This isn't your father's Atlantic Division. Or even your older brother's. This is a whole 'nother ballgame.

Old powers New York and Miami are on the decline. Defending champ Philly is struggling. Everyone's favorite, Orlando, has been a disappointment and now won't have Grant Hill for the rest of the season. And the new kids on the block are taking over.

SECOND-QUARTER FOCUS

1. The key questions are these for the frontrunning Nets: Can they still live off jump shot and keep depending on a thin, inexperienced bench? 2. The defending Eastern Conference champs must stay healthy and get their rotation playing together for a playoff push. 3. Michael Jordan has overcome tendinitis in his knee, but he's got to stay healthy for Doug Collins' Wizards to make any noise. 4. Can Boston's Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce can keep playing extended minutes? Both rank in top six in the league, with Walker leading all players at 43.5 minutes per game. 5. While the atmosphere around the Knicks is more relaxed now, that's not necessarily good. This is a team that needs to be ridden hard, a Van Gundy trademark, especially when it comes to its key performers, starting with Latrell Sprewell and Marcus Camby. Will they respond if someone is not on their cases? — Mitch Lawrence

Last season, the bottom of the division featured the Wizards, the Celtics and Nets, who combined to win 71 games. But with Michael Jordan's return to the NBA, the arrival of Jason Kidd in New Jersey, and the devastating one-two punch of Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker playing well over .600 ball in Boston, the Atlantic has been turned on its ear.

The biggest story, of course, centers on Jordan's Wizards, winners of only 19 games a year ago. But with His Airness back, in a new role and not quite the Old Jordan, they're looking to double that win total and clinch a playoff berth. After a rocky start when Jordan did all the shooting, they've posted recent wins at Dallas and Toronto to highlight their recent surge.

"Everybody is accepting their roles and our maturity has grown," Jordan said. "I've taken all the criticism, and in the mix of that, we've learned how to play in Washington, D.C. I've stayed focused. I've gone through some tendinitis problems, but I'm coming out of that and the team is starting to play well. So I feel very confident."

That confidence is also being felt up the Atlantic seaboard in Boston and the Meadowlands. Heading into Christmas, the Nets and Celtics are battling for supremacy in the Atlantic. In both cases, they've ridden improved defenses to the top of the division. "Last year, teams would score on us, at will," said the Nets' Kenyon Martin. "They'd see 'Nets' on the calendar and say, 'This is a win.' But now, they've got to figure out a way to score on us. We're committed to playing defense this year. That's been the difference."

A look at how the Atlantic has been turned upside down (with records through games of Dec. 18):

New Jersey Nets (15-7)
After winning only 26 games a year ago, they've emerged as a force in the Atlantic and the big winners in the Kidd-Stephon Mabury blockbuster. Kidd has been everything the Nets expected, a top-notch playmaker who wants to get his teammates he ball, and the catalyst for their vastly improved defense. Byron Scott started his second season on the bench demanding defensive improvement, and he's gotten it. They've gone from No. 22 overall in defense to No. 5. After giving up 97 points per game on 46 percent shooting last season, they're giving upan average of 91 on 42 percent this season. They're also ranked third in defensive rebounding, which has been key to triggering the lethal Kidd-led fastbreaks, and they've been getting solid contributions from Kerry Kittles, who missed all of last season, second-year man Kenyon Martin and Todd MacCulloch, a solid free-agent pickup from the Sixers. Opponents haven't figured out how to get the ball out of Kidd's hands. If they don't, the Nets will exceed Kidd's prediction of 41-41 record and easily make playoffs.
Grade: A.

Boston Celtics (14-8)
Riding the shooting of Paul Pierce, who is running away with the Most Improved Player award, and the overall talents of Antoine Walker, the Celtics should make the playoffs -- if they can keep Pierce and Walker healthy. These two budding stars give the Celtics a chance to win every night, even if Boston lacks the size and power to make it a legit contender. Now the Celtics realize that defense is going to have to get them there. Pierce is averaging 27 ppg, third best in NBA, while the Celtics are 7-0 when Walker dishes out seven or more assists in a game. They're shooting only around 40 percent as a team, but have been able to overcome that deficiency with defensive board work (No. 2 in the NBA). Their defense needs consistency and they are still prone to the occasional bad loss against inferior talent, losing twice to Atlanta and once to Chicago.
Grade: A-.

