NBA TOP TO BOTTOM

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

1. Portland (35-11) After the all-star break, Trail Blazers play 20 of their 33 games at home. (2)

2. Lakers (35-11) After the all-star break, they play 20 of their 34 games on the road. (1)

3. San Antonio (30-16) Better not ask the Lakers how broken down the defending champions look. (3)

4. Indiana (30-16) Life begins at 38: Sam Perkins knocking down a career-high 40% on three-pointers. (5)

5. Miami (29-16) Mourning averaging 23.0 points. Next-best center in East is Smits at 13.3. (9)

6. Seattle (30-18) Not always soft: Baker goes for 33 vs. Mailman to answer his many critics. (7)

7. New York (27-17) Old buddy, Riley, drops by today for a little test of who’s who in East. (8)

8. Sacramento (28-17) What else is new: Madcap Five thrills fans, goes 3-4 on Eastern swing. (6)

9. Utah (27-18) Wheels just came off as old guys go 0-6, giving up points in bunches. (4)

10. Minnesota (27-18) Garnett in NBA’s top 15 in points,

rebounds, shooting, steals, blocks. (11)

11. Phoenix (26-19) Robinson, who came off bench for first month, leads Suns with 19.7 points a game. (12)

12. Milwaukee (26-22) Bucks just went 3-2 on Western swing and won in Seattle and Salt Lake City. (15)

13. Philadelphia (25-21) 76ers went 1-3 on Western swing and didn’t play anyone with a winning record. (10)

14. Charlotte (25-20) Kiss Eddie goodbye: New owner says Hornets will pay Jones $86 million max. (13)

15. Toronto (25-20) McGrady just averaged 19 points in his last five, coming off the bench. (14)

16. Detroit (23-23) Pistons are holding on for dear life until Hill’s sore tailbone feels better. (16)

17. Denver (21-24) All of a sudden, promising Nuggets are five games out of last playoff spot. (18)

18. Boston (21-25) More trouble ahead: After all-star break is a six-game Western swing. (17)

19. Houston (19-28) Hats off to Rudy T. Rockets had impossible situation. Now they have a future. (20)

20. New Jersey (17-29) After his big move, Marbury has no sneaker contract or all-star berth.(19)

21. Dallas (19-27) Looks like his ship finally came in: Ceballos averaging 20 as starter. (22)

22. Orlando (22-26) Magic official: “Every time we win, I don’t know how we did it.” (23)

23. Cleveland (19-28) Cavaliers have impossible situation with Kemp, still looking for way out. (21)

24. Atlanta (18-27) Hawks would shake it up if anyone would take any of their players. (24)

25. Washington (15-33) Nice try: Jordan offers Howard for Ewing, who has one year left on contract. (25)

26. Chicago (9-35) Brand is rookie of month for averaging 21 points, 12 rebounds in January. (26)

27. Vancouver (13-32) Another one developing amid the rubble: Dickerson averaged 19 in January. (27)

28. Golden State (12-32) They have one prospect, anyway: Jamison averages 22 as Warriors go 4-0. (28)

29. Clippers (11-35) As it was in past, as it will be in future, team without hope, amen. (29)

GAME OF THE WEEK

SAN ANTONIO at UTAH

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

* Story line--After a series of Laker losses in the featured game, we turn to the rest of the West, with the Midwest Division kingpins duking it out. The Spurs have won five of six and are trying to put it together at midseason, as they did a year ago. The Jazz has lost six in a row and Jerry Sloan, who stomped off to his Illinois farm the last time Utah spun out, is getting That Look again.