<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/526ed187eab8eabb428b4569-1200-900/lebron-james-42.jpg?maxX=480" border="0" alt="lebron james" width="480" /><p class="source">Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images</p></div><p></p></div>The <keyword id="6361805" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="NBA">NBA</keyword> season begins Tuesday night when Derrick Rose makes his return against the Heat.</p>
<p>Going into the season there are five clear title contenders, a handful of intriguing teams, and a BUNCH of franchises that are banking on the loaded 2014 NBA Draft.</p>
<p>To make our preseason <keyword id="1882295" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Power-Rankings">power rankings</keyword> we used <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nba-offseason-grades-draft-free-agency-2013-7">our own offseason grades</a>, <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/63321/explaining-the-knicks-schoene-projection">the SCHOENE advanced statistics prediction model</a>, and 2012-13 results.</p>

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NBA POWER RANKINGS: Where Every Team Stands Going Into The Season

Mike Ehrmann/Getty ImagesThe NBA season begins Tuesday night when Derrick Rose makes his return against the Heat. Going into the season there are five clear title contenders, a handful of intriguing teams, and a BUNCH of franchises that are banking on the loaded 2014 NBA Draft. To make our preseason power rankings we used our own offseason grades, the SCHOENE advanced statistics prediction model, and 2012-13 results.

Mike EhrmannGetty ImagesThe NBA season begins Tuesday night when Derrick Rose makes his return against the Heat. 
Going into the season there are five clear title contenders, a handful of intriguing teams, and a BUNCH of franchises that are banking on the loaded 2014 NBA Draft.

NBA POWER RANKINGS: Where Every Team Stands Going Into The Season

Tony Manfred

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