NBA Power Rankings: 7 teams enter season as legitimate title threats

Last season: 48-34; projected 2019-20: 44-38

The Indiana Pacers lost a lot in the offseason, with both starting forwards — Bojan Bogdanovic and Thaddeus Young — leaving in free agency and point guard Darren Collison retiring. They did add T.J. Warren, Jeremy Lamb and Malcolm Brogdon, so there is still some firepower there.

The plan is to start both Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner up front and that could prove problematic. While the pair was decent together in the regular season, but the Pacers were outscored by 19 points over the 39 minutes they played at the same time in the Boston Celtics‘ first-round sweep over Indiana.

Victor Oladipo won’t be available early in the season as he recovers from a ruptured quad tendon, so that will put a bit more of an impetus on Brogdon and Lamb to hit the ground running.

Indiana was 3-1 in the preseason and enter the season with only Oladipo on the injury list, with a return anticipated in early December.

Last season: 58-24; projected 2019-20: 45-37

The Toronto Raptors are the defending champions, but few expect the North to still be standing come NBA Finals time next June. With Kawhi Leonard leaving after one season to go to the LA Clippers, the Raptors will have a very different look to them this season.

OG Anunoby will get first crack at taking Leonard’s spot in the lineup and Fred VanVleet is going to get Danny Green‘s old job at the 2. That will render Toronto very small in the backcourt to start games.

The season may hinge on how well Pascal Siakam adjusts to being a first-option guy. He played well as a secondary piece behind Leonard last season, earning Most Improved Player honors, but it’s a huge leap mentally from second option to No. 1 guy.

The Raptors were 2-2 in the preseason, with Patrick McCaw out indefinitely with an injured left knee. Kyle Lowry is expected to be ready to go coming off thumb surgery in the offseason, while newcomer Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has an groin issue and is day-to-day.

Last season: 53-29; projected 2019-20: 45-37

The Portland Trail Blazers will enter the season with an entirely new frontcourt. The backcourt — Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum — is still intact and will once again fuel the Blazers in their 50th season.

Jusuf Nurkic is still recovering from a gruesome broken leg sustained in March, with Hassan Whiteside the new man in the middle for the time being. Whiteside is a rim protector and a rebounder, but may drive coach Terry Stotts to throwing clipboards with his overall defense, particularly against pick-and-roll sets.

Young Zach Collins steps in at the 4, while Rodney Hood and Kent Bazemore will time-share the 3 spot.

Portland was 2-3 in the preseason (1-3 against NBA teams). Nurkic isn’t expected back before the All-Star break, while veteran Pau Gasol is out with a stress fracture in his left foot. Nassir Little (ankle) and Whiteside (ankle) are day-to-day.