NBA TOP TO BOTTOM

No. Team (record) Comment (last week’s position)

1. San Antonio (9-4) Duncan is off to his usual slow start at 18 points a game, but he’ll be along. (1)

2. Lakers (9-4) Feels like something snapped back into place for them last week. (6)

3. Portland (10-5) Trail Blazers played 10 of first 14 on road. Now their schedule turns favorable. (5)

4. Philadelphia (11-2) Could get best mark, romping around East while West powers pound each other. (2)

5. Utah (9-3) Maybe he’ll play forever: Stockton, 38, in NBA top five in shooting, assists. (3)

6. Phoenix (10-3) Kidd in NBA top five in six categories but still shooting his usual 40%. (4)

7. Minnesota (7-6) Chauncey to rescue: Forgotten Billups averaging 17, in top 10 in three-pointers. (7)

8. Toronto (7-5) Still shy on athletes, Raptors rue day they traded Christie for Williamson. (11)

9. Sacramento (9-3) Finally a clue? Jason Williams’ assists-turnovers double from 2-1 to 4-1. (10)

10. New York (8-6) To super-agent Falk: Rice had a hard time here, but at least Lakers started him. (9)

11. Dallas (9-5) Team’s rise overshadowed by what local papers call Cuban Whistle Crisis. (12)

12. Charlotte (9-6) Good luck: Paul Silas hoping management can find sucker, er, taker for Coleman. (15)

13. Cleveland (9-4) Still nobody averaging 13--but Cavaliers have 10 players between 12.7 and 7.4. (14)

14. Miami (5-8) Riley’s MASH unit loses three of four with Jones out because of calf injury. (13)

15. New Jersey (6-7) Nets’ Kenyon Martin, Stephen Jackson running 1-2 in rookie scoring. (18)

16. Indiana (6-6) Just when they thought they were back: Pacers lose at home to Warriors, Rockets. (8)

17. Houston (8-6) Stevie Franchise (Francis) averages 22 as Rockets win four in row. (17)

18. Seattle (6-9) Westphal should have gotten the heck out of Dodge while getting was good. (23)

19. Denver (7-7) Cutthroat: Started weekend as one of 10 West teams with winning record. (25)

20. Boston (6-6) Yawn: Celtics draw two 13,000 crowds, smallest since FleetCenter opened in ’95. (19)

21. Orlando (5-9) With Hill out, too much offense goes through Amaechi, who’s shooting 39%. (16)

22. Detroit (5-8) Yeah, right: Pistons believe Smith’s choice shows they’re no wasteland. (22)

23. Milwaukee (3-9) Might not make it: Last week Karl said Bucks would be in first place by today. (21)

24. Vancouver (4-8) Seven-game skid for team known for fast starts followed by faster plummets. (20)

25. Clippers (4-10) Bad news is, they could be a lot better and still wind up with 60 losses. (24)

26. Washington (4-10) Not that Wizards are writing season off, but Jordan is already talking about draft. (26)

27. Golden State (4-10) Never quite ready for prime time: Mookie off to usual start, shooting 32%. (27)

28. Atlanta (2-12) It’s starting: Mutombo says he’d like to go to contender before trade deadline. (28)

29. Chicago (1-11) Last season, shot 41.5%, NBA’s worst in 22 years. Now Bulls are at 38%. (29)

GAME OF THE WEEK

INDIANA AT LAKERS

* When--Tuesday * Time--7:30 p.m. * TV--Fox Sports Net, TBS

* Story line--Technically, this is a rematch of last season’s NBA finalists, although the Pacers will be missing either three or four of last spring’s five starters, depending on whether Jalen Rose plays. The Pacers, of course, are rebuilding. We’re still not exactly sure what the Lakers are doing.