Oct 24 (Reuters) - Five teams to watch for during the 2013-14 National Basketball Association (NBA) season that begins on Oct. 29.
In landing
Dwight Howard, the Houston Rockets did not just get the marquee free agent of the offseason but also a three-time Defensive Player of the Year that has given the team instant championship credibility.
Two years removed from a runner-up finish in Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting, Howard joins a Houston team that already includes one of the league's top five scorers in shooting guard
James Harden.
The duo should mesh well together as Harden is an inside/outside scorer that will most likely benefit from the double team coverage that Howard will draw.
But despite all the excitement surrounding the Rockets the team has some holes, most notably at power forward where there is no clear starter.
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BROOKLYN NETS
Coming off a fifth-place finish in the 15-team Eastern Conference last season, the Nets added future Hall of Famers
Kevin Garnett and
Paul Pierce, as well as reserve Jason Terry in a blockbuster trade with Boston.
The Nets already boasted plenty of potential with All-Star center Brooks Lopez, gifted scorer
Deron Williamsand explosive scorer Joe Johnson, who together with Garnett and Pierce make up one of the league's best starting five.
Many will also be watching to see how rookie head coach Jason Kidd, months removed from his playing career, copes with the pressure of immediate expected success from a billionaire owner who has sent a clear message that he wants to win now.
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CHICAGO BULLS
The big news in Chicago is the return of former league MVP
Derrick Rose, who missed all of last season recovering from a knee injury.
While the starting point guard may show some rust early in the season there is no reason to believe he will not be the same explosive player he was before the injury.
During Rose's absence, Bulls center Joakim Noah, power forward Carlos Boozer and shooting guard Jimmy Butler took on more responsibility and the trio should help take some burden off of Rose.
The Bulls' success is directly tied to Rose's recovery and they should be a contender in the Eastern Conference. But if Rose struggles, the competition in the East is simply too deep for Chicago to make any noise.
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MIAMI HEAT
Simply put, Miami is the team to beat.
Coming off a second consecutive NBA championship, the team returns with all its core players and there is little reason to believe the LeBron James-led Heat will not win a third straight title when the season reaches its conclusion in June.
Dwyane Wade turns 32 in January and the knee problems he battled last season could force Heat coach Erik Spoelstra to limit the shooting guard's minutes, especially when the team plays the second of back-to-back games.
Miami brought in injury-plagued Greg Oden and troubled forward Michael Beasley during the offseason and the duo will be expected to play limited roles on a team that revolves around its 'Big Three' of James, Wade and power forward Chris Bosh.
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LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Expectations are sky-high for a Clippers team that is coming off a franchise-high 56-win regular season, loaded with talent and depth and serious about being a contender.
Point guard Chris Paul is one of the best in the league and he showed his commitment to delivering a maiden championship to the Clippers by agreeing to a five-year, $107 million deal contract during the offseason.
The team also made a trade in June for former
Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers, who brings plenty of experience having guided the storied franchise to six division crowns, a pair of Eastern Conference championships and the 2008 NBA title.
With Paul playing alongside Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan while Rivers calls the shots from the sidelines, the Clippers are heavy favourites to capture another division title and in the mix of teams that could represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. (Compiled by Frank Pingue in Toronto, Editing by Steve Keating.)
