Lakers poised to challenge Boston

Kevin Garnett's Celtics beat the Lakers to the 2008 title

Boston Celtics' star forward Kevin Garnett says his team-mates are hungry to retain the NBA title they won when they beat the LA Lakers in June.

"This is a new year," said Garnett. "We have a new goal - we're still hungry."

Despite losing to Boston in the final the Lakers, powered by superstar Kobe Bryant, are many people's favourites.

"We have all the tools here, all the pieces," said Bryant, who won an Olympic gold medal in Beijing. "We're favourites for a reason."

The Lakers, who will have Bryant and Spain centre Pau Gasol playing a full season together for the first time, also have young centre Andrew Bynum fit again.

If they win the title this season, it will be the Lakers' first since centre Shaquille O'Neal left the team.

The NBA's Western Conference again looks the stronger, with the Lakers having to struggle past the likes of 2007 champions San Antonio, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, New Orleans and Houston.
The Lakers start the season with a game against Portland, while the Celtics face the explosive scoring of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It was definitely tough going through last season Chicago Bulls' Luol Deng

The Chicago Bulls, with Great Britain's Luol Deng returning for the first year of a six-season deal, will start with a home game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

After a season disrupted by injuries and the sacking of coach Scott Skiles, the Bulls will be hoping to rediscover their form of two seasons ago, when they reached the play-offs.

"I think last season will help shape us up," Deng told BBC Sport during the close season.

Kobe Bryant says there is a reason the Lakers are favourites this season

"It was definitely tough going through it and we just have to take the positives out of it."

They will be helped by the addition of Derrick Rose, the top pick in this year's Draft, who some critics rate as the best player to enter the NBA since James.

"He's a great player, a great personality and he just fits in great with what we're trying to do," said Deng.

"Being a point guard, he might take a few years to get to where he wants to be but he's definitely a good fit for us."