NBA Eastern Conference capsules

In predicted order of finish:

1. ORLANDO

2009-10 record: 53-29, No. 2 in East.

Coming — Chris Duhon, Quentin Richardson.

Going — Matt Barnes.

Whatever they do, like bringing in Rashard Lewis at $19.7 million per and Vince Carter at $15.5 million, there’s something fundamentally powerful here.

With Dwight Howard dominating both ends, they were No. 1 in opponents’ field goal percentage, No. 6 in scoring, made 98 more threes than No. 2 Golden State, and shoot 346 more free throws than opponents.

Carter just burned up the preseason and Howard looked focused — on the Heat, not his coach, both good signs.

2. MIAMI

2009-10 record: 47-35, No. 5 in East.

Coming — LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Mike Miller, Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

Going-- Jermaine O’Neal, Michael Beasley, Daequan Cook, Quentin Richardson.

Despite what you’ve heard, the big three are all-around players with egos in check.

Their problem, even more than depth and length, is notoriety.

Playing with a chip on their shoulder is great, up to the point Wade pulls a hamstring in the exhibition opener and sits out the rest of the preseason, and Miller, whose shooting makes it work, sprains his ankle twice in another, then breaks his thumb in practice.

3. BOSTON

2009-10 record: 50-32, No. 4 in East.

Coming — Shaquille O’Neal, Jermaine O’Neal, Delonte West.

Going — Rasheed Wallace, Tony Allen, Brian Scalabrine, Shelden Williams.

Someone neglected to pound a wooden stake through their hearts because they’re back, coming off an amazing dash to the Finals and a heartbreaking loss after leading by 13 in the second half of Game 7.

Management, which almost broke them up at mid-season, then did a 180, assembling the biggest, deepest — and oldest and most expensive team — in Celtics history.

Coach Doc Rivers will conserve them but as long as they make the playoffs, anything’s possible.

4. ATLANTA

2009-10 record: 53-29, No. 3 in East

Coming — Coach Larry Drew, Josh Powell.

Leaving — Coach Mike Woodson.

It’s not that nothing ever changes with the Hawks, who finally offed Woodson after years of grumbling by his young players.

Aside from that, however, it’s the same ownership group, split by the same legal battle, bringing back the same highlight-reel team while rivals pull farther ahead.

Drew is, at least, trying to get them out of their predictable Iso- Joe Johnson offense, but their ability to run anything more complex remains to be proven.

5. CHICAGO

2009-10 record: 41-41, No. 8 in East.

Coming — Coach Tom Thibodeau, Carlos Boozer, Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver, C.J. Watson.

Going — Coach Vinny Del Negro, Kirk Hinrich, Brad Miller.

Thibodeau, who schemed the Boston defense, finally gets his chance with these comers who would just like to lock up a playoff spot before the last game.

Boozer is a 20-10 guy — when healthy — although breaking a finger before playing in an exhibition, wasn’t reassuring.

After a bumpy start under Del Negro, it’s finally Derrick Rose’s team and time although they’re still auditioning shooting guards.

The big question is Thibodeau’s defense. Look what it did for the Celtics.

6. MILWAUKEE

2009-10 record: 46-36, No. 6 in East.

Coming — Corey Maggette, Drew Gooden, Keyon Dooling, Earl Boykins.

Going — Luke Ridnour, Charlie Bell, Dan Gadzuric.

Defying the maxim that says you need a superstar — and showing how good Coach Scott Skiles is —the Bucks made the playoffs, lost Andrew Bogut and still led Atlanta, 3-2, before falling in seven games.

Bogut, who was having his best season, is back... they hope... having also missed 66 games in two seasons.

As much rides on Brandon Jennings, a rookie sensation in November when he averaged 22 points, who shot 35% after that.

7. CHARLOTTE

2009-10 record: 44-38, No. 7 in East.

Coming — Kwame Brown, Eduardo Najera, Matt Carroll.

Going— Ray Felton, Tyson Chandler,

Falling out of this race won’t be easy with Coach Larry Brown having already pulled off the usual miracle, getting them in their first playoffs.

However, year three is late for Brown and with new owner Michael Jordan’s tight budget, their humble roster is humbler.

Unfortunately, Brown, whose magic doesn’t extend to personnel, pushed MJ to draft D.J. Augustin over Brook Lopez. Otherwise, Larry would, at least, leave them with more.

8. PHILADELPHIA

2009-10 record: 27-55, No. 13 in East.

Coming — Coach Doug Collins, No. 1 pick Evan Turner.

Going — Coach Eddie Jordan, Samuel Dalembert.

After a nightmare season with Jordan and six with coaches Randy Ayers, Chris Ford, Jim O’Brien, Mo Cheeks and Tony DiLeo — everyone since Larry Brown — they shelled out for the hyper-intense, whip-smart Collins.

