NBA 2007-08

Here's what's in NBA commissioner David Stern's universe these days: Kobe Bryant wants out of Los Angeles . . . a referee who allegedly bet on basketball games . . . the New York Knicks and coach Isaiah Thomas losing a sexual harassment lawsuit . . . the Sonics might ditch Seattle for Oklahoma City . . . Portland's number one draft pick, Greg Oden, is injured and out for the season . . . and the San Antonio Spurs are the defending champion.

One of the league's signature franchises, the Boston Celtics, made themselves a contender with the acquisitions of Ray Allen from Seattle and Kevin Garnett from Minnesota in exchange for leftovers. Of course, that's an easy thing to say in the talent-challenged Eastern Conference, where mediocre teams rule.

In the Western Conference, it's the Big Three--Dallas, San Antonio and Phoenix--along with up-and-comers Golden State, Utah and Houston. Even the Los Angeles Lakers, with the made-for-ESPN drama concerning Bryant, should be a playoff team as long as he stays with them.

Our projected playoff teams:

EAST Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, Miami Heat and New Jersey Nets.

WEST Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers (with Bryant), Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz.

As for the Minnesota Timberwolves, most pundits have consigned them to the bottom of the heap in the post-Garnett era. And so are we. The Wolves are going to have a difficult time getting quality players to come here. Two of them, Ricky Davis and Juwan Howard, are already gone. They didn't want to play here in the first place without Garnett. That means all eyes will be on Al Jefferson, whom the Wolves ended up with in the Boston trade, as the new face of the franchise. It's not going to be pretty at Target Center for the next few years.