NBA TOP TO BOTTOM

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

1. San Antonio (6-1): Everyone’s in trouble if this keeps up: Spurs shooting over 50% on threes. (2)

2. Portland (6-1): Blazermaniacs crestfallen as team drops off the Bulls’ 72-10 pace. (1)

3. Miami (5-1): Written-off Mashburn averages 21 as Heat bumps scoring from 89 to 110. (8)

4. Phoenix (4-3): Penny Hardaway may not have his old hops, but he’s still averaging 18 points. (10)

5. Lakers (5-2): Look at it this way: They’re unbeaten in the games that Shaq finishes. (7)

6. Toronto (4-1): Celtics got them in opener, but Raptors are 4-0 since, winning by average of 15. (13)

7. Charlotte (4-3): Jones on a tear in free-agent season, averaging 23, shooting 40% on threes. (4)

8. Milwaukee (4-3): Even in East, J.R. Reid-Tractor Traylor tandem up front is a little short. (3)

9. Seattle (5-2): Another Laker who got away: Patterson averaging 15 points for SuperSonics. (14)

10. Sacramento (2-1): Showtime isn’t dead, it just packed up and moved to Northern California. (12)

11. Utah (3-3): If you can hit occasional jumper, you can ask Sloan for tryout at small forward. (9)

12. New York (4-3): They may not be Ewing’s Knicks anymore, but he’d still come in handy. (5)

13. Indiana (4-2): Oh oh: Al Harrington, two years out of high school, has been best Pacer. (11)

14. Minnesota (3-1): New Pokemon card--Kevinoid--in works after Garnett averages 35-14 in Tokyo. (17)

15. Boston (4-3): Not that Celtic pride is dead: TV game barely outdraws bass fishing on Fox. (6)

16. Cleveland (4-2): Ilgauskas ignores advice of two docs advising season-ending surgery. (15)

17. Philadelphia (2-4): It’s starting: Iverson bristles at team dress code, Hughes at his minutes. (16)

18. Orlando (4-4): Doc Rivers attacking in waves; all 12 guys average at least 15 minutes. (21)

19. Houston (2-5): Bad year to threaten move if Rockets don’t get arena. Who’d miss these mopes? (18)

20. Denver (2-3): Still talented, but Nuggets still couldn’t hold a Girl Scout troop under 90. (19)

21. Atlanta (1-5): Rider says get him the ball or get him out. Hawks leaning toward Plan B. (23)

22. Detroit (2-5): Gentry after beating Boston for first win: “At least we won’t go 0-82.” (24)

23. Clippers (1-4): It was fun being the local darling for a while. Then the season started. (20)

24. Vancouver (2-3): Francis deal looking better: Harrington averaging 16 points, shooting 59%. (28)

25. Dallas (3-4): As Sundance would say, “Keep thinking, Nellie, that’s what you’re good at.” (22)

26. New Jersey (1-5): He loves New Jersey: In first two games, Marbury had 59 shots, eight assists. (25)

27. Washington (1-6): Sore-kneed Richmond is 10-10 man--scoring 10.6 a game, making $10 million. (26)

28. Golden State (1-5): Inspired Warriors jump Grizzlies. Who knew when they’d get another shot at win? (27)

29. Chicago (1-5): So far, high point is Corey Benjamin coming within 11-9 of Michael. (29)

GAME OF THE WEEK

PORTLAND at PHILADELPHIA

When--Friday. Time--5 p.m. TV--TNT.

* Story line--With Scottie Pippen and Steve Smith, the Trail Blazers are scary, but there’s a difference between looking dominating and actually dominating. This six-game Eastern swing (Miami, Orlando, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Cleveland, Minnesota) will tell a lot.