Contenders Nowhere to Be Found

Remember the last two seasons when everyone made fun of the Eastern Conference?

Well, it’s worse now.

Last season’s champions, the Indiana Pacers, are rebuilding, having lost or sent away last season’s coach, Larry Bird, center Rik Smits, all-star power forward Dale Davis and point guard Mark Jackson.

This season’s favorite, the Miami Heat, had its dreams pricked in preseason when it learned Alonzo Mourning would sit out the season to treat a kidney illness.

The New York Knicks, always contenders in their own mind, went completely out of their gourds and traded Patrick Ewing, an aging 7-footer, for Glen Rice, who’s only 6-8 and has a little mileage, himself.

Who does that leave?

Philadelphia 76er Coach Larry Brown and his star, Allen Iverson, have been eyeing each other like opponents in a wrestling steel cage match, but might defer their struggle if they realize how easily they could win the East.

Put it this way, if Matt Geiger, a reserve who spent last season in Brown’s doghouse, can wake up one day, count the 7-footers in his conference and announce his all-star candidacy, why wouldn’t Brown and Iverson figure it out?

The East in predicted order of finish:

1. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

* Record: 49-33, fifth in Eastern Conference.

* Offense: 94.7 points a game (23rd in NBA).

* Defense: 93.4 (7th).

* New: None with No. 1 pick Speedy Claxton sidelined for the season because of a knee injury.

* Gone: We’ll see.

* Outlook: It didn’t look like much of an off-season, not after they brought in no one and Brown spent the summer ripping on Iverson, who, in turn, tried to alienate everyone he might have missed with an incendiary rap record. Aside from that, however, they’re OK. Iverson is an incredible gamer. Brown, an incredible coach, has surrounded him with tough competitors such as Eric Snow, Aaron McKie, George Lynch and Theo Ratliff. They could use a better second option than Toni Kukoc but they have size and they defend.

* Bottom line: Of course, if they blow up, none of their virtues will mean anything, and Brown and/or Iverson will be gone.

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PROJECTED STARTERS

G: Eric Snow

G: Allen Iverson

F: Tony Kukoc

F: Tyrone Hill

C: Theo Ratiff

2. ORLANDO MAGIC

* Record: 41-41, ninth.

* Offense: 100.0 (7th).

* Defense: 99.3 (16th).

* New: Tracy McGrady, Grant Hill, Andrew DeClercq, Don Reid, Troy Hudson, Dee Brown, No. 1 pick Mike Miller.

* Gone: Corey Maggette, Chucky Atkins, Ben Wallace.

* Outlook: How’s this for rebuilding? You dump four starters, almost make the playoffs, your rookie coach is coach of the year, your general manager is executive of the year and you sign Grant Hill. Unfortunately for the Magic, Tim Duncan, who seemed to be leaning the Magic’s way, turned around at the last moment but then McGrady was signed. Now Orlando may be the most athletic team in the East--or anywhere. It was already deep and Miller, their rookie, was impressive in exhibitions. The Magic isn’t big but this being the East, it doesn’t have to be.

* Bottom line: Hill is struggling, with the pins from last spring’s surgery still in his ankle. If he makes it back, the Magic will do fine.

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PROJECTED STARTERS

G: Darrell Armstrong

G: Tracy McGrady

F: Grant Hill

F: Bo Outlaw

C: John Amaechi

3. TORONTO RAPTORS

* Record: 45-37, sixth.

* Offense: 97.1, (17th).

* Defense: 97.3, (13th).

* New: Coach Lenny Wilkens, Mark Jackson, Corliss Williamson, No. 1 pick Morris Peterson.

* Gone: Coach Butch Carter, Tracy McGrady, Doug Christie.

* Outlook: As Branch Rickey said, sometimes you add by subtraction and the Raptors hit it big, subtracting wacky Butch Carter, who could have had the guys with the butterfly nets chasing him during the playoff loss to the New York Knicks, when he blew up a Marcus Camby remark into a threatened lawsuit and a major distraction. Wilkens, 63, is the anti-Butch. He’s so calm, people in Atlanta suspected he retired years ago and forgot to tell anyone. But he can organize a defense. In Toronto, any organization will be a welcome change. The Raptors are big and physical with Antonio Davis, Charles Oakley and Williamson up front. Oh yes, they have Vince Carter too, and he’s got something to prove.

* Bottom line: Carter is still getting better and so are the Raptors.

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PROJECTED STARTERS

G: Mark Johnson

G: Vince Carter

F: Corliss Williamson

F: Charles Oakley

C: Antonio Davis

4. MILWAUKEE BUCKS

* Record: 42-40, eighth.

* Offense: 101.2 (4th).

* Defense: 101.2 (24th).

