Ready to rumble: now that Kobe and Shaq finally are separate, each is eager to prove they never were equals. How the former Lakers—and a few other new rivals—settle their scores will shape the season

In the end, that is exactly what this Heat-Lakers rumble is meant to determine--who is the badder mofo, Bryant or O'Neal? Given both teams' weaknesses, it's not likely that the rivalry will decide this season's championship. But the play of the Heat, as compared to the Lakers, certainly will have an impact on the relative importance of the contributions O'Neal and Bryant made during the Lakers' championship seasons--and certainly will continue to be the source of harsh words, chest-thumping and bravado. Changes abounded over the summer, and all over the NBA map, there are players eager to settle a score with their former employers--no change was bigger than the trade of O'Neal, though, and no player has a bigger fight on his hands.

"I'm ready," he says. "I want to get started, right now. I'm ready to fight."

Out for (new) blood

Feeling a bit pugilistic these days? If so, the NBA knows just how you feel--realigned divisions, contract shenanigans and an offseason packed with player movement have created a new set of blood feuds in the league.

Sixers at Celtics, November 3. Jim O'Brien resigned as Celtics coach midway through last season because it seemed team president Danny Ainge did not much like O'Brien's defend-like-maniacs-and-hoist-3-pointers system. O'Brien will have that system in place in Philadelphia, and he certainly would like to show Ainge, up close, how effective it can be.

Pacers at Pistons, November 19. Reggie Miller's clutch 3-pointer; Rasheed Wallace's guarantee of a Game 2 win; Tayshaun Prince's stunning blocked shot. It was a rough-and-tumble, bad-blood Eastern Conference championship series between these two teams last season, and they will battle for Central Division supremacy again.

Heat at Lakers, December 25. You know it's going to be a doozy when the schedule-making poob-bahs put you on Christmas Day. Shaquille O'Neal probably will be looking to score 50 in his return to the Staples Center. Kobe Bryant, of course, will be looking to do that every time he takes the court.

Rockets at Magic, January 20. Orlando hometown hero Tracy McGrady seemed to sleepwalk through last season, then leveraged a trade to Houston. McGrady now has ditched two organizations, and no doubt, he will be booed as lustily by Magic fans as he has been by Raptors fans. There are subplots, too: After trading McGrady, Magic general manager John Weisbrod had some sharply critical comments that McGrady surely remembers, and No. 1 draft pick Dwight Howard took it personally when McGrady said he had no interest in sticking around Orlando to wait for Howard to develop.

Jazz at Cavaliers, March 15. Carlos Boozer will fit nicely with the Jazz. Just one problem, though--once per season he must go back to Cleveland and be reminded that he pulled a fast one on the organization and its fans. Those fans will make sure he does not forget.--S.D.

Sean Deveney's 2004-05 Power Poll

1. Pistons. Rasheed Wallace returns with the same core of players and a bigger, deeper bench.