NBA 1990-91 : Pacific Rims to Be Bent : Preview: From Tokyo to Denver to Auburn Hills, people will be watching with one eye on the record book.

The NBA, those expansionists, begin a new season Friday night from the Far East to the East Coast, with the underlying current being to watch for defense, basic or otherwise.

Defense in Detroit. The Pistons, who pride themselves more on stopping the opposition than scoring themselves, are going for their third consecutive title. No team has done that since the Boston Celtics won eight in a row in 1959-66.

Defense in Denver--or lack of it. Coach Paul Westhead hasn’t flinched in the face of laughter as the Nuggets get burned on traps and form layup drills for opponents. The former Loyola Marymount coach wants his team to shoot every five to seven seconds, making a 200-point game possible for someone: a team or Michael Jordan.

Defense in the Western Conference. That responsibility falls to the Portland Trail Blazers, a team that has improved since reaching the NBA finals but still might rate only a pick-’em choice against as many as five challengers. That includes the Phoenix Suns and the Utah Jazz, who will open the regular season with a two-game set in Tokyo.

“In the East, Detroit has to be the favorite,” New York Knick Coach Stu Jackson said. “In the West, you could be a darn good team and struggle to finish .500.”

Added Coach Larry Brown of the San Antonio Spurs: “Everyone assumes that because we won 56 games and we’re a young team that we’ll be better, and I think we will be. But so many teams have improved that it doesn’t mean we’ll have as much success.”

This is also the season the foreign invasion takes another turn, Danny Ferry and Brian Shaw having returned from Italy. And the year the owners cringe a little bit more, John (Hot Rod) Williams having returned to Cleveland via the free-agent market for $26.5 million over seven years.

A capsule look at the contenders and pretenders by division in probable order of finish:

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Pacific Division

1. Portland Trail Blazers.

1989-90 record: 59-23.

Outlook: Building off what is arguably the league’s best starting five, the defending conference champions made a great move to add Danny Ainge with an off-season trade. Even if the native of Eugene, Ore., doesn’t bolster the outside shooting, one of the team’s few weaknesses, he brings a winner with playoff experience to become the third guard. The Trail Blazers aren’t big up front with 7-foot Kevin Duckworth, 6-8 Buck Williams and 6-7 Jerome Kersey, but they still finished No. 1 in the league in rebounding. Drafting forward Alaa Abdelnaby should help the inside game for a team that has an admirable combination of size and speed, youth and experience.

The numbers game: Portland’s starting five missed a total of 11 games last season--nine by Clyde Drexler and two by Terry Porter. The front line of Duckworth, Kersey and Williams started all 82.

2. Lakers.

1989-90 record: 63-19.

Outlook: Reports of their demise have been greatly exaggerated. Sixty wins might appear unlikely, but so does the notion that any team that led the NBA in victories the season before will dwindle to nothing in such a short time. The bad showing in the playoffs indicated problems, notably in handling quick guards such as Kevin Johnson, and that hasn’t been solved, unless you count Byron Scott being sound. But a bigger problem during 1989-90 was bench scoring, and Jerry West more than addressed that by acquiring Terry Teagle. Sam Perkins, Elden Campbell and Teagle were all added without the Lakers having to give up anything significant--and that is worth contemplating more than Michael Cooper going to Italy or Vlade Divac’s inability to become a defensive presence in the middle. The true concern should be that Coach Mike Dunleavy will still be implementing his offense for the first few games in a division where no one can afford to be left behind at the start.

The numbers game: At 36, Dunleavy is a year older than Mychal Thompson, four years older than Larry Drew and five years older than Magic Johnson.

3. Phoenix Suns.

1989-90 record: 54-28.

Outlook: The Suns were the only one of the three Pacific contenders devoid of a major addition during the off-season. The first six players are solid, so a more consistent performance by Eddie Johnson, who shot a career-low 45.3% last season, could be the key in a pick-’em division. The real red flag: No less an authority than Coach Cotton Fitzsimmons questioned the team’s mental and physical toughness after the conference finals, in which Phoenix lost four games to Portland after being in position to win or take the lead in the final 30 seconds.

