The NBA’s incredibly long regular season begins Tuesday night. The 82-game sojourn to playoffs that are the equal of the Hundred Years’ War brings some interesting twists and perhaps the end of the Miami Heat’s four-season run to The Finals.

The Heat, of course, lost LeBron James to the Cleveland Cavaliers, prompting a general overhaul of the roster. James, four years ago, abandoned his native northeast Ohio for Miami and promised numerous championships. He delivered two. The Cavaliers, having added James and traded for Kevin Love, are now favorites in the Eastern Conference, along with the Chicago Bulls.

The balance of power, however, remains in the Western Conference. The San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks can be expected to battle for the No. 1 seed, with the Spurs hoping to defend the title. Don’t expect much from the Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe Bryant returns after missing all but six games last season, but veteran guard Steve Nash is already done with a back injury.

Other teams to watch

The Oklahoma City Thunder must get through about two months without Kevin Durant, the reigning MVP … The Indiana Pacers will have four new starters for their opener due to injuries and free-agent defections.

Derrick Rose’s return and the addition of Pau Gasol bolster the Bulls’ title hopes. … Paul Pierce has said he thinks of himself as the missing championship for the Washington Wizards, who may be on the cusp of something special. … The New York Knicks have Phil Jackson in the front office, a first-time coach in Derek Fisher and $124 million tied up in Carmelo Anthony. The organization has a way of taking filet mignon and making hamburger of it.