EASTERN CONFERENCE

Is this the conference that won eight of the last 10 NBA titles?

Hardly.

Detroit’s Bad Boys are only a grisly memory. Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and the rest of the Chicago Bulls who could leave, did.

Shaquille O’Neal, who once headed a budding dynasty in Orlando, now heads one in Los Angeles. Patrick Ewing is getting older by the minute, as are the New York Knicks’ pretensions to power. The West may have three teams better than the best in the East.

In this power vacuum, Larry Bird’s Indiana Pacers, who have been to three of the last five conference finals, and Pat Riley’s Miami Heat look like the best. Both are hard-nosed, veteran teams that don’t have to integrate a lot of new players, a big advantage in a short season.

The second-tier teams are flawed: The Knicks still depend on the increasingly creaky Ewing; the Cleveland Cavaliers on the increasingly fat Shawn Kemp; the Atlanta Hawks on erratic Mookie Blaylock; the Charlotte Hornets on David Falk’s whims. The rising young teams, Rick Pitino’s Boston Celtics, George Karl’s Milwaukee Bucks, maybe even Larry Brown’s Philadelphia 76ers, are very young, indeed.

The East is going to be tough and gritty. Whatever grace the Bulls brought to down-and-dirty Eastern ball is only a memory too.

Now Eastern ball will be more like those fight-marred New York-Miami series of the last two springs.

Just be glad you’re out here.

ATLANTIC DIVISION

1. MIAMI HEAT

Projected Starters:

Tim Hardaway

Voshon Lenard

Jamal Mashburn

P.J. Brown

Alonzo Mourning

*

1997-98 record: 55-27.

Offense rank: 16.

Defense rank: 6.

Coming: Clarence Weatherspoon.

Going: Eric Murdock, Brent Barry.

Sometimes you add by subtraction, Riley hopes, having done little while the Bulls, who kicked his team around for fun, subtracted themselves from the equation.

Riley has his same rock-ribbed defensive team that lacked the firepower to go to the next level. Now that the next level has disappeared, he should face off with Indiana.

Riley wanted Latrell Sprewell but wouldn’t break up his Jamal Mashburn-P.J. Brown forward tandem. However, you can tell Riley has grave questions about what he has, or he wouldn’t have even considered Dennis Rodman, the anti-Riles.

*

2. NEW YORK KNICKS

Projected Starters:

Charlie Ward

Allan Houston

Latrell Sprewell

Larry Johnson

Patrick Ewing

*

1997-98 record: 43-39.

Offense rank: 25.

Defense rank: 2.

Coming: Latrell Sprewell, Marcus Camby, Dennis Scott, Kurt Thomas.

Going: Charles Oakley, John Starks, Chris Mills, Terry Cummings.

Every season, you think Dave Checketts and Ernie Grunfeld are out of moves. Every season, they think of something to give their ancient roster and the fans in those $1,500 courtside seats a glimmer of hope.

Coach Jeff Van Gundy has proved to be a tough cookie, but his franchise player, Ewing, was already slowing down before last season’s wrist injury, off-season labor adventure and now, a hyperextended knee. Van Gundy was said to be unhappy when Grunfeld and Checketts traded the most unsung Knick, Oakley, for the fragile Camby, who isn’t even in the eight-man rotation now.

Spree, Patrick limping, the tabloids, Oak in Toronto, Phil Jackson peering in from Montana . . . Van Gundy had better be a tough cookie.

*

3. BOSTON CELTICS

Projected Starters:

Kenny Anderson

Ron Mercer

Paul Pierce

Antoine Walker

Popeye Jones

*

1997-98 record: 36-46

Offense rank: 14

Defense rank: 22

Coming: Rookie Paul Pierce, Tony Battie, Dwayne Schintzius, Eric Riley.

Going: Travis Knight.

Pitino, the genius coach, took the Celtics from 15 wins to 36 in his first season.

Pitino, the disaster general manager, is capped out. Now the moves he makes are intended to undo the ones he made a year ago (i.e., signing Travis Knight for $22 million, finding out he isn’t an NBA center, trading him for Battie. Now to find a taker for Battie.)

