(Russell Conference) Voltron

Super Horizon (8-4)
Thien's team loves to change its name so this year they went from simply "The Horizon" to "Super Horizon." Very gosu! With the exact same keepers from a year ago, Thien's team is a model of stability. Heading into 2013, Dwayne Wade is fully healthy, which is a nice change. The problem is, John Wall is out for two months. Paul Pierce and Rudy Gay are a devastating combo of swingmen but Tyson Chandler and Andrew Bynum start off the season dinged up so The Horizon are quite undermanned at the moment. After two straight division championships, can they three-peat? First round pick Nikola Pekovic will have to step up, along with late rounder Jason Thompson to fill the Bynum/Chandler void. After narrowly missing a SlamNation Finals appearance last season, Thien is hungry for the season to start, even if his team will have an uphill battle staying healthy. Ben Gordon will find all the shots he can handle in Charlotte and maybe DeMar DeRozan will fulfill his potential. Both will add plenty of PTS though, and be mentored by Jason Richardson, who probably won't find enough time in Philly to be a starter. Same with Aaron Brooks in Sacramento. The Horizon are traditionally the leaders of the Voltron division but they have some competition nipping at their heels.
Biggest Roadblock: Finding a team doctor who can keep his players in one piece

MoRRie's Pogiboys (8-4)
The most excited owner heading into this season? Alvin! After winning the Toilet Bowl and snagging the top two 2012 NBA Draft picks in Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the Pogiboys are reloaded and ready for a bright future. Mike Conley, Brandon Jennings, and Brandon Knight are a nice young guard trio, and Marcus Thornton will continue his 3PT and STL barrage. MKG will start at small forward immediately and Anthony Davis will team up with Roy Hibbert to clean glass and destroy shots. Young Tristan Thompson was a keeper -- while Amare Stoudemire was traded -- and if he emerges too, this team could officially be the team on the verge. The 2013 draft also brought in J.R. Smith, Brandon Bass, Tobias Harris, Kevin Seraphin, and Jerryd Bayless but we don't even envision anyone aside from maybe Smith and Bass getting much playing time if the Pogiboys stay healthy. What we do envision is their first playoff appearance soon -- possibly this year -- and championship contention around the corner if Davis is all he's cracked up to be. Like we said, Alvin's excited!
Biggest Roadblock: Forgoing Movember to grow a unibrow all year long

Human Amoebas (5-7)
After winning a stunning 2011 championship with one of the youngest SlamNation teams, we thought we'd have to fend off Eric-A's team for the next decade. Instead, Derrick Rose and Eric Gordon were mostly injured last season and Human Amoebas slumped to a losing record.  Here's the thing: once Rose returns, they're going to contend again. Gordon and Monta Ellis are still a great scoring backcourt, DeMarcus Cousins is a top center, Paul Millsap is a solid power forward, and the late season theft of Dirk Nowitzski gives this team another franchise player. Seriously, who's top six matches up on paper? Eric-A is all about youth and potential and similar to first draft in 2010, they went super upside in 2013. Rookies Harrison Barnes, Andre Drummond, and Austin Rivers were scooped up, along with sophomores Daniel Green and Alonzo Gee. J.J. Barea is going to get some minutes until Ricky Rubio returns. We're not sure who's going to start out of top six group but we're not doubting Eric-A anymore. He went from last-to-first once before and he could do it again soon. Who's scared?
Biggest Roadblock: Waiting for Rose's triumphant return

So Buckets (3-9)
Josh had a choice last season: Lebron or no Lebron. He went with the non-LBJ side and picked up Pau Gasol, Andre Iguodala, and Gerald Wallace instead of James in last year's new owner dispersal draft. David West never panned out, Darren Collison wasn't as good as Kyle Lowry (who was passed up in the dispersal draft), and So Buckets emerged from their first season with a losing record. With some experience under his belt, Josh is ready to turn this ship around. We think Gasol, Iggy, Crash, and Collison are all going to have better years than last season. Kyrie Irving is gonna straight blow up this season and Evan Turner will have every opportunity to take over for Igoudala in Philadelphia. Nene and Brandon Roy will team up with those six to start, giving So Buckets a solid foundation. Jarrett Jack will fill in as third guard if Roy stumbles, while young forwards Derrick Williams, Enes Kantor, and rookie Royce White will be stashed on the bench. We think So Buckets has a puncher's chance of hitting the post-season but this could be a tough division to emerge. Still, this team looks like it'll be good in all the big man categories, while lacking only in 3PT and maybe AST. With Irving to build around, So Buckets have nowhere to go but up!
Biggest Roadblock: Watching the Kyrie Irving as old man video over and over