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As expected, the Knicks and Heat are fighting for first place in the division while Washington and Orlando are fighting for a playoff spot. And New Jersey, Philadelphia and Boston are all positioning themselves for the lottery.

ISOLA'S ALL-DIVISION TEAM

OK, Alonzo Mourning actually plays center. But he's a natural power forward. F Chris Webber Washington F Alonzo Mourning Miami C Patrick Ewing New York G Kendall Gill New Jersey G Tim Hardaway Miami

Here's a first-half recap:

Miami Heat

Grade: A. Did anyone expect anything less from a Pat Riley team?

Riley signed and then lost Juwan Howard, swingman Dan Majerle has already missed one month and might be finished for the season following back surgery and yet the Heat is still sitting pretty on top of the division.

All-Star point guard Tim Hardaway has never looked better and All-Star center Alonzo Mourning is a valued presence in the middle. Plus, Riley is getting the most out of a couple of free agent signees; P.J. Brown and backup center Isaac Austin.

Outlook: Riley has worked magic with his undermanned bench, but it might be asking too much of the Heat to hold off the Knicks.

New York Knicks

Grade: B. The front office spent $150 million last summer, but no one can say definitively if the Knicks have improved from last season. Larry Johnson, a former No. 1 pick, hasn't been the scorer the Knicks expected. And Allan Houston has been the Knicks' second-best shooting guard.

Their two best moves were signing Buck Williams and not trading John Starks. And as long as Patrick Ewing's still around, the Knicks will always remain competitive in the Eastern Conference.

Outlook: Finishing first in the division is all Jeff Van Gundy has been preaching and the Knicks should still be favored to get the second playoff seed.

ISOLA'S PICKS

Here are Frank Isola's Atlantic Division awards, based on the first half of the season: MVP: Tim Hardaway, Miami No other player has done more to help his team. He's the most deserving All-Star in the division. Top rookie: Allen Iverson, Philadelphia It's hard to defend his selfish tendencies, and he's certainly not making many friends. But Iverson is a rookie you'd pay to see play. He's 48 minutes of excitement. Top coach: Pat Riley, Miami Proving once again that he is one of the greatest ever -- in any sport. Best acquisition: Buck Williams, New York There is plenty of life left in his 36-year-old legs. Has given the Knicks rebounding, defense and scoring off the bench. Class act all the way. Biggest bust: Juwan Howard, Washington Miami is in first place without him. The Bullets are .500 with him. There are better ways to spent $100 million. All-Star snub: John Starks, New York Don't laugh. Since we're not voting for a player on a losing team (sorry Chris Webber), Starks deserves the nod. He's the best sixth man in the league.

Orlando Magic

Grade: B. Why such a high grade? Orlando lost Shaquille O'Neal to free agency and Penny Hardaway missed nearly two months because of injuries. It's a minor miracle the Magic has stayed above .500 heading into the All-Stark break.

Outlook: This could be a dangerous team come playoff time. Hardaway, Dennis Scott, Horace Grant and Nick Anderson are playoff tested and Rony Seikaly is starting to get comfortable in his new surroundings. They might be the toughest seventh or eighth seed in postseason history.

Washington Bullets

Grade: C-minus. Isn't this team supposed to be moving up in class? Instead, we're getting the same old mediocre Bullets.

Chris Webber is having an All-Star-caliber season and Howard, who re-signed with Washington after his contract with the Heat was voided, has had his moments. But Rod Strickland, the point guard the Bullets were always looking forward, hasn't provided enough leadership and enough of a spark.

Outlook: Missing the playoffs isn't the option, as far as the management is concerned. "We have committed a tremendous amount of resources to this team, but it just was not working," Bullets executive Wes Unseld said after coach Jim Lynam was fired Wednesday.

New Jersey Nets

Grade: D. John Calipari, who some are now calling Coach Cash, is learning the hard way that you can't win in the NBA without talent. And there's another problem. Unlike college, you can't go out and recruit.

Instead, Calipari is stuck with a team that probably won't win 25 games. Kendall Gill, Kerry Kittles and Jayson Williams have played well, but with a true All-Star the Nets are going nowhere fast.

Outlook: Calipari is hoping to score big in the free-agent market and the draft. Then again, that has always been the Nets' goal for the second half.

Philadelphia 76ers

Grade: F. There is no reason why the Sixers, who do have talent, have just 11 wins to show for their season.

OK, Allen Iverson shoots too much, Jerry Stackhouse doesn't hit enough shots and Derrick Coleman is acting like Derrick Coleman again. But there are teams with less talent -- the Nets and Celtics for example -- who are just as good, or in this case as bad, as Philly.

Outlook: Expect a deal by the trading deadline, possibly Stackhouse, Coleman or Clarence Weatherspoon. They expect the lottery.

Boston Celtics

Grade: F. Antoine Walker, Eric Williams and David Wesley are all nice players. Dino Radja and Dana Barros are injured players. The rest would struggle to win the CBA title.

Outlook: The Celtics own two first-round draft picks and have to be considered the favorites to nab Wake Forest center Tim Duncan. That's where the rebuilding phase begins.

Frank Isola, who covers the Knicks for the New York Daily News, is a regular contributor to ESPNET SportsZone.