1. Boston Celtics – The addition of veteran Rasheed Wallace has already paid dividends early on as the Celtics are 6-0 on the year. Wallace is playing just 21 minutes per game off the bench, but when he is in he produces. The 14 year forward is averaging 11.2 points and hitting nearly three 3-pointers per game while shooting 43% from beyond the arc. Just think, the Celtics are not even at full strength as Glen “Big Baby” Davis has not suited up yet. Boston has also set an NBA record starting the year off 6-0 and holding opponents to 90 or less points in each game. They are holding opponents to just 81.5 points per game while scoring 99.8 points per game. They look like the early favorites in the Eastern Conference.

2. Orlando Magic – The Magic have not shown any ill-effect from the loss of Hedo Turkoglu to Toronto. Also they have been missing Rashard Lewis, who is suspended for the first 10 games of the season for violating the NBA’s Anti-Drug Agreement. A surprise for Orlando has not been the addition of Vince Carter, but in fact his former New Jersey teammate in Ryan Anderson who is averaging 15.8 points per game and shooting nearly 45% from three-point land. Even J.J. Redick has stepped his game up averaging over 14 points per contest. The Magic look like they may be primed for another strong run this year.

3. Atlanta Hawks – The Hawks have started the year off nicely going 4-1 with their lone loss on the road against the Lakers. This young squad has improved the last two seasons. In 2008, they gave the Celtics all they could handle in the First Round of the playoffs going seven games and then last year they won their First Round matchup over Miami in seven games and then lost to Cleveland in the Conference Semi-Finals. The Hawks have added Jamal Crawford who is looking like an early candidate for NBA Sixth Man of the Year as he is scoring over 17 points per game coming off the bench. The Hawks are amongst the highest scoring teams in the Eastern Conference at 108 points per game.

4. Miami Heat – Dwyane Wade is on his way to another MVP caliber year as he is averaging nearly 30 points per game. Last year the Heat bounced back after a 15-67 season in which Wade was injured and made the playoffs as the fifth seed. They look good early on with their lone loss coming at the hands of Phoenix. Michael Beasley is in his second-year and is looking on improving on his rookie season. In the end, the Heat will go as far as Wade takes them.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers – The Cleveland Cavaliers did not look good losing their first two games of the season to Boston at home 95-89 and on the road to Toronto 101-91, but turned it around winning their next three games by double digits before falling to Chicago by one at home. The Shaquille O’Neal addition has not transpired the way that most Cleveland fans might have wanted it to, but he seems to be getting more acclimated to the offense as the season goes on. He is far removed from his prime, however he should still give the Cavaliers a strong presence in the post. If Cleveland can get their offense and defense clicking, they could be the best team in the Eastern Conference, but they must get more consistent.

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