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Sean Deveney's 2004-05 Power Poll
Sean Deveney / The Sporting News
Posted: 14 hours ago
1. Pistons. Rasheed Wallace returns with the same core of players and a bigger, deeper bench.
2. Spurs. Were short on long-range clutch shooting last season and are counting on Brent Barry to fix that.
3. Timberwolves. Latrell Sprewell, Sam Cassell and K.G. are the Big Three, but the first two are getting old fast.
4. Pacers. Stephen Jackson brings athleticism and shooting, but he can't carry this team past Detroit.
5. Mavericks. High expectations can be met only if Erick Dampier repeats last season's stellar performance.
6. Rockets. Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady -- either a dynasty in the making or a disaster waiting to happen.
7. Heat. Shaq is here. But where are the reinforcements?
8. Kings. Chemistry? What chemistry? Maybe some bad blood in the locker room will inspire these guys.
9. Lakers. Center and point guard will be problems, but the Lakers have depth. Oh, and they have Kobe Bryant.
10. Jazz. Looks like the post-Stockton-Malone rebuilding plan took all of one year to complete.
11. Nuggets. Kenyon Martin will firm up the inside defense, but Carmelo Anthony will have to share the ball.
12. Grizzlies. Repeating last season's 50 wins will be difficult without a true center on the roster.
13. Suns. Steve Nash will be the perfect guide for the team's athletic youngsters, but defense will be the key.
14. 76ers. They will revolve around Allen Iverson, meaning a healthy, happy Iverson is a necessity.
15. Celtics. Boston is hoping its young players will pan out; in the meantime, it has Paul Pierce and Gary Payton.
16. Trail Blazers. They still are searching for the right outside complement to cornerstone Zach Randolph.
17. Nets. If Jason Kidd shows some professional pride, he could lead a nearly depleted roster to the postseason.
18. Warriors. They are more talented than most think -- new coach Mike Montgomery is the question mark.
19. Bucks. T.J. Ford's injury is one to watch, but the front office has been nimble at finding cost-friendly players.
20. Cavaliers. With Carlos Boozer gone, the Cavs are struggling to put a worthy roster around LeBron James.
21. Knicks. The pieces don't seem to mesh, despite all the well-known names and enormous contracts.
22. Hornets. New coach Byron Scott faces a fractured team and the league's toughest division. Good luck.
23. Wizards. Success hinges on developing center Brendan Haywood and power forward Kwame Brown.
24. SuperSonics. Even with Danny Fortson, the team lacks tough big guys who can rebound.
25. Magic. The rebuilding project will get off to a slow start while Dwight Howard learns the ropes.
26. Raptors. Vince Carter is dragging his team down with his injuries, tentativeness and a bad attitude.
27. Hawks. If streaky shooters Antoine Walker and Al Harrington get a hot hand, this team is no gimme.
28. Bulls. It's Year 4 of the Eddy Curry-Tyson Chandler plan, and the Bulls seem to have gotten nowhere.
29. Clippers. No depth, marginal size and very little interest in defensive effort. Typical Clippers basketball.
30. Bobcats. This team definitely can break the double-digit win barrier.
Sean Deveney is a staff writer for Sporting News. Email him at
sdeveney@sportingnews.com.
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