Who else is pumped for NBA 2013/2014?

With one day until the 2013/14 NBA season tips off, an air of excitement surrounds what appears to be one of the most competitive seasons in recent years.

With several teams strengthening their teams despite a poor 2013 draft class, and the usual suspects of Miami, San Antonio and the Clippers all keeping the majority of their talent, and ‘the Return’ of Derrick Rose, it shapes up to be an incredible season.

The Eastern Conference
In one of the strongest Eastern Conferences of the past five years, several sides have reinforced their team with some smart free-agent signings.

The Heat will be looking to ‘three-peat’ and have somehow added to a great squad, with the loss of Mike Miller the only sour point.

If Eric Spoelstra and the Heat coaching staff can get some decent minutes and numbers out of Greg Oden and Michael Beasley, then they will definitely be the team to beat.

If not, LeBron James will face a difficult task as the increasingly injury-prone Dwayne Wade, will likely spend prolonged periods on the bench.

Indiana has a fit-again Danny Granger, with Luis Scola playing back up to a firing Roy Hibbert and Paul George adding an offensive game to his superb defence, they will be there or there-about come the finals.

If the Chicago Bulls pre-season results are anything to go by, the rest of the NBA should be incredibly worried about a fit-again Derrick Rose, who appears not to have lost any of his speed, while adding another dimension with his three-point game.

With a good supporting cast and one of the best defences in the league, they appear as the team who are best placed to usurp King James and the Heat.

The Brooklyn Nets have gone for broke with the acquisitions of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry, adding to an line-up which includes Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez, the Nets starting five will be as good as anyone in the competition.

With a bench including Jason Terry and Andrei Kirilenko, you feel they have the talent to challenge; however with a ageing roster, this year has to be their year if they are going to win a championship.

The New York Knicks have done well to maintain a squad capable of winning the Atlantic division, despite Amar’e Stoudemire’s max contract, limited minutes and an ageing squad hanging over their head.

The pick-up of Andrea Bargnani and a fit-again Iman Shumpert will space the floor and allow for Carmelo Anthony to churn out the points, however, a bench that has lost Jason Kidd and an under-used Chris Copeland, will struggle if injuries strike as much as they did last season.

Both Cleveland and Detroit have the talent in their side to surprise a few, but both still have their weaknesses.

Clevelands pick-up of Anthony Bennett as the first pick in the draft surprised many, and will be interesting to see how he shapes up alongside Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters.

Detroit’s pickups of Brandon Jennings and Josh Smith, will mean they have an very dangerous offensive unit, but defensively they look shaky, and with a young side, they will need veteran Chanucey Billups to bring back the winning mentality of their 2004/05 side.

The Western Conference
The Western Conference remains strong. However after the dismal season that the Los Angeles Lakers had last year, despite predictions they would win it all, it would take a brave man to predict who will come out on top this year.

San Antonio will once again be the team to beat, with the usual suspects of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker, despite their age, incredibly efficient at both ends of the floor.

Throw in Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green and you have a team capable of beating anyone in the competition.

Russell Westbrook’s knee injury ended the Oklahoma City Thunders season in last year’s finals, as Kevin Durant struggled with the weight of expectations on his shoulders.

With Westbrook out for the first four to six weeks of the season, Durant will once again have to make do without him.

The LA Clippers will need Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan to develop into complete players on both ends of the court if they are going to win a championship.

Any team with Chris Paul leading the way at point guard will always be in the mix in championship discussions.

Add in new coach Doc Rivers who knows how to win, and you have a side who will be at the top end of the Western Conference come finals time.

However, they will have to move on from ‘lob city’ if they are going to beat the big teams.

Golden State surprised most last year with their charge to the Western Conference finals on the back of Steph Curry’s unbelievable three point shooting.

Add in the big signing of Andre Iguodala, Curry’s partner in crime Klay Thompson, David Lee and Andrew Bogut, and the Warriors have the talent to go deep into the playoffs.

Many are already tipping them to go the whole way this season, and as one of the most entertaining teams to watch in the NBA, they should make the conference finals again.

Houston’s signing of Dwight Howard has thrown them into championship discussions, as he remains the premier centre in the game, however, the Laker’s ill-fated season last year should serve as a reminder that talent doesn’t necessarily translate into wins.

However, with James Harden running the offense and a support cast of Jeremy Lin, Chandler Parsons and Omer Asik, Houston look posed to break into the top-four.

With Memphis, Dallas, New Orleans, Denver, Minnesota and the Los Angeles Lakers (Once Kobe returns) all having the talent to make the top-eight, the final three positions in the finals will be an incredibly close finish and will be fantastic viewing.

With so many teams capable of winning the league, it will be a brilliant season and shapes up to be one of the best in years.