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CAPSULES AND RANKING

Team (Record): 1. Chicago (53-7)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Jordan plays 23 minutes, clowns on bench in rout of Spurs. Maybe worst TV game ever. (1)

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Team (Record): 2. New York (46-16)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Season on line vs. Bulls. What do Knicks tell themselves if they lose at home? (5)

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Team (Record): 3. Utah (44-16)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Jazz has always wanted home-court advantage through playoffs. Here’s the chance. (4)

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Team (Record): 4. Seattle (42-17)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Pacific’s wackiest ship still steaming in circles. Grim meeting after Magic loss. (2)

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Team (Record): 5. Detroit (45-16)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Collins: “We’re a good team playing great.” More like fair playing amazingly. (3)

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Team (Record): 6. Houston (41-20)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Let’s see, this week Olajuwon is playing, but Drexler and Barkley are out. (6).

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Team (Record): 7. Atlanta (41-19)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Getting nervous about Hornets, who have sliced three games off lead since Feb. 1. (7)

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Team (Record): 8. Charlotte (39-22)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Muggsy Bogues makes 27 threes in 14 games. Before season, had 22 lifetime. (8)

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Team (Record): 9. Orlando (32-27)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): The jolly mutineers get a big surprise at Golden State after 8-1 run. (10)

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Team (Record): 10. Miami (45-16)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Heat’s 4-3 without Mourning, but it’s a long time to go without him. (12)

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Team (Record): 11. Cleveland (33-27)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): GM Embry denies rift with Fratello, but empty seats say slo-mo doesn’t cut it. (11)

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Team (Record): 12. Portland (34-28)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Rider, on talk with P.J.: “I was discouraged. Now we’re all discouraged together.” (14)

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Team (Record): 13. Minnesota (30-29)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Dudes just broke the franchise record for wins, with six weeks left. (13)

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Team (Record): 14. Lakers (40-20)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): As Brian Williams once said, maybe it’s just time to join hands and sing “Kumbaya.” (9)

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Team (Record): 15. Indiana (29-32)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Jackson’s return helps. Maybe Pacers started that youth movement a trifle early. (15)

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Team (Record): 16. Washington (28-32)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): It’s March, Webber’s hurt, Bullets out of it. Seems like old times. (17)

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Team (Record): 17. Sacramento (28-33)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Kings 4 1/2 ahead of No. 9 Suns--but Richmond says he’s asked to be traded. (19)

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Team (Record): 18. Clippers (25-33)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): It doesn’t get any easier. Of their final 14 games, 10 will be on the road. (16)

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Team (Record): 19. Milwaukee (26-35)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Bucks just quit on their second coach. Big Dog worried he’s on his way out. (18)

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Team (Record): 20. Phoenix (23-37)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Suns need charge to threaten Clippers, but they’re only 4-5 since Kidd’s return. (20)

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Team (Record): 21. Toronto (20-40)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Fading again. Until this month, Raptors had a .500 record at home. (22)

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Team (Record): 22. New Jersey (18-42)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Are Lakers interested in Jayson Williams? Press corps would pay half his salary. (21)

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Team (Record): 23. Golden State (22-37)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Adelman tells players not to worry about playoffs. Sounds like good advice. (23)

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Team (Record): 24. Denver (18-43)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): If Nuggets have packed it in, I don’t see why I have to do a new comment each week. (25)

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Team (Record): 25. Dallas (19-40)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Insiders: Nellie’s only observing decent interval before moving in on Cleamons. (24)

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Team (Record): 26. Philadelphia (15-44)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Insiders say Johnny Davis will be fired when season ends (officially). (26)

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Team (Record): 27. San Antonio (15-46)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): It’s a horse race for Duncan! Spurs claim Admiral’s back stiffened up again. (27)

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Team (Record): 28. Boston (12-49)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Fox, after Celtics beat Raptors: “I hope we didn’t upset too many people at home.” (28)

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Team (Record): 29. Vancouver (11-51)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Grizzlies are barred from getting the No. 1 pick, but No. 2 is looking pretty good. (29)

GAME OF THE WEEK

CHICAGO AT NEW YORK

* When--Today. Time--2:30 p.m. TV--Channel 4.

* Story line--This is the big test for the Knicks, who are too old to be building for the future and have announced they were reassembled to beat the Bulls now. They have won 22 of their last 23 at home--but the Bulls have won 17 of the 25 regular-season meetings in the ‘90s. Subtract the season Michael Jordan missed and it’s 16 of 21.