If you read Pipe Dream’s preview of the Eastern Conference, you now know that there are three teams in that conference with legitimate title hopes: the Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat. Add the returning champs to that list (the San Antonio Spurs), as well as the Phoenix Suns, and you have five teams that have a shot at the ring.

Southwest Division

It’s the toughest division in basketball, and it’s headed by the Spurs. Highlighting another successful season will be the emergence of Manu Ginobili as the NBA’s most prolific flopper, only made possible after the retirement of Reggie Miller. The Houston Rockets are better after adding Stromile Swift, but Yao Ming is just too timid for them to make the jump from good to great. It’s more of the same from the Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies who will have good regular seasons, but don’t pose serious threats to the champs. The New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets will be playing games all over the place, and they’ll lose most of them.

Pacific Division

The Los Angeles Clippers could surprise us this year after adding Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley to a young, talented squad. Also picked by experts to improve this year are the Golden State Warriors. There’s still room on the Warriors bandwagon, but the wheels may fall off once Baron Davis goes down with another injury. The Phoenix Suns, assuming Amare Stoudemire is at full strength for the playoffs, should meet the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. Phil Jackson might lead the Los Angeles Lakers back into the playoffs, but winning there will be hard for him with only one superstar. It may just be the Sacramento Kings that end up winning this division, but they won’t last too long in the playoffs.

Northwest Division

The Denver Nuggets look ready to take the division crown away from the Seattle SuperSonics, but losing Nen√É.√™ to injury will be tough to overcome. The Minnesota Timberwolves will discover that surrounding Kevin Garnett with players like Marko Jaric and Rashad McCants brings nothing more than a first round playoff exit, if not an expensive ticket to the lottery. They’ll still finish ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers, who are led by a bunch of ex-convicts. The Utah Jazz will be tough as always, and could potentially make the playoffs if rookie Deron Williams can play a steady point guard.