'All Net' readers pick Lakers to repeat

Before the tip-off of the NBA preseason All Net asked its readers, "Who will be the NBA champions in 2010?"

The answer's in, and the winner's no surprise to hoist the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy (photo above) in June 2010.

Here's how it broke down:

Los Angeles Lakers: 39%
None of these teams: 27%

Cleveland Cavaliers: 15%

Orlando Magic: 10%

Boston Celtics: 7%

Next question: What one-two punch featuring Shaquille O'Neal (photo above) will go down as the best?

Top 10 NBA teams for 2009-2010 season

More than any other NBA season in recent memory, team chemistry will ultimately define many of the top ballclubs throughout the league this year.

If Shaquille O’Neal, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson and the other big-time acquisitions over the offseason aren’t able to blend in with their new squads, look for teams that pretty much stayed intact from a year ago like the Denver Nuggets, Portland Trailblazers and Atlanta Hawks to make more noise.

Here are All Net’s top 10 teams for the upcoming 2009-2010 NBA season with their ’08-’09 regular-season records in brackets.

10). New Orleans Hornets (49-33). The Hornets absolutely needed to acquire (but couldn’t afford) more support for NBA All-Stars Chris Paul and David West. They traded Tyson Chandler for Emeka Okafor to become a tad bit more offensive. But with the aging Peja Stojakovic, 34, putting in only 13 points a contest, the Hornets simply lack the consistent firepower on a nightly basis to bang with the Top Dawgs.

9). Denver Nuggets (54-28). Can they duplicate last year’s amazing run? That might be a daunting task. After acquiring a true floor leader in Chauncey Billups, the Nuggets tied their franchise record of 54 regular season victories in ‘09. Billups and Carmelo Anthony will continue to shine, so it’s up to their big men Kenyon Martin, Nene, and Chris Andersen to come through again if the team hopes to duplicate their Western Conference Finals appearance or advance beyond it.

8). Atlanta Hawks (47-35). Jamal Crawford's a nice touch to the already talented Hawks roster. With his acquisition, the team has a legit scorer to complement fellow backcourt stars Joe Johnson (above photo) and Mike Bibby. The problem, though, with the Hawks still lies in the frontcourt. With no true proven center on their current roster, the athletic Hawks just can’t physically counter the brute force of Orlando’s Dwight Howard or the Cavs’ Shaquille O’Neal in the paint.

7). Portland Trailblazers (54-28). Crafty veteran point guard Andre Miller adds valued experience to the young, promising Blazers this upcoming season. Brandon Roy has established himself as a perennial NBA superstar. The bench has established itself as one of the deepest, featuring Rudy Fernandez of Italy. Now the time’s ripe for oft-injured center Greg Oden to show his full worth as the No. 1 selection in the 2007 NBA Draft. If he does, the Blazers could pose big problems for the Mavs and Spurs.

6). Dallas Mavericks (50-32). No one’s talking much about the Mavericks these days. That could be a good thing for them. When expectations were high, they always disappointed their fans. This season has to be the final ride for point guard Jason Kidd, 36, (above photo driving) and maybe even Dirk Nowitzki, 31. The squad inserted much needed quickness and depth in the lineup with Shawn Marion and Drew Gooden. It’s just a matter if all these old men can stay healthy or not for 82 games and a playoff stretch.

5). Boston Celtics (62-20). Kevin Garnett’s knee is still a question mark. If K.G. misses any chunk of time or doesn’t return to his old former league MVP self, the Celtics will have trouble handling the Top 4 teams. Rasheed Wallace should be a help rather than a hindrance. But perhaps what’s most bothersome is the wearing down of Paul Pierce in the conference finals in May. At 31-years-old, Pierce seemingly lost that oomph in his game he so elegantly displayed in ‘08 when they won the title.

4). San Antonio Spurs (54-28). Though The Big Three (Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili) were scheduled to return, the Spurs recognized the necessity to get better to remain an elite team in the league. Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess, Theo Ratliff along with rookie DeJuan Blair shore up a great supporting cast for the Spurs. But it’s how the team’s youngest star Parker will productively integrate these new guys which will ultimately decide how far the Spurs will go this season.

3). Orlando Magic (59-23). The runner-ups in the 2009 NBA Finals lost a key component in their run when Hedo Turkoglu bolted to the Toronto Raptors. Replacement Vince Carter’s legs may be a bit wary, but his game translates well into the Magic’s system. He can drain the 3-ball as well as penetrate through the lane. Both Dwight Howard (above photo) and Rashard Lewis will benefit immensely when Carter’s on the floor. If point guard Jameer Nelson returns to his All-Star play, the Magic could ruin things again for the Celts and Cavs.

