Top to Bottom : CAPSULES AND RANKINGS

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Team (Record) Comment 1. Chicago (17-2) Was on 77-win pace. 2. Houston (17-2) On 73-win pace. 3. Utah (16-2) On 72-win pace. 4. Seattle (15-6) Without Askew, Brickowski, depth is shot. 5. Lakers (14-7) Mailed in so many, they’re out of stamps. 6. Miami (15-5) Riles: Sweet revenge in New York. 7. Detroit (15-3) Fun while it lasts. 8. Cleveland (11-6) Best unknown backcourt: Brandon-Phills-Sura. 9. New York (11-6) Checketts: sweet revenge in Miami. 10. Atlanta (11-8) Without Henderson, Hawks thin on starters. 11. Portland (12-8) Outrebounding opponents by 7.9 a game. 12. Indiana (8-8) Decided not to wait for Dutch boy. 13. Milwaukee (9-8) Robinson, 21.5 ppg. More Big, less Dog. 14. Orlando (8-7) Great to see their old buddy, Shaq. 15. Washington (7-10) Fab Two total 18 in loss at Toronto. 16. Charlotte (9-9) Clippers prick their bubble. 17. Philadelphia (7-11) Oh oh: Coleman blows off first practice. 18. Minnesota (7-11) Gugliotta: 22.4 ppg, 8.9 boards. 19. Dallas (8-11) Oh oh: Braxton dating Magic’s David Vaughn. 20. Toronto (6-12) Two more big scalps: Rockets, Bullets. 21. Sacramento (6-13) Mitch Richmond feuding with GM Petrie. 22. Golden St. (6-13) Mark Price sound, better times coming? 23. Clippers (7-12) Fun while it lasted. 24. Denver (5-15) McDyess happening. Nothing else is. 25. Phoenix (3-14) Different deal: KJ, Hot Rod, Bryant back. 26. New Jersey (4-11) Calipari gets two road wins in row. 27. Boston (4-13) M.L., you fox: Tanking for Tim Duncan? 28. Vancouver (3-17) Can’t draft first, how about Tim Thomas? 29. San Antonio (3-14) Imagine Tim Duncan alongside Admiral.

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GAME OF THE WEEK

HOUSTON AT SEATTLE

* When--Saturday. Time--7.

* Storyline--The SuperSonics won 11 in a row but played only two teams with winning records: the Clippers, who were about to lose six in a row, and the Knicks, who were on a two-game losing streak. The SuperSonics are 0-2 against the Jazz, 0-1 against the Lakers and eager to beat anybody good. Charles Barkley is off to an MVP start, but the Rockets are not only old, but, after injuries to Brent Price and Emanual Davis, depleted.