6 heroes who will shape the Eastern Conference in 2014-15

The NBA more than any other league is driven and decided by its biggest stars. Here are six that will shape the Eastern Conference in 2014-15.

LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

After six straight winning seasons (including back to back 60-plus-win seasons) with James leading the team, the Cavs failed to win more than 33 games in any of their four seasons post-LeBron.

Sure, the loaded Cavs will also feature Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving in addition to their returning King, but James' decisions completely shift the balance of power in the East.

He's the best player alive and should be the clear cut favorite to take home a fifth MVP award. No one's presence will shape the East this season quite like LeBron's.

Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls

If there is one player who can come close to matching James' impact on the Eastern Conference this season, it's Rose.

While the Bulls did remain competitive over the last two seasons, they were a far cry from the Rose-led teams that finished with the league's best record in back-to-back seasons (2010-11 and 2011-12) a couple of years ago.

Rose's health, durability and rust-level are the differences between whether or not James' Cavaliers face a legitimate challenge in the East.

Chris Bosh, Miami Heat

The last time Bosh was a No. 1 option, he averaged 24.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.0 blocks, and posted a Player Efficiency Rating of 25.0.

That was five years ago, and Bosh is now officially on the wrong side of 30. He's also a more complete player than he was when he left Toronto and has a much better supporting cast than he had back then.

Dwyane Wade's durability is obviously a major factor for the suddenly James-less Heat, as is the play of newcomers Luol Deng and Josh McRoberts, but by giving Bosh a five-year, $118 million max contract, Miami has made it known they're counting on Bosh to at least keep the team on the fringe of contention.

Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks

Through 29 games of the 2013-14 season, the Horford-led Hawks held down the East's No. 3 seed (with a solid yet unspectacular 16-13 record). Horford suffered a torn pectoral muscle in game no. 29, missed the remainder of the season, and the Hawks barely hung on to a playoff spot, finishing with a 38-44 record and the No. 8 seed.

With Horford on the court, the Hawks allowed 100.7 points per 100 possessions, a defensive rating that would have ranked fifth, between the Spurs and Thunder. They also outscored opponents by 3.7 points per 48 minutes. But with their best player watching from the bench, the Hawks allowed 105.1 points per 100 possessions, a mark that would have ranked 20th. And they were outscored by 1.8 points per 48.

When healthy, Horford is one of the best two-way big men in the game, and his presence could be the difference between Atlanta fighting to get to the top of the East's second tier after Cleveland and Chicago, or fighting just to keep their heads above water.

His place in trade rumors also means he can shape the outcome of the East in more ways than one this season.

Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors

The Raptors are one of the deepest teams in the East, and it was DeMar DeRozan, not Lowry, who represented the team at last season's All-Star game. But anyone who watched the Raps last year knows that Lowry is the engine that makes them go.

Lowry finished in the top-10 in both Basketball Reference's Win Shares and ESPN's Wins Above Replacement last season, posting career-highs virtually across the board to go with a 20-plus PER.

Whether Lowry can replicate that career-year in the first season of his new four-year deal is the big question, but if the Raptors want to build off of last season's surprising success, they're going to need him to.

Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks

The Knicks weren't very good last season and don't figure to be much better this year, but in the cream puff East, they're at least in the mix for a low playoff seed.

For his part, Anthony has posted back-to-back career years, continuing to score prolifically while upping his efficiency and rebounding metrics as he carries the Knicks on his back.

He's undoubtedly a top-six player in the Conference, but for him to truly shape how the East's season unfolds, Anthony will have to get a lot of help from a subpar supporting cast and will have to buy into the selfless triangle system Derek Fisher and Phil Jackson are trying to implement.

Passing, cutting and quick ball movement aren't exactly part of Melo's repertoire, but they'll have to be if he wants to be one of the East-shaping heroes of 2014-15.