2). Cleveland Cavaliers (66-16). The Cavs learned in a painful way that winning 66 games in the regular season doesn’t mean a thing without a ring. The 2009 MVP LeBron James actually has more at stake this season with Big Shaquille O’Neal in town. Kobe won with Shaq. D-Wade won with Shaq. What if LeBron fails? At 37, Shaq can still get it done 20 to 25 minutes a night. So with basically the same unit returning along with O’Neal, there’s no excuse for King James if he doesn’t hoist his first NBA trophy this year.

1). Los Angeles Lakers (65-17). The Lakers have the best coach, player and team in the league. Yes, starter Trevor Ariza departed, but Ron Artest can quickly fill that role. At this juncture in his career, Artest wants to win and that’s what the Lakers do. So despite some anxiety, Ron Ron won’t be a distraction at all. Back-to-back titles would virtually be a wrap if the Lakers could get steadier production from big fellas like Andrew Bynum and Josh Powell. The team’s Jekyll and Hyde play is a concern. There are just too many potentially good squads in the NBA for that inconsistency in ’09-10.

5 biggest stories in 2009 NBA offseason

The 2009 NBA offseason picked up exactly where the playoffs ended last season, supplying plenty of drama for basketball fans to ponder at home and in the office.

Here are five of the most intriguing NBA stories since the Los Angeles Lakers handled the Orlando Magic in five games to capture the 2009 NBA championship at the beginning of summer.

5). Rose cheated on SAT.
Should we really be surprised? Probably not. But it doesn’t seem fair.

While the Memphis Tigers basketball program was stripped of its 2008 Final Four appearance and a 38-2 season, the Chicago Bulls’ rising star Derrick Rose remains the No. 1 pick from the 2008 NBA Draft and the 2009 NBA Rookie of the Year.

Sure, the majority of blame should fall on the shoulders of former Memphis head coach John Calipari and the university, but the main culprit Rose should feel some guilt, too, and somehow make right with his ex-teammates.

4). Beasley sent to rehab.
Michael Beasley averaged 13.9 points and 5.4 rebounds in 24.8 minutes a game during his rookie campaign with the Miami Heat last season, but because all the hype he generated as an All-American at Kansas State haters viewed his inaugural season as a disappointment.

On Friday, news broke that Beasley’s personal problems are being overblown, and he actually entered the facility as a condition of him violating the NBA’s substance abuse policy during rookie camp.

Who really cares?

Whatever the case, it shows being the second-overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft doesn’t make an alcohol or drug fiend immune to substance and psychological issues. It actually may make matters worse.

3). Marbury cries on Webcam.

His pop’s death in 2007 and other family tragedies have had a major impact on Stephon Marbury’s fall from grace in the NBA.

I just wished Steph would’ve kept his emotional breakdown in the closet rather than exposing it to the entire world to see.

Remember this now-deranged crybaby was a two-time NBA All-Star who averaged 19.3 points and 7.6 assists during 13 years in the league. He was billed as the savior and one of the top ballers to come out of New York City.

Now it appears his pro basketball career’s a wrap.

2). Yao out for season.

A quality big man’s a hard find in the NBA nowadays, especially one who’s 7-foot-6, 310 pounds and a six-time NBA All-Star who averages 19 points and 9 boards a night during his career.

Yao Ming’s broken foot might’ve caused the Houston Rockets a trip to the NBA Finals in June. Now arguably the best big man in the game and iconic figure in China may miss the entire 2009-2010 season.

A recent report claims Yao’s currently working out for the first time since having surgery in June, but most likely the first overall selection in the 2002 NBA Draft won’t sport a Rockets uniform until 2010 camp.

If Yao doesn’t play this season, the Rockets are left with Joey Dorsey, Chuck Hayes, and David Andersen at center.

Sadder still, the NBA would be down to Dwight Howard, 23, Tim Duncan, 33, and Shaquille O’Neal, 37, as the only lethal big men remaining in the paint.

1). NBA elite get a lot richer.
The 2009 NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers acquired Ron Artest. The runner ups Orlando Magic obtained Vince Carter.

Shaquille O’Neal shifted to Cleveland, and the 2008 NBA champion Boston Celtics snagged Rasheed Wallace.

Guess it’s good to be rich in talent during a recession.

The problem for commissioner David Stern, though, is how will NBA fans and players in the other 26 markets respond to the seemingly lopsidedness throughout the league.

Do ’09 contenders like the Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trailblazers or New Orleans Hornets have a true shot at the NBA title this upcoming season?

We don’t think so.