Washington Wizards (11-12)
Keys to their success after an early eight-game losing streak: solid all-around play of Jordan, the recent offensive surge of Richard Hamilton, the presence of a legit big man in rookie Brendan Haywood and an ever-improving D. You have to like their chances of finishing eighth, if not higher, with such playoff perennials as New York and Miami headed toward lottery finishes. Jordan might not be his old self, but this model is still top notch. He's been playing better as he's taking fewer shots. Hamilton's ability to score off pick-and-rolls and getting the ball while he's moving has been key to his scoring. Haywood has been major surprise for a team needing rebound and interior defense. No. 1 overall pick Kwame Brown hasn't shown a great work ethic and has a long way to go. The Christian Laettner injury depletes a thin front.
Grade: B+.

New York Knicks (12-13)
Trouble in Gotham. Jeff Van Gundy is gone, and this team has major woes at both ends of the court. The offense, never very good under Van Gundy, is now totally dependant on the erratic Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston hitting jumpers. There is no low-post threat whatsoever and little effort to move the ball around to get the defense to move. Since Don Chaney took over for Van Gundy, Knicks have been less tenacious at the defensive end. They're 1-4 under Chaney, who will coach rest of the season. The big offseason acquisitions -- Shandon Anderson and Howard Eisley, who came to New York in Glen Rice deal -- have been non-factors, raising questions about president Scott Layden's future. Chaney has his work cut out for him in what could be his final appearance as a head coach. The Garden expects a playoff team, but this has the makings of a disaster for all concerned.
Grade: C.

Philadelphia 76ers (10-14)
The defending Eastern Conference champs have been undermined by injuries to key players (Allen Iverson, Eric Snow, Aaron McKie) and a brutal early schedule. But once everyone is back, the Sixers are going to be major factors. Thanks to playing in the weak East, they'll still make the playoffs. Then nobody is going to want to play them, because of their toughness, defense and rebounding. Reigning MVP Iverson, battling injuries, needs to return to form. He'll be helped by return of Snow, who will run the offense. The Derrick Coleman deal, a roll of the dice by Larry Brown, should make the Sixers a tougher team to defend, since Coleman theoretically provides much-needed inside scoring and will prevent teams from throwing too many junk defenses at Iverson. The bad news is they're currently in the midst of a stretch of 13 of 17 games on road, including an upcoming killer trip to seven Western Conference cities in 12-day span. The good news is, after Jan. 5, the furthest west they travel is Milwaukee.
Grade: C.

Orlando Magic (12-14)
A big disappointment, for all those who thought they'd challenge for the Eastern Conference title. It's been the Tracy McGrady show, who makes the NBA's top-scoring offense go with his 27 points per game scoring average. But McGrady was supposed to get help from Grant Hill, whose damaged ankle is injured once again and will force him to miss the rest of the season. That signing has officially blown up in the Magic's faces. They went the old-timer route to patch up their power positions, bringing in Patrick Ewing and Horace Grant. But those haven't worked out. Defense has been porous, with opponents averaging almost 99 ppg. Despite that, they can still make the playoffs in the East because of one-two scoring punch of McGrady and Mike Miller. Their trade of Bo Outlaw to the Suns earlier was designed to help their cap situation in two summers, when they'll make another run for Tim Duncan. Since Doc Rivers is the key to luring Duncan away from San Antonio, he isn't going anywhere, even if this team continues to struggle.
Grade: C-.

Miami Heat (5-18)
Pat Riley has always gotten his teams into the playoffs, but that streak is coming to an end. Even in the East, where almost every team has a shot to make the postseason, the Heat are just about out of it. The poor start included a 12-game losing streak, longest ever for Riley, but not a surprise in the least. Alonzo Mourning hasn't been the same dominant player, due to his kidney trouble. Brian Grant missed significant time with a leg injury. Rod Strickland has been a bust and Eddie Jones has been only so-so. While the offense has sputtered without a low-post force (their 84 ppg ranks 28th), the defense has been too slow to keep up with the various young teams in the East.The Heat just can't keep up with younger athletes these days. Offseason moves (Kendall Gill and LaPhonso Ellis) haven't worked. Anthony Carter isn't the kind of playmaker who can lead a playoff team.
Grade: D.

Mitch Lawrence, who covers the NBA for the New York Daily News, writes a regular NBA column for ESPN.com.