Last season, the Atlantic Division was a model of mediocrity, with the division winner only claiming 45 regular season victories. This year the Atlantic Division will come down to a Tri-State Area brawl between New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. The Nets clearly have the edge since they are armed with the best perimeter trio in the NBA.

Both the Knicks and the Sixers have new coaches, and I expect each to get off to a slow start as players and coaches adjust to one another. Besides the new leading men, Philly and New York both boast overhauled rosters.

Defending champion Boston will be battling with Toronto for a spot in the cellar.

This division is New Jersey's to lose. But if they can't stay healthy, New York or Philly will be there to not only capitalize on their misfortune, but also likely steal their wallet and kick them while they're down.

You'll notice below that I've given odds and a projection the teams in this division. Some of the teams have no Over/Under projection because they are too close to call, and I don't feel totally satisfied endorsing a play. I'm not discouraging a wager, but sometimes no advice is better than bad advice.

Here is one man's view of the Eastern Conference Atlantic Division (in alpha order):

Boston Celtics
2004 Record: 45-37 (1st)
2005 Title odds: 40/1
2005 Wins O/U: 40.5
2005 Wins Projection: Under
Key Additions: Ryan Gomes, F; Brian Scalabrine, PF
Key Losses: Gary Payton, PG; Antoine Walker, SF
Outlook: The Celtics are the defending Atlantic Division champion, but they've lost several veterans off of the 2004-05 squad. Walker and Payton have ridden off, leaving the Boston roster filled with 10 players that have two years or less of NBA experience. Like all young teams, the Celtics should be maddeningly inconsistent. The interesting subplot here is how Paul Pierce serves as team leader. His demeanor doesn't seem to be suited for the role, and his I'm-going-to-do-it-all-myself attitude will hinder the development of the young guys. Keep an eye on 6-feet, 10-inch center Al Jefferson. He is now the team's future.
Final verdict: The one word no fan wants to hear, "rebuilding" fits perfectly here. The Celtics should be significantly worse than the very average team they fielded last year, and there's the potential that they could trade Pierce during the season.

New Jersey Nets
2004 Record: 42-40 (3rd)
2005 Title odds: 30/1
2005 Wins O/U: 47
2005 Wins Projection: Over
Key Additions: Antoine Wright, SF; Jeff McInnis, PG; Marc Jackson, PF
Key Losses: Travis Best, PG; Ron Mercer, SF; Brian Scalabrine, PF
Outlook: Where last season began with loathing, this year looks very bright for the Nets. With Vince Carter (24.5 ppg) and Richard Jefferson (22.2) filling the lane and Jason Kidd (8.3 apg) quarterbacking, New Jersey has a legit shot to get back to the NBA Finals. They have solid depth on the perimeter, but could use another big body underneath to compliment the rapidly developing duo of Nenad Krstic and Jason Collins. Injuries need to be a concern, however, for the Nets. Jefferson played in only 33 games last season, Kidd has had knee concerns in the past, and Carter has proven frail both physically and mentally. These guys should be a lot of fun to watch, and will definitely improve upon New Jersey's 91.4 ppg average (29th) from 2004.
Final verdict: Maybe it's just something about this franchise, but I will be surprised if the Big Three stay healthy and play together for the entire season. However, the raw talent in an average division lends to the over.

New York Knicks
2004 Record: 33-49 (4th)
2005 Title odds: 70/1
2005 Wins O/U: 41.5
2005 Wins Projection: Over
Key Additions: Quentin Richardson, SF; Jerome James, C; Channing Frye, PF
Key Losses: Kurt Thomas, PF; Jerome Williams, PF Outlook: The talk of The Town this summer was obviously the acquisition of Larry Brown to coach the woebegone Knicks. Brown, who guided Detroit to the world championship in 2003-04, will be dealing with the antithesis of what he had in the Motor City. The Knicks are still cap-strapped, and have a roster littered with egos. New York boasts an athletic and skilled backcourt - Stephon Marbury (21.7 ppg, 8.1 apg), Jamal Crawford (17.7 ppg), and Quentin Richardson (14.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg) - but it will be interesting to see if Brown can get them to gel, share the ball, take good shots, and play defense. Also, they gambled on Eddy Curry and his irregular heartbeat and the inconsistent, but potential-laden, Jerome James.
Final verdict: Last season the Knicks were 28th in defense and 22nd in rebounding. Both of those facets require heart and hustle. I don't see that coming from these prima donnas, but Brown alone should be good for five or six wins.

Philadelphia 76ers
2004 Record: 43-39 (2nd)
2005 Title odds: 60/1
2005 Wins O/U: 42.5
2005 Wins Projection: N/A
Key Additions: Lee Nailon, F
Key Losses: Aaron McKie, SG; Rodney Rogers, PF
Outlook: Bringing Chris Webber into the fold last season was supposed to vault Philly into a playoff run. Not so much. Webber played poorly and looked like a broken-down shell of his former self. Jim O'Brien was fired despite leading Philly to the playoffs, but the well-respected Maurice Cheeks was brought in as his replacement. The 76ers need Samuel Dalembert (8.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and Andre Iguodala (9.0 ppg) to continue to draw from their seemingly unlimited reservoir of potential. This team is tough and well rounded. If Webber can stay healthy and produce, they could challenge New Jersey for the Atlantic crown.
Final verdict: They still have Iverson so they still have a chance. He continues to amaze, and if he gets some support they should be tough. I see them within a game of 42 wins.

Toronto Raptors
2004 Record: 33-49 (4th)
2005 Title odds: 100/1
2005 Wins O/U: 28.5
2005 Wins Projection: N/A
Key Additions: Joey Graham, SF; Charlie Villanueva, SF; Mike James
Key Losses: Donyell Marshall, PF
Outlook: This team has serious depth issues and won't figure in the playoff mix. They have a solid foundation with Chris Bosh, Charlie Villanueva, and Joey Graham, but are still several years away. Jalen Rose and Morris Peterson can still fill up the boxscore, but I don't think either is a legitimate No. 1 perimeter scoring option for a full 82 games. Don't expect much of a home-court advantage in Toronto either. In 2004-2005 they finished just 16th in attendance - and that was without hockey. Even general manager Rob Babcock admitted that these guys probably won't improve this year.
Outlook: If Canada has trouble financially supporting hockey teams - which they worship - how long can they keep a second-rate hoops team afloat?

Questions or comments for Robert? E-mail him at robert@docsports.com

The views expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect those of Doc's NBA picks service.

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