Pitino, the coach, can be expected to lead the Celtics north of .500 this season. Everyone is a year older and he has an experienced point guard, Kenny Anderson, rather than last season’s rookie, Chauncey Billups.

Pitino, the GM, can then be expected to start shopping Anderson and the remaining four years at $31.8 million on his contract this summer.

*

4. NEW JERSEY NETS

Projected Starters:

Sam Cassell

Kerry Kittles

Kendall Gill

Keith Van Horn

Jayson Williams

*

1997-98 record: 43-39

Offense rank: 5.

Defense rank: 21

Coming: Jim McIlvaine, Eric Murdock.

Going: Sherman Douglas.

After years of playing bumpkins to the Knicks’ sophisticates, they emerged as the exciting team in town, even if the town was East Rutherford, N.J., not Manhattan.

They’re everything the Knicks aren’t: young, talented, led by fast-quipping, tough-rebounding Jayson Williams and the sky’s-the-limit pride of Diamond Bar, Keith Van Horn.

But even with new ownership and a revamped front office, unrest stirs. Talented John Calipari, given unlimited power by the old owners, somehow was left out when the new ones gave the rest of top management, even Willis Reed, small ownership positions.

*

5. ORLANDO MAGIC

Projected Starters:

Penny Hardaway

Nick Anderson

Bo Outlaw

Horace Grant

Isaac Austin

*

1997-98 record: 41-41.

Offense rank: 27.

Defense rank: 7.

Coming: Ike Austin, rookies Michael Doleac, Matt Harpring.

Going: No one (yet).

Ever since O’Neal left, the Magic has trembled at the thought of losing Penny Hardaway--with reason, since Penny has told plenty of people he’ll leave, while playing in 78 of 164 games and blasting Coach Chuck Daly, the front office, the medical staff, the fans and the town.

Of course, before he goes anywhere--he’s a free agent this summer--he’ll have to show someone he can still play. And if he does, the Magic may be respectable again.

Daly has built the soft Magicians into a tough, defensive team, led by Bo Outlaw, his Rodman-minus-tattoos. Nick Anderson, whose career almost ended on those missed free throws against the Rockets in Game 1 of the ’95 finals, made a stunning comeback last season.

Daly, at 68, is in the last season of his contract. Outlaw, will be another premium free agent this summer. The Magic had better turn it around quickly or they’ll melt the rest of the way down.

*

6. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Projected Starters:

Allen Iverson

Larry Hughes

Tim Thomas

Theo Ratliff

Matt Geiger

*

1997-98 record: 31-51.

Offense rank: 21.

Defense rank: 15.

Coming: Matt Geiger, rookie Larry Hughes, George Lynch, Harvey Grant.

Going: Derrick Coleman, Joe Smith.

For Brown, his 76er debut marked the third time in 26 years of coaching that he missed the postseason. For the 76ers, whose win totals had dropped seven seasons in a row, from 54 to 18, it was a turnaround.

Allen Iverson, defiant but a franchise player in the making, just re-upped for six years. However, Brown being Brown, they’d better get it going before he gets discouraged.

Geiger and Theo Ratliff give the 76ers size and defensive presence at last. Hughes, known as the poor man’s Kobe Bryant, has a big upside, even if he just turned 20 and may need some time to reach it. In Philadelphia, where things have been a little slow lately, they could stand to catch a break or two.

*

7. WASHINGTON WIZARDS

Projected Starters:

Rod Strickland

Mitch Richmond

Calbert Cheaney

Juwan Howard

Ben Wallace.

1997-98 record: 42-40.

Offense rank: 8.

Defense rank: 17.

Coming: Mitch Richmond.

Going: Chris Webber, Gheorghe Muresan, Harvey Grant.

Another smoking rubble, brought to you by those twin menaces, Chris Webber and David Falk.

Webber, the NBA’s poster child for immaturity, turned into a fine player in four seasons here, although it didn’t do much for the franchise, resulting in more arrests and court appearances than playoff appearances (one) and victories (none.)

Falk, licking his wounds after the lockout, resumed his ongoing feud with his hometown team, holding out Rod Strickland, who had no other bidders, until Wednesday.