The numbers game: The Suns opened last season 7-10 but went 47-18 after acquiring Kurt Rambis from the Charlotte Hornets in mid-December, including 34-11 when he was in the starting lineup.

4. Golden State Warriors.

1989-90 record: 37-45.

Outlook: Chris Mullin is an All-Star forward, but when he leads any team in rebounding, as was the case last season at 5.9 a game, it’s trouble. So Don Nelson, the coach and general manager, drafted for size, adding Tyrone Hill in the first round and Les Jepsen in the second. Off-season reports of Alton Lister, once the starting center, coming back from a ruptured Achilles’ tendon added to the optimism. Any competent inside game added to Mullin’s scoring and a backcourt of Tim Hardaway and Mitch Richmond that could flourish for the entire decade means Nelson’s first losing season since 1978-79 will quickly fade into memory.

The numbers game: The Warriors led the league in scoring in 1989-90 but were second-worst in points allowed.

5. Clippers.

1989-90 record: 30-52.

Outlook: This is their season to make the playoffs, but so were the last two seasons. Injuries were a factor, yes, but not every problem has been out of their control. Last season, for example, the average of 18.9 turnovers a game was second-worst in the league. On a team that lost nine games by three or fewer points, the toll was obvious. There’s still no consistent outside shooter at off guard, but the encouraging play of Loy Vaught should improve the rebounding.

The numbers game: Mike Schuler is one of only eight coaches in NBA history to have a career winning mark of 60% or better, with a minimum of 125 victories. At 127-84 (60.2%), he needs at least 49 victories this season to remain in the group.

6. Seattle SuperSonics.

1989-90 record: 41-41.

Outlook: K.C. Jones replacing Bernie Bickerstaff as coach was applauded by almost every player, but this remains a team not to be trusted. There’s no center. Xavier McDaniel ripped the front office after summer trade talk. Dale Ellis, one of the game’s premier shooters when on, missed 25 games last season after a one-car, drunk-driving crash. The SuperSonics are counting on rookie Gary Payton to become an NBA point guard immediately.

The numbers game: Jones finished in first place seven times and second once during eight years with the Celtics and the Washington Bullets, but the SuperSonics have finished first once in club history.

7. Sacramento Kings.

1989-90 record: 23-59.

Outlook: If there is little agreement on who will win the Pacific, there is no debate on the last-place team. But for how long? The Kings had four first-round draft choices, with Lionel Simmons and Travis Mays being counted on from the start. That could be a big adjustment for Mays, the leading scorer in Southwest Conference history who is being moved to the point. Wayman Tisdale, who averaged 22.3 points a game in Coach Dick Motta’s forward-oriented offense, remains a bright spot.

The numbers game: Antoine Carr, another forward, averaged 18.6 points in 33 games after his trade from the Atlanta Hawks, second-best behind the Milwaukee Bucks’ Ricky Pierce among reserves.

MIDWEST DIVISION

1. San Antonio Spurs.

1989-90 record: 56-26.

Outlook: No longer expected simply to be a winning team, the Spurs earned the right to be considered a championship contender with last season’s showing, which would have turned out better still had they not been shut out for the final 2 1/2 minutes in Game 7 of the conference semifinals against Portland. San Antonio can offer a powerful starting lineup, led by David Robinson, Terry Cummings and Willie Anderson, but get past Paul Pressey and the bench is thin. Depth wins titles, and would you feel comfortable having David Greenwood as the first big man off the bench?

The numbers game: Robinson was the only Spur to shoot better than 50% last season.

2. Utah Jazz.

1989-90 record: 55-27.

Outlook: In five seasons with Karl Malone, Utah has advanced to the second round only once. So the Jazz added another Malone--Jeff. The outside shooting of the former Bullet makes the team even more potent in an offense that already features the other Malone and John Stockton. The talent is there to finish ahead of San Antonio, the bench about even if looking ahead to the playoff run.

