Top to Bottom : CAPSULES AND RANKINGS

Team (Record): 1. Chicago (50-7)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): After Cavaliers’ upset, still on 72-win pace with six of seven against losing teams. (1)

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Team (Record): 2. Seattle (40-16)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank):Young civil warriors are on the rise again. Schrempf zings Kemp for not passing.

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Team (Record): 3. Detroit (42-14)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Here’s where we find out: five of next six vs. winning teams, three of them on road. (2)

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Team (Record): 4. Utah (40-16)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): What Jazz is up against: Derek Harper nixes trade to stay with the lowly Mavericks. (4)

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Team (Record): 5. New York (42-16)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): With Mourning out, the Atlantic Division is Knicks for the taking. (6)

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Team (Record): 6. Houston (38-20)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Barkley keeps sneering at competition while his teammates drop like flies. (8)

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Team (Record): 7. Atlanta (38-18)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Bid for Mullin fails. Mully tells Mookie: “I wouldn’t mind coming this way.” (7)

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Team (Record): 8. Charlotte (36-22)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): The best team nobody knows about pops Rockets between eyes in Houston. (9)

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Team (Record): 9. Lakers (39-18)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): That didn’t take long, did it? Two weeks after Shaq leaves, Van Exel’s miffed. (10)

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Team (Record): 10. Orlando (30-25)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Adubato can stay if he maintains current pace (1.000). Otherwise: Chuck Daly. (13)

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Team (Record): 11. Cleveland (32-24)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Schrempf after 72-66 Seattle win: “Man, that is some ugly basketball.” (11)

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Team (Record): 13. Miami (42-15)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Injured Mourning: “Sitting on bench is torture.” Heat has barely begun to suffer. (3)

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Team (Record): 14. Minnesota (29-27)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Dudes tie franchise mark for wins. They’re 22-9 since Dec. 21, 8-6 on road. (14)

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Team (Record): 15. Portland (30-28)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): P.J. reported dangling. On this team, you’re happy if you can just walk away. (12)

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Team (Record): 15. Indiana (27-29)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Tick, tick, tick. . .Waiting for the inevitable as the playoffs fade. (16)

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Team (Record): 16. Clippers (25-29)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Meanwhile, back on the floor, they’re still playing their rear ends off. (19)

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Team (Record): 17. Washington (26-31)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Post defense needs work. Gheorghe Muresan still looking for Elden. (17)

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Team (Record): 18. Milwaukee (25-32)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): In case you haven’t noticed, the playoff race is over and Bucks are out. (15)

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Team (Record): 19. Sacramento (26-32)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Brian Grant, out four months because of torn rotator cuff, expected back this week. (18)

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Team (Record): 20. Phoenix (21-36)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Taking time to integrate Jason Kidd. The problem is Suns are running out of it. (20)

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Team (Record): 21. New Jersey (17-39)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Heaven can wait. Season-high two-game win streak ends in home loss to Warriors. (21)

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Team (Record): 22. Toronto (20-37)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Nuggets float word they want to sign Damon in ’98. He says thanks, but he’s staying. (23)

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Team (Record): 23. Golden State (21-35)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Warrior hearts grow even fainter on the road. Lose four in a row, by 91 points. (22)

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Team (Record): 24. Dallas (19-36)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Nellie’s main man is OK--Bradley averages 16 points, 10 rebounds, 2.4 blocks. (27)

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Team (Record): 25. Denver (17-41)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): GM Bristow starts lobbying effort to keep LaPhonso, McDyess, ’98 free agents. (24)

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Team (Record): 26. Philadelphia (15-41)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Here’s how bad 76ers are. Coach Davis lauds effort after close loss to Clippers . (25)

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Team (Record): 27. San Antonio (13-43)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Popovich floats trial balloon: Spurs might keep Admiral out rest of way. (28)

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Team (Record): 28. Boston (11-46)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Duncan to Wake Forest fans: “One more year.” Did he hear he’s Boston-bound? (26)

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Team (Record): 29. Vancouver (11-49)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Abdur-Rahim averages 24 in February. Barkley: “He’s the real rookie of year.”(29)

GAME OF THE WEEK

SEATTLE AT ORLANDO

* When--Today. Time--12:30 p.m. TV--Channel 4.

* Storyline--Of the Magic’s six victories since Richie Adubato succeeded Brian Hill, five were at home, but after this, the team heads west for six, including games at Seattle, Houston and the Pond. The SuperSonics wind up a four-game trip, hoping Shawn Kemp’s mind is back in his body. During their seven-game win streak, he had a three-game streak of scoring in single figures.