Collins is going small with Elton Brand, Thaddeus Young and Andre Iguodala up front and Turner and Jrue Holiday, both highly-regarded prospects, at guard.

They can’t shoot a lick, but it had better work anyway or they’ll hear about it, some of them — Iggy? —on their way out of town.

9. NEW YORK

2009-10 record: 29-53, No. 11 in East.

Coming — Amare Stoudemire, Ray Felton, Timofey Mozgov, Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf, Kelenna Azubuike.

Going — David Lee, Chris Duhon,

See if this sounds familiar.

Imagine next summer’s possibilities with a full slot and Chris Paul joking about he and Carmelo Anthony joining Stoudemire!

Having dumped salary for two years to pursue James, Knicks GM Donnie Walsh and Coach Mike D’Antoni must show something with Stoudemire, Danilo Gallinari and assorted prospects or owner James Dolan may go back to embarrassing himself his old way.

Winning 35, which they haven’t done since 2004, would be a start.

10. NEW JERSEY

2009-10 record: 12-70, No. 15 in East.

Coming — GM Billy King, Coach Avery Johnson, No. 1 pick Derrick Favors, Troy Murphy, Jordan Farmar, Travis Outlaw, Anthony Morrow.

Going—GM/Coach Kiki Vandeweghe, Coach Lawrence Frank, Keyon Dooling, Courtney Lee.

Owner Mikhail Prokhorov, who looks good on “60 Minutes but isn’t around much, yearned to bag a star, Carmelo Anthony.

On the ground in Newark, he already has a promising young team with Brook Lopez, Devin Harris and the highly-regarded Favors, although it was easy to miss when they mailed in last season.

Johnson got little credit for going 194-70 in Dallas but players jump for him. Here, he’ll just have to revive them first.

11. WASHINGTON

2009-10 record: 26-56, No. 14 in East.

Coming — No. 1 pick John Wall, Kirk Hinrich.

Going — Mike Miller, Randy Foye, Earl Boykins, Shaun Livingston.

It’s a new day with super-rookie Wall and reinstated Gilbert Arenas in the NBA’s most athletic backcourt ever... or may be if Gilbert can shut up long enough to start the season.

Warned personally by Commissioner David Stern to watch what he said, Arenas then volunteered he faked an inury to let Nick Young start, costing him $50,000.

With Young, Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee, they’re loaded with promise, not to mention wackos.

12. TORONTO

2009-10 record: 40-42, No. 9 in East.

Coming — Leandro Barbosa.

Going — Chris Bosh, Hedo Turkoglu, Marco Belinelli.

Like the Cavaliers, the Raptors saw a years-long campaign to keep their star crumple amid bad feelings.

Coming out of the All-Star break at 29-23, the Raptors fell apart in the stretch, losing five in a row — with Bosh sitting out three — letting the Bobcats and Bulls go past.

GM Bryan Colangelo’s Euro/Phoenix system now features Andrea Bargnani, who’s great in it, but would look better with Steve Nash.

13. INDIANA

2009-10 record: 32-50, No. 10 in East.

Coming — Darren Collison, James Posey.

Going — Troy Murphy, Earl Watson.

After scoring a lot of points but winning 35-36-36-32 the last four seasons, the only way this team will get out of the 30s is to fall into the 20s.

Reggie Miller was right when he said his old team has to luck into a great player and lightning hasn’t struck yet.

Danny Granger, a fantasy superstar with his complete stat line, is only an NBA star. Collison is a great pickup and but at 6-0¼, 166, he’s not The One.

14. CLEVELAND

2009-10 record: 61-21, No. 1 in East.

Coming — GM Chris Grant, Coach Byron Scott, Ramon Sessions, Ryan Hollins.

Going — GM Danny Ferry, Coach Mike Brown, LeBron James, Delonte West, Shaquille O’Neal.

The day the Cavaliers lived in dread, or denial, of has come.

James’ departure was too much to bear for hubristic owner Dan Gilbert, whose enraged statement may be remembered longer than James’ TV show.

Scott, who might have succeeded Phil Jackson as Laker coach, took this job after being told LeBron wanted him, not Tom Izzo — just before James’ announcement.

Oops.

Byron’s teams usually surprise to the upside. Maybe they can win 20 games.

15. DETROIT

2009-10 record: 27-55, No. 12 in East.

Coming — Tracy McGrady.

Going — Kwame Brown.

Signing TMac, who nursed his broken but still-employed body through the preseason, sitting four of their first five exhibitions, shows how low they could go in the wake of owner William Davidson’s death with a sale to Mike Ilitch still pending.

Basketball boss Joe Dumars survived a purge of long-time front-office retainers by Davidson’s widow to trim costs.

Signing Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva blew up in Dumars’ face.

Now Joe can’t do anything, which won’t work either.