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Message: <blockquote data-quote="eranda444" data-source="post: 11519491" data-attributes="member: 34580"><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/news/features/2011-atlantic-preview/AD-preview-608.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Atlantic Division: Can Celtics maintain recent dominance?The Boston Celtics have dominated the Atlantic Division since bringing the Big Three together in 2007. Over the last four seasons, they've won the division by an average of 15 games and by no less than 10.But the Celtics' stranglehold on the Atlantic may be loosening. Since July of 2010, three All-Stars have made their way from the Western Conference to New York and New Jersey. And three of Boston's divisional opponents improved by more than 10 wins last season.Three of Boston's four All-Stars are 34 or older, so the Celtics' run of success will come to an end soon, unless Danny Ainge can find a way to quickly retool with a group of younger stars. But the Knicks and Sixers won a grand total of one playoff game last season. And the Celtics, even though we don't know who their starting center is, still have the best lineup in the division, by far.The Atlantic is still Boston's to lose.<img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/news/features/2011-atlantic-preview/bos_pm.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />2010-11 record: 56-26Finish: First in Atlantic DivisionPlayoffs: Defeated New York in Eastern Conference first round (4-0), lost to Miami in Eastern Conference semifinals (4-1)Strengths: The Celtics have a veteran core that has been together for four years now and is still very effective. Kendrick Perkins is gone, but Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett remain the best foursome in the league, dominant at both ends when they're on the floor together.Challenges: With a compressed schedule, the Celtics not only need to get their aging veterans more rest, but they need their bench's minutes to be more productive. Their offensive numbers fell off dramatically when the All-Stars stepped off the floor last season. And in order to have a more productive bench this year, they've got some work to do in free agency. None of the seven players who came off the bench for the Celtics in the 2011 postseason are under contract going forward.Outlook: Unless they get hit with a significant injury, the Celtics are still the best team in the Atlantic Division. But to compete with the Miami Heat, they'll need to re-sign and get a big season from Jeff Green. The fifth-year forward can provide a lot more than he gave Boston at the end of last season, but it will be up to Doc Rivers to find him the right role and teammates to pair him with.This could make a difference: According to reports, Danny Ainge is hot on the trail of Chris Paul, who could obviously put the Celtics back on the Heat's level. But even if they stay put and just re-sign their own free agents, they can still improve. In addition to Green, Boston has another pair of reserves who, if re-signed, can play better than they did last season. Dealing with a broken wrist and an ankle injury, Delonte West only logged 24 games last season. Meanwhile, Glen Davis lost his mojo late in the year and was a liability in the playoffs. If the two are back in green, healthy and happy, the Celtics' bench will be stronger.<img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/news/features/2011-atlantic-preview/nyk_pm.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />2010-11 record: 42-40Finish: Second in Atlantic DivisionPlayoffs: Lost to Boston in Eastern Conference first round (4-0)Strengths: In Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire, the Knicks have two guys who can dominate a game offensively. They also have a renovated Madison Square Garden and some cap flexibility coming up in 2012, when it will be possible to add some more talent around their two stars.Challenges: The Knicks' two best players are defensive liabilities. And in his nine seasons as an NBA head coach, the average defensive ranking of Mike D'Antoni's teams has been 20th. The Knicks had some defensive-minded players on the roster last season, but the offense wasn't nearly as potent with them on the floor.Outlook: In order to preserve their 2012 cap space, the Knicks can't give Anthony and Stoudemire much help this year. So they will still struggle defensively and still be a level below the best teams in the Eastern Conference. They ought to win a playoff game for the first time since 2001, but as presently constituted, they're probably not a team that can knock off Miami, Chicago, Boston or Orlando in a seven-game series.This could make a difference: If Paul decides to pull a Melo and force his way out of New Orleans, the Knicks could be turned into an instant contender. They wouldn't have much to offer the Hornets beyond Chauncey Billups' expiring contract and a young player like Landry Fields. But the "Melodrama" of last season clearly taught us that the stars can sometimes hold the cards in these situations.</blockquote>

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