The numbers game: The Jazz shot a league-high 50.5% last season while holding opponents to a league-low 45.5%

3. Dallas Mavericks.

1989-90 record: 47-35.

Outlook: Derek Harper and Rolando Blackman have been together longer than any backcourt except the Lakers’ Johnson and Scott. Now that Fat Lever has been acquired, the depth at guard compares with any team. The addition of Lever and Rodney McCray mostly for draft choices, and of Alex English as a free agent is why Dallas has suddenly joined the five other contenders for the conference title. James Donaldson is squeezing more years out of his banged-up, 33-year-old legs than expected, but the power game will still depend on Roy Tarpley, who has two strikes against him in the drug agreement and has now added being out of shape to his problems. Is this the year the Mavericks survive if he doesn’t?

The numbers game: McCray led the NBA in minutes played in 1989-90 with 3,238 while playing for Sacramento.

4. Houston Rockets.

1989-90 record: 41-41.

Outlook: Akeem Olajuwon gets all the attention, but Houston has one of the most complete front lines, with underrated Otis Thorpe, who averaged 17.1 points and 9.0 rebounds and shot 54.8% last season, and Buck Johnson. Larry Smith is a rebounding commodity off the bench any team would love to have. If the Rockets get anything from the guards--and Kenny Smith’s play in the exhibition season has been encouraging after he was traded twice in less than a year--they’re in the playoffs. If not, Olajuwon will start playing general manager, for himself and others, and Don Chaney may play an out-of-work coach.

The numbers game: Olajuwon is bidding to become the first player to lead the NBA in rebounds and blocked shots two seasons in a row.

5. Denver Nuggets.

1989-90 record: 43-39.

Outlook: No bad team will be watched as closely. The goal this season should be not to become the laughingstock of the league, which, judging from the exhibition results, may prove as easy as scooping sand with a sieve. Speaking of the Nugget defense, it can cause problems for teams, having forced a veteran team such as Boston into 30 turnovers in one exhibition. But mostly, this trap-at-all-cost approach has gotten Coach Paul Westhead openly ridiculed. A couple of things to keep in mind: The NBA record for average points allowed over a season is 126 by the 1981-82 Nuggets, and Michael Jordan comes to Denver on Nov. 24.

The numbers game: Fat Lever and Alex English, both now in Dallas, led the Nuggets in six of eight individual categories last season.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves.

1989-90 record: 22-60.

Outlook: Minnesota finished with the second-best defense in the league in its first year of existence mainly because Coach Bill Musselman’s offense is more like a filibuster than a game plan, but it works. The total of 22 victories is all the more respectable considering the Timberwolves lost 11 games by three or fewer points. The future got another boost when Minnesota drafted Felton Spencer, meaning 6-8 Scott Roth or 6-7 Sam Mitchell will no longer have to play center when Randy Breuer is out.

The numbers game: Three of the top four choices in the expansion draft--Rick Mahorn, Steve Johnson and Brad Lohaus--are already gone.

7. Orlando Magic.

1989-90 record: 18-64.

Outlook: After a shocking 7-7 start to their first season, the Magic joined reality by finishing 11-57, including a 14-game home losing streak. A Charlotte victory Saturday night at Orlando Arena would tie the Magic with the 1982 Cleveland Cavaliers for most consecutive home losses. There is promise at forward, where Terry Catledge returns after averaging 19.4 points and rookie Dennis Scott, who has started slowly, comes aboard. Guard Reggie Theus was traded to the New Jersey Nets, assuring plenty of shots for the fourth pick in the draft.

The numbers game: Of the Magic’s 18 victories, eight were over playoff teams.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic Division

1. Philadelphia 76ers.

1989-90 record: 53-29.

