NBA / TOP TO BOTTOM

Team (Record) Comment (last week’s position)

1. San Antonio (51-22) Of next eight, five are at home and

three on road are against losing teams. (1)

2. Sacramento (49-22) Lakers hold tie-breaker. Hard part is

catching them so it means anything. (2)

3. Philadelphia (50-22) With everyone playing hurt all season,

what’ll 76ers have left for playoffs? (5)

4. Utah (48-24) Lost three in row by 49 points before

schedule delivered up Cavaliers and Grizzlies. (3)

5. Lakers (48-25) Not that they’re going backward: Just

gave up 104 points or more in seven of last 12. (7)

6. Portland (47-25) Closing schedule is no bargain with

six of Trail Blazers’ last nine on the road. (4)

7. Dallas (46-26) If wins at Utah, Portland surprised you,

Nelson says they surprised him too. (8)

8. Milwaukee (46-26) Now if Phil Jackson makes playoffs,

he can ask for “George Karl money.” (6)

9. Phoenix (44-27) Once you could let Marion shoot jumpers.

Ask Lakers how well that works now. (12)

10. New York (42-30) New York Post on Sprewell announcement

he has been too nice: “Watch your necks, NBA.” (9)

11. Miami (43-29) Riley grows fangs out to here as Heat

gives up 101 to Raptors, 104 to Bucks. (10)

12. Minnesota (42-30) All things considered, Timberwolves would

still be one of more inspiring No. 8 finishes. (11)

13. Charlotte (40-32) Bad sign: Heisley would rather own

Grizzlies in Memphis than Hornets here. (13)

14. Toronto (40-32) Not many of those in playoffs, though:

Raptors are 24-8 vs. losing teams. (16)

15. Seattle (41-34) McMillan woke them up but a few weeks

too late: SuperSonics on 10-1 run to nowhere. (17)

16. Houston (40-33) Olajuwon returns, but playoff dream fades

as Rockets lose three in a row. (14)

17. Orlando (39-33) How’s this for improvement? In four

seasons, McGrady averages 7-9-15-27. (15)

18. Denver (35-39) Not what you’d call closers: 19-23 since

Jan. 1. Last season, Nuggets went 20-34. (18)

19. Indiana (33-39) Down by 16 at Boston before Croshere got

32 off bench in Pacers’ biggest game. (19)

20. Boston (33-39) Celtics trail Pacers in season series,

2-1, with one left at Indy on April 13. (20)

21. Clippers (27-47) Not fading away: 10-12 after the All-Star

break. Last season they went 5-29. (21)

22. New Jersey (25-50) Surgical haven: Marbury joins Kittles,

Gill, McIlvaine on injured list. (22)

23. Detroit (26-46) Pistons have been rebuilding since Bad Boys

left, but nothing has been rebuilt. (23)

24. Cleveland (26-47) Started over with Kemp. Started over

with Ilgauskas. OK, now what? (24)

25. Vancouver (21-52) Orange County mourns loss of comedy act,

but still has Angels and Ducks. (25)

26. Atlanta (23-51) How’s Phil Jackson going to get Kukoc back

if he keeps averaging 20 for Hawks? (26)

27. Washington (18-55) Wizards so high on Courtney Alexander,

they’ll shop top scorer Hamilton. (27)

28. Golden State (17-55) If not for lockout, Warriors would be

on way to fourth 60-loss season in row. (28)

29. Chicago (12-60) Another ongoing deconstruction:

Won’t even match last season’s 17 wins. (29)

GAME OF THE WEEK

LAKERS at UTAH

When--Tuesday. Time--5 PDT. TV--Ch. 9, TNT.

* Story line--If the Lakers are going to turn it around, they’ll have to win games like this. The Jazz is struggling too, but Utah is always a night’s work in the Delta Center.