The Wizards have a sparkling new arena and a mediocre team, representing only the latest piece of bad luck to befall Richmond, who was stuck in Sacramento so long, then thrown into this mess.

The good news is, Mitch can leave this summer.

CENTRAL DIVISION

1. INDIANA PACERS

Projected Starters:

Mark Jackson

Reggie Miller

Chris Mullin

Dale Davis

Rik Smits

*

1997-98 record: 58-24.

Offense rank: 12.

Defense rank: 5.

Coming: Sam Perkins.

Going: No one.

As usual, there’s no doubt who the best team in the division is. It’s just not the Bulls.

The Pacers had their best season ever under Bird, forcing the Bulls to Game 7 in the Eastern finals, then showed how serious they were by working out together daily during the lockout, the only team that did.

Not that Bird was carried away. “They came to camp,” he said, “the way they’re suppose to come to camp.”

This explains a lot about why Bird succeeds. The Pacers have the same big, tough defensive team that gets by on offense with Reggie Miller and (when available) Rik Smits. Smits’ feet, as usual, are giving him trouble.

In Indiana, not much is changing and, for the most part, that’s good.

*

2. ATLANTA HAWKS

Projected Starters:

Mookie Blaylock

Steve Smith

Tyrone Corbin

Alan Henderson

Dikembe Mutombo

*

1997-98 record: 50-32

Offense rank: 15.

Defense rank: 8.

Coming: LaPhonso Ellis.

Going: Christian Laettner, Eldridge Recasner

The management team of General Manager Pete Babcock and Coach Lenny Wilkens managed to skip the “awful” part of rebuilding, averaging 52 wins in five seasons after tearing down the Dominique Wilkins-Doc Rivers team.

Unfortunately, they’ve pulled up just south of “great.”

Babcock did get Ellis, the star-crossed Nugget, who sat out 140 games over three seasons because of a succession of injuries but was returning to form late last season. Of course, it might have taken divine intervention. Ellis told his other suitor, Utah, that God would decide for him.

Also, on the bright side, Laettner left.

3. MILWAUKEE BUCKS

Projected Starters:

Terrell Brandon

Ray Allen

Glenn Robinson

Tyrone Hill

Ervin Johnson

*

1997-98 record: 36-46.

Offense rank: 18.

Defense rank: 16.

Coming: Karl, Del Curry, Vinny Del Negro, rookie Robert Traylor.

Going: Coach Chris Ford, Andrew Lang.

For years, the Bucks have been the best-looking team that never got close to the playoffs, costing Ford and Mike Dunleavy their jobs within three years.

Now comes Karl, a proven difference-maker at a princely tab of $5 million a year, to save the day, which he just might.

The Bucks have real players: Glen Robinson, Terrell Brandon, Ray Allen, Tyrone Hill, plus an impressive rookie in Traylor.

However, there’s a problem with Brandon. The Bucks thought he took off last season to rehab an injury--and protect his place on the Dream Team. He’s a free agent this summer so they have to put the bad memories behind them, fast.

*

4.CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Projected Starters:

Brevin Knight

Wesley Person

Cedric Henderson

Shawn Kemp

Zydrunas Ilgauskas

*

1997-98 record: 47-35.

Offense rank: 12.

Defense rank: 4.

Coming: Johnny Newman, and whoever that fat guy is wearing Shawn Kemp’s uniform.

Going: No one.

In retrospect, it wasn’t such a miracle for Mike Fratello to make the playoffs with a lineup that often included Kemp and four rookies.

The miracle will be doing it this year.

Kemp, who’d always been a demon for conditioning in the off-season, showed up at an appalling 305 pounds, pronouncing himself about 20 over his playing weight.

Try 50.

His first season in Cleveland was weak enough. The player who had boosted his scoring and rebounding totals in each of his first seven seasons, saw them slip for the second season in a row. His shooting percentage of 44.5% was the lowest in his career.

The Cavaliers, who waited years to get what they thought was a star, are now bound to him by a seven-year, $100 million contract. They still have several nice prospects, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Derek Anderson, but Kemp is the franchise and right now, the franchise’s belly is sagging over his trunks.

