil Jackson, L.A. Lakers: The egos and personalities are beginning to sprout in Los Angeles after winning the championship. Now, the Lakers have added Ron Artest. Jackson might need all his Zen-like powers to settle this squad.

Don Nelson, Golden State: He doesn't get along with ownership, the front office and most of his players. It doesn't sound as if Nelson will remain with the Warriors long.

Mike Woodson, Atlanta: The pressure is on with high expectations on the Hawks. They're not used to that. And there are some high-strung youngsters who could derail the entire project.

Moving up

Rudy Fernandez, Portland: He's the sixth man in Portland, but Fernandez would be a starter almost anywhere else. An exciting, smart player, Fernandez has a big-time future.

Rajon Rondo, Boston: He gets lost in the shuffle of big-name stars with the Celtics, but this is a premier point guard.

Al Jefferson, Minnesota: The dominant low-post scoring threat is a rare creature in the NBA, but the burly Jefferson is a powerhouse close to the basket. Almost unstoppable, actually.

Caron Butler, Washington: People know him for his shooting, but Butler can do a little bit of everything.

Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia: One of the most athletic players, it seems as if he's still learning how good he really can be.

Moving down

Rasheed Wallace, Boston: We saw it with the Pistons last season. There's a lot of mileage on those tires. He'll have a reduced role with the Celtics.

Jermaine O'Neal, Miami: All the injuries have battered this one-time low post presence.

Andrei Kirilenko, Utah: Kirilenko used to be mentioned among the most versatile players in the game and one of the best defenders. Not anymore.

Jason Kidd, Dallas: Still a fine player, but age has caught up with this one-time elite point guard.

Michael Redd, Milwaukee: Injuries have taken their toll on this premier offensive player. So has a bad team.

Rookies to watch

DeJuan Blair, San Antonio: The Spurs might have gotten the steal of the draft. How this burly and forceful strong man slipped into the second round is beyond belief.

Blake Griffin, L.A. Clippers: The favorite to the win rookie of the year, the No. 1 pick is a consistent double-double threat.

Gerald Henderson, Charlotte: Larry Brown will enjoy coaching this do-everything former Duke star.

Tyler Hansbrough, Indiana: It'll be fascinating to watch whether his energy and determination can be successful in the NBA.

Brandon Jennings, Milwaukee: Few rookies were more impressive during exhibitions. He could be a factor quickly.

Jonas Jerebko, Detroit: Maybe the best second-round pick in the draft. Plays like David Lee, which is a compliment.