Can Boston be the first team to repeat as NBA champion since the Los Angeles Lakers won three straight from 2000-02?

Is the rebuilding project finally complete in Portland?

Those are just a couple of questions going into this NBA season, which opens tonight when the Celtics start their title defense against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Former Lawrence North High School standout Greg Oden also makes his long-awaited debut against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.

1The Celtics are trying to do something Pacers president Larry Bird couldn't accomplish during his career: Win two straight titles.

The Celtics trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are all in their 30s, but they have a legitimate shot at getting the franchise's 18th championship. Garnett is the key. Expect him to play with the same passion. That's the reason he was voted the league's best teammate in a preseason poll conducted by ESPN The Magazine.

2The pieces are in place at every position for the Trail Blazers to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2003.

Oden, the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft, will team with LeMarcus Aldridge to anchor the frontcourt as former Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy will supply plenty of scoring on the perimeter.

The only question is the team's maturity; their average age is 23.9.

3Can new Houston Rocket Ron Artest behave long enough to help get Tracy McGrady out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time? Artest should be on his best behavior because he's in a contract year and he's still looking for his first significant payday. The former Pacer is also playing for a coach he likes in Rick Adelman.

A healthy Yao Ming and McGrady to go with Artest would make one of the top trios in the league, one that possibly could push the Lakers for the best record in the Western Conference.

4Six consecutive appearances in the Eastern Conference finals obviously aren't good enough for Detroit Pistons president Joe Dumars.

The Pistons have lost each of the past three East finals, and Dumars has seen enough.

He looked to trade some of their core players, and he replaced coach Flip Saunders with former Pacer Michael Curry during the summer.

This might be the last title run for Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Rasheed Wallace, who is in the last year of his contract.

5It's easy to forget Dwyane Wade was MVP of the 2006 Finals.

He hasn't played more than 51 games in a season since. Wade, however, removed doubt about his health or a slippage in his play when he was one of the key players on the Team USA's run to the Olympic gold medal.

The Heat need a vintage Wade season if they expect to get back to the playoffs because they have major issues at point guard and center.