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After 30 team previews, it’s time for the whole enchilada, just in time for the season’s opening tip. Full standings, award, and playoff predictions follow the jump…

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

15. New Jersey
14. New York
13. Milwaukee
12. Atlanta
11. Chicago
10. Indiana
9. Charlotte
8. Miami
7. Washington
6. Philadelphia
5. Toronto
4. Cleveland
3. Orlando
2. Detroit
1. Boston

Boston is on their game from the get-go and seizes the top record in the conference again. The Pistons adjust well to Michael Curry and hold off the Cavaliers for the Central Division title while Orlando goes wire-to-wire in the Southeast. Toronto hits on all cylinders around the midpoint of the season, showing an effective mesh of the uptempo style and the two low-post threats of Chris Bosh and Jermaine O’Neal, passing Philadelphia late in the season. The Wizards proved last year that they could play well without Arenas, but Agent Zero returns in time to help ensure a playoff appearance. Dwyane Wade has a huge bounce back year to get the Heat into the postseason, even with their weaknesses at the point and center. Larry Brown helps, but the Bobcats’ lack of quality big men after Emeka Okafor holds them back. Danny Granger makes the All-Star Game, but the Pacers just don’t have enough to make the postseason. The Bulls still lack a low-post scorer and Vinny Del Negro’s rookie season on the bench is hit-and-miss while Atlanta regresses and trades Mike Bibby before the deadline. Scott Skiles’ style does not fit with the Bucks’ roster and neither does Mike D’Antoni’s in New York. Vince Carter returns to his 2004-2005 form – getting hurt and milking the injury on a team he decides he wants no part of.

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

15. Oklahoma City
14. Sacramento
13. Memphis
12. Minnesota
11. Denver
10. LA Clippers
9. Golden State
8. Portland
7. Dallas
6. San Antonio
5. Phoenix
4. Houston
3. Utah
2. New Orleans
1. LA Lakers

The Lakers prove to be one of the deepest teams in the league, allowing Kobe Bryant to play fewer minutes than normal while they sew up the conference’s top spot. Chris Paul gives the Hornets more of the same from last year and the Jazz grind down their foes en route to a Northwest Division title. The usual nicks to Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, and Ron Artest slow down the Rockets while the Suns’ offense is still enough to drag their lacking defense to the fifth seed. San Antonio starts slowly due to Manu Ginobili’s absence, but that allows them to develop their young players for a postseason run. Dallas barely passes Portland for the seventh seed while Greg Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Brandon Roy form a tough trio and bring the Blazers back to the playoffs. Monta Ellis’ injury/suspension and the lack of a true point guard keep the Warriors from returning to the postseason. The presence of Marcus Camby and Baron Davis in Los Angeles make for an exceptionally talented, but flawed, Clippers roster and the team just misses something all season long. The absence of Camby removes almost all of the Nuggets’ defensive conscience and the team sends Allen Iverson and his massive expiring contract out of town for young talent and draft picks. The Timberwolves are the best of a bad bunch at the bottom of the West, riding the combination of Al Jefferson and Mike Miller to the top of the bottom. Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo, and Mike Conley form a very promising threesome for the Grizzlies while Kevin Martin becomes an All-Star while toiling for Sacramento. The Thunder bring up the rear in the conference as Kevin Durant solidifies his game, but the young talent around him lacks as quick an improvement.

POSTSEASON AWARD PICKS;

All-NBA First Team:
G – Chris Paul – New Orleans, Kobe Bryant – Los Angeles Lakers
F – LeBron James – Cleveland, Tim Duncan – San Antonio
C – Dwight Howard – Orlando

Most Valuable Player:
Chris Paul – New Orleans

Defensive Player of the Year:
Dwight Howard – Orlando

Most Improved Player:
Mike Conley – Memphis

Sixth-Man Award:
Rodney Stuckey – Detroit

Rookie of the Year:
Greg Oden – Portland

Coach of the Year:
Jerry Sloan – Utah

PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS:

In the East, the top seeds all advance in the quarterfinals, but the higher overall quality of the conference is shown. Boston is pushed to a tough seven games by a Heat team that is hitting its stride while Detroit takes care of the Wizards in six. Orlando handles Philadelphia in six while Cleveland takes out the Raptors in seven. Once again, the Celtics handle the Cavaliers in the second round in seven games while the Pistons get upset by the Magic in six. Boston returns to the NBA Finals after disposing of Orlando in six games.

Out west, the Lakers take care of a young Blazer team in five games while the Hornets also advance in five over Dallas as Chris Paul simply dismantles Jason Kidd. Utah is upset in seven by a Spurs team that feels at home in the playoffs (even as a lower seed) while Amare Stoudemire powers the Suns past the Rockets in six games, who still cannot get over the first-round hump. Los Angeles disposes of Phoenix in seven games in a series of media-generated hype about Kobe Bryant meeting Shaquille O’Neal in the postseason. Meanwhile, New Orleans gets revenge for losing last year against the Spurs, pulling off a seven game victory. The Lakers return to the NBA Finals by besting the Hornets in six games.

An NBA Finals rematch from last season ends with a similar result – Boston hanging another banner as the C’s defeat their hated rivals once again, this time getting pushed to seven games before outlasting the Lakers.