Outlook: The 76ers wouldn’t be picked to win any other division, but they’ve got enough for this one and the first round of the playoffs. It starts with Charles Barkley and his blocking back, Rick Mahorn, helping to clear room inside. With those two, Philadelphia doesn’t need Mike Gminski to be a defensive force inside, which works out well because he isn’t. Manute Bol, acquired from the Warriors, will be a deterrent when Gminski is out. Johnny Dawkins, a career 46.8% shooter, has shown signs during the exhibition season of becoming consistent from three-point range. His backcourt mate, Hersey Hawkins, is coming off a season when he averaged 18.5 points.

The numbers game: Barkley is listed at 6-6, one of the running jokes of the league. He’s actually a shade under 6-5 . . . and still finished third in the league in rebounds at 11.5 an outing.

2. Boston Celtics.

1989-90 record: 52-30.

Outlook: When last seen, the Celtics were slinking out of Boston Garden having lost three consecutive games to New York, bringing elimination in the first round for the second year in a row. So why the optimism? Despite the front line of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish averaging 34.7 years of age, they can still play. Youth and, more important, much-needed speed have come in the form of rookie point guard Dee Brown and Brian Shaw, who returns after a year in Italy. Reggie Lewis will make teams regret paying too much attention to the big names.

The numbers game: If Boston is eliminated from the playoffs, it will mark the fifth consecutive season without a title, the team’s longest slump since 1952-56.

3. New York Knicks.

1989-90 record: 45-37.

Outlook: The Knicks went 7-21 against teams with 50 victories or more, so they can’t be considered among the elite until proving they can win at that level. Patrick Ewing gets help from Charles Oakley, but Kiki Vandeweghe, the other forward, hasn’t played in more than 45 games for three seasons. His physical condition will be more of a concern now that Johnny Newman is with Charlotte.

The numbers game: Ewing was the only player in the league to rank in the top 10 in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots and field-goal percentage.

4. Miami Heat.

1989-90 record: 18-64.

Outlook: Plenty of smart money said Coach Ron Rothstein would open this season in Detroit, where he would have replaced former mentor Chuck Daly. But Daly stayed with the Pistons, which means Rothstein will stay at the bottom. It’s not all bad, though. Third-year center Rony Seikaly was voted the most improved player in 1989-90, and Indiana Pacer President Donnie Walsh called second-year guard Sherman Douglas the best rookie in the league besides David Robinson.

The numbers game: The Heat shot 68.7% from the line last season, by far the worst mark in the league.

5. Washington Bullets.

1989-90 record: 31-51.

Outlook: Jeff Malone is gone, which drops the bulk of the offensive responsibilities into the lap of 34-year-old Bernard King, who averaged 22.4 points during 1989-90. And that’s the good news. The Bullets’ first pick in the draft was at No. 35, and they used that for former UCLA center Greg Foster. John Williams, the most versatile player, remains in Los Angeles until team officials rescind the more than $270,000 in fines he picked up for failure to maintain a rehabilitation program after knee surgery. Ledell Eackles, projected as Malone’s replacement, is holding out.

The numbers game: The Bullets made 37 three-point baskets during 1989-90, a total equaled or surpassed by 42 players.

6. New Jersey Nets.

1989-90 record: 17-65.

Outlook: Injury-prone Sam Bowie made it through 68 games last season, his most since the rookie campaign of 1984-85, but any attempt to build a front line figures to be difficult since No. 1 pick Derrick Coleman missed the majority of training camp in a contract dispute. There is no proven starter among point guards Mookie Blaylock, Lester Conner and Tate George, although Blaylock did average double figures as a rookie before breaking his finger.

The numbers game: Detroit won 15 playoff games last season; New Jersey won 17 regular-season games.

Central Division

1. Detroit Pistons.

1989-90 record: 59-23.

Outlook: The signs of wear are there, most prominently Dennis Rodman’s ankle injury that still hasn’t healed from the playoffs. But this is still the team to beat, still the team with the most depth. Having Chuck Daly at the helm may be the biggest positive factor of all.

The numbers game: The Pistons have won consecutive titles despite not having any player average more than 20 points a game either season.

2. Chicago Bulls.

1989-90 record: 55-27.