* New: Lindsey Hunter, Jason Caffey, Mark Pope, No. 1 pick Joel Pryzbilla.

* Gone: Danny Manning, Robert Traylor, J.R. Reid.

* Outlook: It takes guts to pick these underachievers for a top-four finish. Either that or you just ran out of teams. Frustrated at getting anyone to defend, Coach George Karl flipped out last spring, ripping the plucky Orlando Magic, looking as if he knew he had to undermine the Magicto beat it. Voila! A late move got the Bucks into the playoffs in which they scared the Pacers in a thrilling five-game series. They helped themselves in the draft, trading for the 7-foot Pryzbilla, a shot-blocker to help deal with the cast of thousands they let drive to the hoop. Karl still must deal with an duel between Tim Thomas (who says he was promised a starting spot) and Glenn Robinson (now earns less than Thomas, is no favorite of Karl and has the spot Thomas was talking about). But Karl will think of something.

* Bottom line: The East’s answer to the high-scoring Sacramento Kings, only not as good.

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PROJECTED STARTERS

G: Sam Cassell

G: Ray Allen

F: Glenn Robinson

F: Jason Caffey

C: Ervin Johnson

5. MIAMI HEAT

* Record: 52-30, second.

* Offense: 94.3 (25th).

* Defense: 91.2 (4th).

* New: Eddie Jones, Brian Grant, Anthony Mason, Dale Ellis, Don MacLean, Ricky Davis.

* Gone: P.J. Brown, Jamal Mashburn, Otis Thorpe, Rodney Buford.

* Outlook: Riley’s teams always play with a lot of heart, because he runs a team like Vince Lombardi, whose watchword was, “If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm.” Nevertheless, in exhibitions, the Heat still looked old, feeble and shell-shocked from Mourning’s departure. There’s enough left to compete with. Jones, Grant and Mason are all good players and if Tim Hardaway can stage a comeback--he has had a full season to get past knee surgery--the Heat could still be OK. After all the trials they’ve already been through, it would also be nice if Mason didn’t test his old mentor Riley but we’re putting the over/under on suspensions at two.

* Bottom line: The Heat will rise again. Next season.

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PROJECTED STARTERS

G: Tim Hardaway

G: Eddie Jones

F: Anthony Mason

F: Brian Grant

C: Duane Causwell

6. NEW YORK NICKS

* Record: 50-32, third.

* Offense: 92.1 (27th).

* Defense: 90.6 (2nd).

* New: Glen Rice, Luc Longley, Travis Knight, Felton Spencer, No. 1 pick Donnell Harvey.

* Gone: Patrick Ewing, Chris Dudley.

* Outlook: Selling an ever-declining product at ever-increasing prices demands scapegoats for disappointments but this time, they really messed up, dumping Ewing, the warrior who held them up so long, for Rice, who won’t fit any better than he did in L.A. The Knicks, once big and physical, are short and reedy, with the 6-11, 220-pound Marcus (I’m Not a Center!) Camby in the middle. Jeff Van Gundy, one of the most underrated coaches in the business , has already given up trying to get Rice into the same lineup with Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston. Starting the season, Rice will be a reserve. Heck, even the Lakers let him start. Luckily for Van Gundy, he squeezed a $15-million extension out of the Knicks before last season, because they’re going to need more scapegoats.

* Bottom line: They’ll stay above .500 on sheer orneriness, only not that far above .500.

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PROJECTED STARTERS

G: Charlie Ward

G: Allan Houston

F: Latrell Sprewell

F: Larry Johnson

C: Marcus Camby

7. CHARLOTTE HORNETS

* Record: 49-33, fourth.

* Offense: 98.4 (14th).

* Defense: 95.7 (10th).

* New: Jamal Mashburn, P.J. Brown, Otis Thorpe, Hersey Hawkins, No. 1 pick Jamaal Magloire.

* Gone: Eddie Jones, Anthony Mason, Ricky Davis.

* Outlook: If it wasn’t for bad decisions and bad luck, they wouldn’t have any decisions or luck at all. They once signed Larry Johnson to a $70-million extension after he suffered the back injury that turned him into a shadow of what he’d been; traded the draft rights to Kobe Bryant; and saw Alonzo Mourning, Vlade Divac, Glen Rice and now Jones engineer escapes. To makes things even more difficult, they still have Derrick Coleman and Elden Campbell. The amazing thing is, they’re still competing. They remain one of the East’s biggest and most physical teams. Jones’ departure is Baron Davis’ break.

* Bottom line: Coach Paul Silas deserves a lot of credit and a better reward than having to come back and start all over again with this crew.

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PROJECTED STARTERS

G: David Wesley

G: Jamal Mashburn

F: Derrick Coleman

F: P.J. Brown

C: Elden Campbell

8. INDIANA PACERS

* Record: 56-26, first.

