NBA TOP TO BOTTOM

Final regular season

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

1. Lakers (56-26) Let’s get r-r-ready to r-r-rumble

with someone other than each other. (2)

2. San Antonio (58-24) Spurs had chance to end up being great.

Instead, they were just very good. (1)

3. Sacramento (55-27) Who’d have thunk it? As Webber

flirted with exit, Kings joined the elite. (3)

4. Philadelphia (56-26) Brown’s best job since he took

four UCLA freshmen to NCAA title game. (4)

5. Milwaukee (52-30) Last time Bucks won this many, Reagan

was president and Nelson was coach. (5)

6. Utah (53-29) Shouldn’t be surprise: Jazz has missed 50

wins in full season only once since ’88. (6)

7. Miami (50-32) Riley trying to put them together won the

fly, but Heat players aren’t flying yet. (7)

8. Dallas (53-29) Fast learner: After $505,000 in fines,

Cuban vows Stern won’t change him. (8)

9. Portland (50-32) If playoffs really mean the slate’s clean,

Trail Blazers would be the happiest guys in NBA. (9)

10. Phoenix (51-31) Hardaway, Gugliotta got $19 million

and scored a total of 401 points. (10)

11. New York (48-34) Say good night, brave hearts:

After two East finals, falling by wayside. (11)

12. Toronto (47-35) With Davis thinking of leaving soon and

Carter in ‘03, Raptors need a big finish. (14)

13. Minnesota (47-35) I love these guys: The sky fell on

Timberwolves, but they never looked back. (12)

14. Charlotte (46-36) Good career choice for Campbell: With

Coleman there, no one complains about him. (13)

15. Houston (45-37) People think Rudy Tomjanovich climbed off

turnip truck but he has rebuilt Rockets. (16)

16. Seattle (44-38) Say goodbye to Baker but not Payton:

SuperSonics will shop Payton but not too hard. (15)

17. Orlando (43-39) Dodged bullet after Hill left, got

McGrady, Miller ready for the big time. (17)

18. Indiana (41-41) Problem: Pacers aren’t all that

good--nor are their kids all that promising. (19)

19. Denver (40-42) If Nuggets are smart (?), they’ll get rid

of Van Exel while they can find taker. (18)

20. Boston (36-46) So much for hope: Bird says he’s

only $350 million short of buying Celtics. (20)

21. Clippers (31-51) Funnest time in years. Now

to see what ownership can contribute. (21)

22. Detroit (32-50) 401(k): Irvine fired one season

into three-year, $5-million contract. (22)

23. Cleveland (30-52) Another one bites the dust: Wittman lost

team when team lost Ilgauskas. (23)

24. Vancouver (23-59) That was it? After six Grisly years,

maybe they’ll get NBA team one day. (24)

25. New Jersey (26-56) Not with a whimper but a bang: Scott

says his slackers are “stealing money.” (25)

26. Atlanta (25-57) Oops: Playing in a brand-new arena,

Hawks drew worse than Grizzlies. (26)

27. Washington (19-63) Fat farms in bidding war for Barkley, who’d

have to drop 50 pounds to join Jordan.(27)

28. Golden State (17-65) Not that Warriors didn’t try their hardest:

Won twice after All-Star break. (28)

29. Chicago (15-67) Good news: Aren’t as many big free agents

who can spurn Bulls this year. (29)