Outlook: More help has come for Michael Jordan. With Scottie Pippen developing into a fine small forward and point guard B.J. Armstrong showing encouraging signs in training camp, the Bulls got aggressive in the off-season and traded for guard Dennis Hopson and signed forward Cliff Levingston. The depth can only help, although Hopson will need to improve on his career 42.2% shooting mark to be a real factor. They proved last season they could challenge the Pistons, but the next step is the biggest.

The numbers game: Jordan is going for his fifth consecutive scoring title. The longest streak is seven, by Wilt Chamberlain in 1960-66.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers.

1989-90 record: 42-40.

Outlook: If Danny Ferry thought the crowd was hard on him during a recent exhibition game in Los Angeles, watch what happens at home if he doesn’t produce during the regular season. He is why the Cavaliers traded popular Ron Harper, not to mention a big reason Cleveland has the highest payroll in the league at $15.7 million, almost $2 million more than the No. 2 Knicks. Ferry, Hot Rod Williams and Larry Nance give Coach Lenny Wilkens an enviable set of forwards to go with center Brad Daugherty and point guard Mark Price. But Harper still needs to be replaced.

The numbers game: In two of the five first-round playoff games against the 76ers, the entire Cavalier starting front line was outrebounded by Charles Barkley.

4. Indiana Pacers.

1989-90 record: 42-40.

Outlook: The Pacers brought in Bill Walton during training camp to tutor young center Rik Smits. If Smits, who has shown improvement in his first two seasons, picked up anything from Walton besides Grateful Dead lyrics, Indiana could do damage. Reggie Miller is already an All-Star, and the other guard, Vern Fleming, is said to have improved his jumper after averaging 14.3 points a game last season. Detlef Schrempf has quietly become one of the best sixth men in the league.

The numbers game: With a 64-71 record (47.4%) Dick Versace has the highest winning percentage of any Pacer coach since the franchise moved from the ABA to the NBA.

5. Atlanta Hawks.

1989-90 record: 41-41.

Outlook: There’s something old and something new in the backcourt--rookie Rumeal Robinson will start at the point, and Sidney Moncrief earned a reserve job after yearlong retirement. But the Hawks will go only as far as Dominique Wilkins and Moses Malone and the other selfish players will take them. Maybe Bob Weiss, replacing Mike Fratello as coach, will get some of them to put their egos on hold. Or maybe this will always be a championship team from the 1980s that never was.

The numbers game: If Moses Malone scores at least 1,000 points, he would join Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, John Havlicek and Elvin Hayes as the only NBA players to reach that plateau in 15 consecutive seasons. Another 961 points and Malone would become the fourth pro (NBA and/or ABA) to score 28,000 points, along with Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Julius Erving.

6. Milwaukee Bucks.

1989-90 record: 44-38.

Outlook: The Bucks have three guards who can score--Alvin Robertson, Jay Humphries and Ricky Pierce--but mostly role players who will be thrust into starting spots. Fred Roberts and Brad Lohaus will get considerable time on the front line, which says plenty. It’s rebound-by-committee since Jack Sikma plays outside, giving Milwaukee a serious void in low-post scoring. Last season, the 6-11 Sikma led the team in three-point shooting, the 6-3 Roberston was the top rebounder and reserve Pierce led in scoring. Strange mix.

The numbers game: Pierce has averaged 18 points a game the last five seasons, more than any other reserve.

7. Charlotte Hornets.

1989-90 record: 19-63.

Outlook: The Hornets needed a center but passed on Felton Spencer and Dwayne Schintzius in the draft to take Kendall Gill, who can play both guard positions. Gill will join Dell Curry, Rex Chapman and Muggsy Bogues in a crowded backcourt, and J.R. Reid, a true forward, will continue to play center. There’s also a line at small forward with Kelly Tripucka and Johnny Newman, the former Knick, signed as a free agent.

The numbers game: Bogues, the 5-3 guard, had the league’s best assist-to-turnover ratio last season at 5.94 to 1, or 867 assists to 146 turnovers.