Western Conference:

Before I list who are the contenders, I first want to state that the Western Conference is pretty open. Both Dallas and the Lakers lost players to trades or free agency. They weren't the only ones hurt. Portland suffered two big losses. One Brandon Roy had to retire and two Greg Oden is not likely to play this season. Both the Denver Nuggets and the Utah Jazz will be playing their first full season without Carmelo and Deron Williams. Memphis lost Shane Battier to free agency and Darrell Arthur is out for the season. Here are my top 5: Oklahoma City Thunder: They are the most complete team in the West with the destructive duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. I believe that coupled with a breakout year from James Harden, can lead them to the NBA finals. Memphis Grizzlies: I believe on paper they have the next best team. They have a powerful front court with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. On top of that they have Rudy Gay back, who was to be the star of that team. Though as listed earlier they have lost Shane Battier and Arthur is hurt, I still believe they have the next best chance of claiming the west. Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs: No one likes a tie but, I cannot give a solid reason to put one above the other. But, what's the one thing these teams share in common? They all have won the championship in this past decade. Sure you can make the case Portland still has a lot of talent on their team after losing Roy and losing Oden to another injury. But, Portland has not gotten past the first round with this line-up, who's to believe they will make it to the finals? Like I states earlier these 3 teams are contenders, especially when the West is wide open. Other teams looking in are Portland Trailblazers and Los Angeles Clippers.

Eastern Conference:

There is a lot of fire power in the East; it is a lot more definitive as to who will be making a run in the playoffs. It is not as open as the West. Here are my top 5: Miami Heat: no one will dispute this; Miami is the team to beat in the NBA. You want to make to the finals or win the finals? You'll have to go through them. With another year under their belt, the Big 3 are not ready to lay waste to the East. Both Lebron and Wade have worked on their post games and Bosh is now beginning to understand how he fits into the equation. Shane Battier and draft pick Norris Cole are great additions to the team as well. Chicago Bulls: I don't think the bulls got significantly better from last year, but they did acquire Richard Hamilton who didn't look to shabby against the Lakers in the game opener. The Bulls are still a defensive force and are coming off a playoff run to the Eastern Finals. They have proven they can go deep in the playoffs and as such deserve to be in second on this list. New York Knicks: Like the Memphis Grizzlies, they have a great team on paper. Now with the acquisition with Tyson Chandler, they are now ready to turn heads in the playoffs. They haven't proven themselves in the playoffs and that makes me a little iffy. But, they have the edge with their front court, and that could propel them into a deep playoff run. Boston Celtics: They are still a team to fear in the playoffs, with their dynamic four of Rondo, Pierce, Allen and Garnett. They have won a NBA championship which none of the other current roster have done besides Wade of Miami. But, age is a key weakness and teams that push the tempo have the upper hand. The other key is how dominant Rondo will be, that was evident against the Knicks in the game opener. Atlanta Hawks: They are my fifth team because of the competition. After these four teams, the Hawks make the most sense. They have the same team they have had for the last three seasons or so. So Chemistry is not an issue and so they could have a lot of wins in the regular season. With a higher seed, they can make a playoff run, but as past experience shows they don't show up.