* Offense: 101.2 (5th).

* Defense: 96.6, (12th).

* New: Coach Isiah Thomas, Jermaine O’Neal, No. 1 pick Primoz Brezec.

* Gone: Coach Larry Bird, Jackson, Dale Davis, Rik Smits.

* Outlook: They reached the NBA finals in what was supposed to be a transition season, encouraging them to hope they could keep rebuilding and winning but Smits’ retirement and Davis’ demand to be traded, which they accommodated, ended that. With Jalen Rose injured, Reggie Miller will be the only finals starter to open the season under Thomas. The organization is committed to playing the youngsters, Austin Croshere, Al Harrington, Jeff Foster and Jonathon Bender. Just what Thomas is committed to remains to be seen. He came in talking about winning titles and getting over humps, so he’d better develop some patience.

* Bottom line: Nice youth movement: Thomas named Sam Perkins, 39, his starting center.

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PROJECTED STARTERS

G: Jalen Rose

G: Reggie Miller

F: Austin Croshere

F: Jermanine O’Neal

C: Sam Perkins

9. BOSTON CELTICS

* Record: 35-47, 10th.

* Offense: 99.3 (9th).

* Defense: 100.0 (20th).

* New: Randy Brown, Chris Carr, Bryant Stith, Chris Herren, No. 1 pick Jerome Moiso.

* Gone: Danny Fortson, Dana Barros, Calbert Cheaney.

* Outlook: Now starting his fourth season as caretaker of what was once the Celtic Mystique, Rick Pitino says they’re finally ready to go back into the playoffs. Of course, by now everyone in Boston has learned to disregard anything coming out of Pitino’s mouth. After all this rebuilding, Pitino has a small team that can’t press, which is what made him different from other coaches in the first place. Antoine Walker is wild, Kenny Anderson can’t guard and as good as Paul Pierce is, he’s not ready to put them on his shoulders and take them anywhere.

* Bottom line: If Pitino misses the playoffs, he’ll probably maneuver owner Paul Gaston into setting him free and wind up at Indiana University. The Boston papers will start in on Gaston in earnest and the cry will go up from the populace to sell to a group headed by Bird.

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PROJECTED STARTERS

G: Kenny Anderson

G: Paul Pierce

F: Adrian Griffin

F: Antoine Walker

C: Vitaly Potapenko

10. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

* Record: 32-50, 11th.

* Offense: 96.9 (18th).

* Defense: 100.4 (22nd).

* New: Chris Gatling, Matt Harpring, Robert Traylor, J.R. Reid, Clarence Weatherspoon, No. 1 pick Chris Mihm.

* Gone: Shawn Kemp, Bobby Sura.

* Outlook: Having dumped Kemp, the Cavaliers started to rebuild again. This is hard but preferable to watching Kemp swell up to the size of Shamu, knowing they owe him $70 million for the next four seasons. Point guard Andre Miller had a good rookie season, ex-Clipper Lamond Murray was their No. 2 scorer and 7-3 Zydrunas Ilaguaskas returns after sitting out two seasons because of a foot injury. But Traylor is still wallowing at power forward and Matt Harpring is a forward who happens to start at guard. Then there’s the question of how good Coach Randy Wittman is.

* Bottom line: Slowdown czar Mike Fratello never got the credit he deserved for keeping them respectable. Now he’s gone and this is all that’s left.

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PROJECTED STARTERS

G: Andre Miller

G: Wesley Person

F: Lamond Murray

F: Robert Traylor

C: Zydrunas Iiaguaskas

11. WASHINGTON WIZARDS

* Record: 29-53, 13th.

* Offense: 96.5 (19th).

* Defense: 99.3 (19th).

* New: Coach Leonard Hamilton, Popeye Jones, Cherokee Parks, Felipe Lopez.

* Gone: Coach Darrell Walker, Ike Austin, Tracy Murray.

* Outlook: Michael Jordan wants to be judged by his first full season and here (shudder) it comes. Having been given up on after the last two seasons, Rod Strickland may even try. Mitch Richmond could have something left, but, as with Strickland, the question is how much? Juwan Howard isn’t a $100-million player but he should be able to do something, shouldn’t he? Nevertheless, the problem hasn’t changed--they’re old, capped for years and still saddled with untradeable contracts.

* Bottom line: What they need is an Orlando Magic-style, damn-the-torpedoes, throw-everybody-over-the-side meltdown. But first Jordan has to learn that his presence by itself doesn’t change anything.

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PROJECTED STARTERS

G: Rod Strickland

G: Mitch Richmond

F: Juwan Howard

F: Michael Smith

C: Jahidi White

12. DETROIT PISTONS

* Record: 42-40, seventh.