*

5. CHARLOTTE HORNETS

Projected Starters:

David Wesley

Bobby Phills

Glen Rice

J.R. Reid

Derrick Coleman

*

1997-98 record: 51-31.

Offense rank: 10 (tie).

Defense rank: 14.

Coming: Derrick Coleman.

Going: Matt Geiger, Vlade Divac.

Balancing precariously above the precipice, with both their centers leaving, the Hornets came up with a nifty, if risky, move, signing Coleman, who was to line up alongside equally sunny Anthony (All I Ask Is That I Touch the Ball on Every Single Possession) Mason. Unfortunately, Mason tore a biceps tendon and is done for the season, which is even worse than having him around and having to listen to him complain.

Meanwhile, Falk, who has a long-running feud with Hornet management, wants to renegotiate Glen Rice’s contract, which has two years left. The last time Falk and the Hornets went at it, Mourning wound up in Miami.

*

6. DETROIT PISTONS

Projected Starters:

Lindsey Hunter

Joe Dumars

Grant Hill

Loy Vaught

Bison Dele (Brian Williams)

*

1997-98 record: 37-45.

Offense rank: 20.

Defense rank: 9.

Coming: Laettner, Loy Vaught, Jud Buechler.

Going: Malik Sealy.

Why would anyone pay $4.5 million a year to Laettner, who wore out his welcome in Minnesota and Atlanta, while declining as a player--and then tore an Achilles’ tendon during the lockout?

Good question. Let’s see if the Pistons can answer it.

It’s not because Grant Hill wanted his Duke teammate with him. Hill had long made it clear they weren’t close. Afterward, asked about the signing of “your buddy,” he replied: “Who says he’s my buddy?”

If Laettner makes it back this season, he can be expected to mesh with temperamental-but-better-copy Bison Dele (nee Brian Williams) the way cobras and mongoose do.

This is the nucleus Doug Collins whipped to 46- and 54-win seasons amid a constant crisis atmosphere. Collins is gone, as is the crisis atmosphere and, it appears, all sense of direction.

They’d better locate one. Hill is a free agent in two summers.

*

7. TORONTO RAPTORS

Projected Starters:

Alvin Williams

Doug Christie

Vince Carter

Charles Oakley

Kevin Willis

*

1997-98 record: 16-66.

Offense rank: 17.

Defense rank: 29.

Coming: Oakley, rookie Vince Carter, Michael Stewart.

Going: Marcus Camby, Chauncey Billups, Gary Trent.

Welcome to the America’s revenge for our unsuccessful invasion of Canada in the War of 1812.

After buying in for $125 million, the Raptors were barred from the top pick in the draft for three years. Then that charming Isiah Thomas they hired as general manager turned out to have a dark side, and, after failing in his bid to buy the team, fled back stateside.

Without him, the Raptors fell from 30 wins in their second season to 16 in their third and bade farewell to their first two No. 1 picks, Damon Stoudamire and Camby.

Now clueless, they’ve decided to forget about kids for a while and start a front line headed by Kevin Willis, 36, and Oakley, 34, whose idea of fun isn’t slogging around at the bottom of the standings.

Build for tomorrow? The Raptors are just trying to get to tomorrow.

*

8. CHICAGO BULLS

Projected Starters:

Rusty LaRue

Brent Barry

Toni Kukoc

Mark Bryant

Bill Wennington.

*

1997-98 record: 62-20.

Offense rank: 9.

Defense rank: 3.

Coming: Coach Tim Floyd, Brent Barry, Martin Muursepp, et al.

Going: You name it.

Fancy meeting them here.

This isn’t hyperbole, the Bulls will actually finish here.

After winning six titles in the ‘90s and closing last season with Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, Ron Harper, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and Luc Longley, they’ll open with Floyd, Barry, Rusty LaRue, Toni Kukoc, Mark Bryant and Bill Wennington.

All but Barry and Kukoc will then be cut this summer for cap room.

In between, they may win as few as 10 games, a total they used to surpass by Nov. 15. Nothing is going to be the way it used to, for a long, long time, if ever.