Central division

(in predicted order of finish)
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Last season's record/playoffs: 45-37, lost in second round
Coach: Mike Brown
Starting five: PG Mo Williams, SG Wally Szczerbiak, SF LeBron James, PF Ben Wallace, C Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Key additions: Williams, F J.J. Hickson
Key loss: F Joe Smith
Outlook: Williams's addition should take some offensive pressure off James . . . The Cavaliers hope Hickson, a rookie, will be a solid role player by the postseason . . . Other than Ilgauskas, the Cavs do not have a solid post player.

DETROIT PISTONS
Last season's record/playoffs: 59-23, lost in Eastern finals
Coach: Michael Curry
Starting five: PG Chauncey Billups, SG Richard Hamilton, SF Tayshaun Prince, PF Rasheed Wallace, C Amir Johnson
Key addition: F-C Kwame Brown
Key loss: G Lindsey Hunter
Outlook: One NBA coach said the Pistons will live and die with the talented but emotional Wallace . . . Curry, a rookie head coach, has been applying strong discipline . . . Expect second-year guard Rodney Stuckey to be a Sixth Man of the Year candidate.

CHICAGO BULLS
Last season's record/playoffs: 33-49, missed playoffs
Coach: Vinny Del Negro
Starting five: PG Derrick Rose, SG Kirk Hinrich, SF Luol Deng, PF Drew Gooden, C Joakim Noah
Key addition: Rose
Key losses: None
Outlook: Rose is under a lot of pressure because he was the top pick in this year's draft and is playing in his hometown . . . Del Negro is a rookie head coach who faces a lot of pressure to make the Bulls a playoff team . . . Keep an eye on reserve guard Ben Gordon, who will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

INDIANA PACERS
Last season's record/playoffs: 36-46, missed playoffs
Coach: Jim O'Brien
Starting five: PG T.J. Ford, SG Mike Dunleavy, SF Danny Granger, PF Troy Murphy, C Rasho Nesterovic
Key additions: Ford, Nesterovic, G-F Brandon Rush, C Roy Hibbert
Key losses: F-C Jermaine O'Neal, G-F Shawne Williams, C David Harrison
Outlook: With Ford running the team, the Pacers hope to become uptempo . . . Granger needs to be an All-Star-caliber player on a nightly basis for the Pacers to be competitive . . . Keep an eye on rookies Rush and Hibbert, who can help the Pacers now.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Last season's record/playoffs: 26-56, missed playoffs
Coach: Scott Skiles
Starting five: PG Luke Ridnour, SG Michael Redd, SF Richard Jefferson, PF Charlie Villanueva, C Andrew Bogut
Key additions: Jefferson, Ridnour, F-C Joe Alexander, F Luc Mbah a Moute, G Tyronn Lue
Key losses: G Mo Williams, F Yi Jianlian, G-F Bobby Simmons
Outlook: The Bucks have an intimidating scoring duo in Redd and Jefferson . . . Can Ridnour become a solid starting point guard again? . . . Will the retread Skiles finally get on the same page with the players?

MARC J. SPEARS