* Offense: 103.4 (2nd).

* Defense: 102.0 (26th).

* New: Cedric Ceballos, Ben Wallace, Chucky Atkins, Dana Barros, Billy Owens, No. 1 pick Mateen Cleaves.

* Gone: Grant Hill, Lindsey Hunter, Christian Laettner.

* Outlook: Everyone likes Joe Dumars, who runs the basketball operation so if he says Hill betrayed him, everyone in Detroit says, “Oh yeah, what did we ever win with Grant, no one here ever liked him, he wasn’t blue collar,” and so on. Actually, Hill would have needed his head examined if he had come back to keep propping up this going-nowhere outfit. The Pistons are still puny--remember when they started Terry Mills against Shaquille O’Neal?--and at least half the roster will be new. However, it includes Wallace, who’s better than anyone on last season’s front line; Atkins, a little point who had a surprising rookie season, and Ceballos, who can, as he will tell you, score on anybody.

* Bottom line: Jerry Stackhouse will average 28 points and Detroit will finally learn how much Hill meant.

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PROJECTED STARTERS

G: Chucky Atkins

G: Jerry Stackhouse

F: Cedric Ceballos

F: Jerome Williams

C: Mikki Moore

13. ATLANTA HAWKS

* Record: 28-54, 14th.

* Offense: 94.3 (24th).

* Defense: 99.7 (18th).

* New: Coach Lon Kruger, No. 1 pick Dermarr Johnson.

* Gone: Coach Lenny Wilkens, Isaiah Rider.

* Outlook: The Hawks have always been the orphan child of Ted Turner’s sports enterprises, all but forgetten in football-mad Georgia and baseball-mad Atlanta. Now they’ve sunk to the bottom of the East with little prospect for moving up and their best player, Dikembe Mutombo, approaching free agency and coyly refusing to say anything about his plans. NBA teams have long been eyeing Kruger, who comes in from the University of Illinois, but he would have to be an actual practicing wizard to pluck this falling boulder out of the air. Jim Jackson is OK but Jason Terry struggled as a rookie. This season’s top rookie, Johnson, just turned 20 and arrives after one season of college ball.

* Bottom line: Kiss Mutombo goodby.

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PROJECTED STARTERS

G: Jason Terry

G: Dion Glover

F: Jim Jackson

F: Alan Henderson

C: Dikembe Mutombo

14. NEW JERSEY NETS

* Record: 31-51, 12th.

* Offense: 98.0 (15th).

* Defense: 99.0 (15th).

* New: Coach Byron Scott, No. 1 pick Kenyon Martin, Aaron Williams.

* Gone: Coach Don Casey.

* Outlook: The Nets had the usual exhibition season, meaning just about everyone who wasn’t hurt, got hurt. Injuries forced Jayson Williams to retire last season. Kerry Kittles, Jamie Feick and Lucius Harris had surgery in the off-season and are sidelined. Keith Van Horn suffered a broken bone in his left leg and is sidelined until mid-November. Martin, supposedly the one sure thing in the draft even though his senior season at Cincinnati came to an abrupt end because of a broken leg, made it through without injury but started slowly. Stephon Marbury once demanded to be traded to New Jersey--encouraged to stay by agent David Falk, whom he subsequently fired. Marbury may have to rehire Falk to get him out of New Jersey.

* Bottom line: Byron Scott needs your prayers.

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PROJECTED STARTERS

G: Stephon Marbury

G: Kendall Gill

F: Kenyon Martin

F: Aaron Williams

C: Evan Eschmeyer

15. CHICAGO BULLS

* Record: 17-65, 15th.

* Offense: 84.7 (29th).

* Defense: 94.1 (9th).

* New: Ron Mercer, Brad Miller, Toby Bailey, Bryce Drew, No. 1 picks Marcus Fizer, Jamal Crawford and Dalibor Bagaric.

* Going: Hersey Hawkins, Chris Antsey, Dicky Simpkins.

* Outlook: OK, who said, “Players don’t win championships, organizations do?” Yes, it was Bull General Manager Jerry Krause. In the two seasons since they blew up their own dynasty, the Bulls finished last twice, opened up cap space for two maximum free agents but were rejected by the big names last summer, which, at least, confirmed exactly what kind of pariahs they are in this league. Elton Brand is solid and should improve and Mercer will help, but Fizer is being brought along slowly. Not that Crawford is a head case but he got into an argument with Coach Tim Floyd in the summer league, after he was told to get the ball to Fizer inside.

* Bottom line: The organization is doing fine. The roster could use a little refurbishing, though.

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PROJECTED STARTERS

G: Bryce Drew

G: Ron Mercer

F: Ron Artest

F: Elton Brand

C: Brad Miller