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RANCHO RESORT
MAINTANANCE POSITION

1. LOS ANGELES LAKERS

• Coach: Phil Jackson

• Home: Staples Center

• Last season: 57-25, first; lost to Celtics 4-2 in NBA Finals

• Possible starters: G Derek Fisher, G Kobe Bryant, F Vladimir Radmanovic, F Pau Gasol, C Andrew Bynum

• Others: G Jordan Farmar, F Luke Walton, F Lamar Odom

• Key stat: Bynum averaged 13.1 points and 10.2 rebounds in the 35 games he played last season but averaged 17.3 points and 12.2 rebounds in the six games before he suffered a season-ending injury.

• Outlook: The Lakers toyed with the idea of bringing Bynum off the bench, which would have meant Gasol would start at center rather than power forward. Jackson has been working to make this even more of a running team than it was last season, and the concern is that playing the two 7-footers together might slow down the fast-break offense. But it looks as though Bynum will start, which will allow Odom and Farmar to lead an uptempo second unit.

2. PHOENIX SUNS

• Coach: Terry Porter

• Home: US Airways Center

• Last season: 55-27; lost to Spurs in first round

• Possible starters: G Steve Nash, G Raja Bell, F Grant Hill, F Amare Stoudemire, C Shaquille O'Neal

• Others: G Leandro Barbosa, F Matt Barnes, F/C Robin Lopez (rookie)

• Key stat: Stoudemire averaged 25.2 points last season but averaged 28.5 over the final three months after O'Neal arrived.

• Outlook: Porter is applying the brakes on the Suns' former break-neck pace and installing a new, more methodical look. Porter is allowing the Suns to get out and run after a defensive stop as a way to encourage better defense. But the Suns are running traditional sets with Porter making the call and Nash running it. It is quite an adjustment for the Suns, who have traditionally been one of the higher-scoring teams in the league. "It's almost like, 'Are we allowed to do this, Dad?'" said Nash, referring to Porter.

3. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

• Coach: Don Nelson

• Home: Oracle Arena

• Last season: 48-34

• Possible starters: G Monta Ellis (injured), G Corey Maggette, F Stephen Jackson, F Al Harrington, C Andris Biedrins

• Others: G Marco Belinelli, G/F Kelenna Azubuike, F Ronny Turiaf

• Key stat: The Warriors scored the most points last season (111.0) but also gave up the most (108.8).

• Outlook: Ellis' 30-game suspension for trying to hide the truth about his moped accident and ankle injury cast a pall on the exhibition season and had the Warriors scrambling to find a starting point guard. Nelson seemed to enjoy the competition that was created at the position. "Actually, we're doing OK," he said. "There's good competition, and it's kind of fun."

4. SACRAMENTO KINGS

• Coach: Reggie Theus

• Home: Arco Arena

• Last season: 38-44

• Possible starters: G Beno Udrih, G Kevin Martin, F John Salmons, F Mikki Moore, C Brad Miller

• Others: G Bobby Brown (rookie), F Donte Greene (rookie), C Spencer Hawes, F/G Francisco Garcia, F Jason Thompson (rookie)

• Key stat: Martin averaged 23.7 points last season, and only Kobe Bryant (28.3) and Allen Iverson (26.4) averaged more among guards.

• Outlook: Get it and go. Hoping to take advantage of his team's youth and athleticism, Theus wants to play an uptempo game. Because the Kings lack a dominant post player, Theus' message has been to push the ball to get some easy baskets. The full-throttle style also will play to the strengths of Martin.

5. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

• Coach: Mike Dunleavy

• Home: Staples Center

• Last season: 23-59

• Possible starters: G Baron Davis, G Cuttino Mobley, F Al Thornton, F Chris Kaman, C Marcus Camby.

• Others: G Ricky Davis, G Eric Gordon (rookie), F Tim Thomas.

• Key stat: The Clippers were 29th in the league last season in both scoring (93.8) and field goal percentage (43.8 percent).

• Outlook: Former general manager Elgin Baylor is out, and Camby and Davis are in under the Clippers' facelift. Davis, who joined the Clippers as a free agent from Golden State, is about 20 pounds lighter and says the possibilities are endless for the team, although "it's going to be bumpy in the beginning."

– Tom Enlund, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel