NBA 2013-14 Season Preview – Pacific Division: With LA Lakers' Kobe Bryant Down With Injury, Can LA Clippers, Warriors Take Division?

The Los Angeles Clippers are poised to take the Los Angeles Lakers' spot as the top dog not only in L.A., but in the Pacific Division, with Kobe Bryant mending from surgery, as well as key changes at the head coaching position that could have them repeat as division champions. But the Golden State Warriors, led by PG Stephen Curry and head coach Mark Jackson, are primed to challenge their Southern California rivals for the division title and state bragging rights.

Los Angeles Clippers
Last Season: 56-26, fourth seed in the Western Conference Playoffs, eliminated in the first round by the Memphis Grizzlies 4-2

Projected Starting Five: PG Chris Paul (16.9 ppg, 9.7 apg, 3.7 rpg), SG JJ Reddick (14.1 ppg, 3.8 apg, 2.2 rpg), SF Jared Dudley (10.9 ppg, 2.6 apg, 3.1 rpg), PF Blake Griffin (18.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 0.6 bpg), C DeAndre Jordan (8.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.4 bpg)

Additions: J.J. Redick, Jared Dudley, Darren Collison, Antawn Jamison, Byron Mullens, Reggie Bullock (No. 25 in 2013 draft)

Losses: Eric Bledsoe, Caron Butler, Chauncey Billups, Ronny Turiaf, Grant Hill

Head Coach: Doc Rivers - first season with the Clippers

Things to Watch: The Clippers decided not to re-sign Vinny Del Negro as their head coach despite finishing the 2012-13 regular-season with a team-record 56 wins, including a franchise-record 17-game winning streak, and claiming the Pacific Division title. The Clippers went in a different coaching direction after they lost in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, hiring Doc Rivers, who won the Coach of the Year award his first year with the Orlando Magic and a championship with the Boston Celtics, to replace Del Negro, with expectations that Rivers can take the Clippers to the next level.

PG Chris Paul, who re-signed with the team over the summer, should benefit from the change in coaches, considering how well mercurial Celtics PG Rajon Rondo developed under Rivers. Rivers should also help improve the Clippers defense, with DeAndre Jordan expected to be the backbone of the defense for a team with high-expectations.

Golden State Warriors
Last Season: 47-35, sixth seed in the Western Conference Playoffs, eliminated in the second round by the San Antonio Spurs 4-2.

Projected Starting Five: PG Stephen Curry (22.9 ppg, 6.9 apg, 4.0 rpg), SG Klay Thompson (16.6 ppg, 2.2 apg, 3.7 rpg), SF Andre Iguodala (13.0 ppg, 5.4 apg, 5.3 rpg), PF David Lee (18.5 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 0.3 bpg), C Andrew Bogut (5.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.7 apg)

Additions: Andre Iguodala, Toney Douglas, Marreese Speights, Jermaine O'Neal, Nemanja Nedovic (No. 30 in 2013 draft)

Losses: Jarrett Jack, Carl Landry, Brandon Rush, Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins

Head Coach: Mark Jackson - third year coach with the Warriors

The addition of free agent Andre Iguodala gives the upstart Golden State Warriors a top-flight wing defender in the league who can help a team that was ranked 13th in defensive efficiency. C Andrew Bogut is a key component in the Warriors defense, if they want to take the Pacific Division title, but his health is a concern having played only 44 games over two seasons due to injuries, and has sat out a preseason game in China, on Friday, after suffering a lower back strain.

Stephen Curry, one of the best shooters in the game, has proven to be a star who can carry a team after helping the Warriors upset the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs and taking the eventual Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs to six games in the second round. Coach Mark Jackson has challenged his young point guard to continue improving his game by keeping his turnovers down this year.

Los Angeles Lakers
Last Season: 45-37, seventh seed in the Western Conference Playoffs, eliminated in the first round by the San Antonio Spurs 4-0

Projected Starting Five: PG Steve Nash (12.7 ppg, 6.7 apg 2.8 rpg), SG Nick Young (10.6 ppg, 1.4 apg, 2.2 rpg), SF Shawne Williams (5.7 ppg, 0.7 apg, 2.8 rpg), PF Pau Gasol (13.7 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.2 bpg), C Chris Kaman (10.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 0.8 bpg)

Additions: Chris Kaman, Nick Young, Wesley Johnson, Jordan Farmar, Elias Harris, Ryan Kelly (No. 48 pick in 2013 draft)

Losses: Dwight Howard, Antawn Jamison, Earl Clark, Chris Duhon, Andrew Goudelock, Metta World Peace (amnestied)

Head Coach: Mike D'Antoni - second season with the Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers will take a step back this year while SG Kobe Bryant recovers from surgery after tearing his Achilles tendon late last season. The offense should run through PF Pau Gasol while Bryant is out of action; Gasol's numbers should improve with C Dwight Howard now playing in Houston. While a Steve Nash-Gasol pick-and-roll attack may help the Lakers stay competitive until Bryant's return, there are questions as to how much Nash has left in the tank at 39  years old.

Chris Kaman has been brought in to replace Howard at center and Nick Young added to the squad for extra offensive firepower, but neither players helps address the team's defensive issues that plagued the Lakers last year.

Sacramento Kings
Last Season: 28-54, failed to make the playoffs

Projected Starters: PG Greivis Vasquez (13.9 ppg, 9.0 apg, 4.3 rpg), SG Ben McLemore (rookie), SF Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (6.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 0.2 bpg), PF Jason Thompson (10.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 0.7 bpg), C DeMarcus Cousins (17.1 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 0.7 bpg)

Additions: Ben McLemore (No. 7 pick in 2013 draft), Ray McCallum (No. 36), Carl Landry, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Greivis Vasquez

Losses: Tyreke Evans, Toney Douglas

Head Coach: Mike Malone - first year head coach for the Kings

The Sacramento Kings are starting fresh, with a new ownership group (led by Vivek Ranadive), new general manager (Pete D'Alessandro), and new head coach (former Golden State assistant coach Mike Malone), after uncertainty regarding whether the team will be moved to Seattle.

One of ownership's first move was re-signing C DeMarcus Cousins, who has the potential of being an All-Star center but who lets his emotions get the best of him, leading the league with 17 technical fouls and serving a suspension after clashing with former head coach Keith Smart. Rookie Ben McLemore will step right into the starting lineup with hopes that he and Cousins can develop into a young, lethal inside-out attack combo that the franchise can use as a foundation to turn the team's fortunes around in the long-run.

Phoenix Suns
Last Season: 25-57, failed to make the playoffs

Projected Starters: PG Goran Dragic (14.7 ppg, 7.4 apg, 3.1 rpg), SG Eric Bledsoe (8.5 ppg, 3.1 apg, 3.0 rpg), SF P.J. Tucker (6.4 ppg, 1.4 apg, 4.4 rpg), PF Markieff Morris (8.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 0.8 bpg), C Marcin Gortat (11.1 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.6 bpg)

Additions: Eric Bledsoe, Gerald Green, Alex Len (No. 5 pick in 2013 NBA draft), Archie Goodwin (No. 29 pick), Miles Plumlee, Malcolm Lee, Ish Smith, Viacheslav Kravtsov

Losses: Jared Dudley, Luis Scola, Jermaine O'Neal, Michael Beasley, Wesley Johnson, Hamed Haddadi

Head Coach: Jeff Hornacek - first year coach for the Suns

The Phoenix Suns are in full rebuilding mode, having hired a new general manager,  former Boston Celtics assistant general manager Ryan McDonough, and a new head coach - Jeff Hornacek, who spent a 14-year career primarily with the Suns and Jazz as a player and most recently served as an assistant with the Utah Jazz. C Marcin Gortat and his expiring $7.7 million deal will likely be used as trade bait, as they attempt to load up on draft picks for next year's 2014 highly-touted draft-class.

The Suns traded for PG Eric Bledsoe, who was backing up Chris Paul in Los Angeles. Bledsoe should benefit from more playing time, and will be paired up with Goran Dragic with the hopes of playing a fast-paced offensive tempo. Bledsoe plays good defense in the passing lanes, but must be more consistent on the offensive end if he plans to stick around in the Suns' future plans.