THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

NBA RANKINGS AND COMMENTS:

*--* Rk Team (Rec.) Co mm en t (L as t we ek ‘s po si ti on ) 1 SACRAMENTO (29-10) Bo mb in g Ma ve ri ck s, Ne ts su gg es ts th ey ‘r e no t ju st be st , no on e’ s cl os e ri gh t no w. (2 ) 2 DALLAS (31-6) Pu t Ne ls on do wn as a be li ev er : “W e ne ve r sa id we ‘r e be tt er th an Sa cr am en to .” (1 ) 3 INDIANA (28-10) He at ‘s of f Is ia h, fo r mo me nt , as Pa ce rs ge t of f to fr an ch is e’ s be st st ar t. (4 ) 4 SAN ANTONIO (24-14) Li ke th e La ke rs , ge tt in g it to ge th er , if sl ow ly -- 15 -7 si nc e 10 -7 st ar t. (6 ) 5 NEW JERSEY (27-11) Af te r st ir ri ng pe rf or ma nc e in 36 -p oi nt lo ss to Ki ng s, Ne ts he ad We st fo r fi ve . (3 ) 6 PORTLAND (23-14) Bl az er s ne ed a br ea k: On ro ad fo r ei gh t of 10 fr om no w ti ll Al l- St ar br ea k. (7 ) 7 DETROIT (25-12) Wa ll ac e’ s 15 .3 re bo un ds a ga me ar e 2. 4 ah ea d of No . 2 pl ay er , Ga rn et t. (5 ) 8 UTAH (22-15) Lo ok in g be tt er af te r ra ll yi ng fr om 9- 8, wi th 12 of th e ne xt 16 at ho me . (9 ) 9 PHOENIX (24-16) Sp ir it ‘s wi ll in g, bo dy st il l is n’ t: Ha rd aw ay ‘s go ne ag ai n wi th kn ee in ju ry . (8 ) 10 HOUSTON (22-15) Gu ar ds sa y th ey ‘r e pu nc hi ng it in si de bu t Ya o av er ag es on ly 8. 7 sh ot s. (1 0) 11 LAKERS (18-20) Li ke la st sp ri ng , Ko be ca rr ie s th em as Sh aq tr ie s to ge t ba ck to be in g Sh aq . (1 1) 12 BOSTON (21-17) Ba ke r cr ie s at DN P. Ev er yo ne el se wa nt s to cr y be ca us e th ey ‘r e st uc k wi th hi m. (1 2) 13 MINNESOTA (21-17) If La ke rs ar e to ma ke pl ay of fs , so me on e wh o’ s in , li ke T- Wo lv es , mu st dr op ou t. (1 3) 14 NEW ORLEANS (20-20) Da vi s re tu rn s af te r si x ga me s bu t gu y wi th a ba d ba ck ca n’ t ca rr y th is lo ad . (1 4) 15 PHILADELPHIA (20-18) Oo ps : Br ow n sa ys he ca n’ t ju st ke ep ac co mm od at in g “c er ta in pe op le .” (1 5) 16 WASHINGTON (19-19) Mr . Se lf le ss : Jo rd an sa ys if he do es n’ t st ar t Al l- St ar ga me , he do es n’ t de pa rt . (1 6) 17 ORLANDO (20-20) Ne w li mi ts on Hi ll me an se as on is of fi ci al ly ye ar -l on g tr ai ni ng ca mp . (1 7) 18 GOLDEN STATE (16-22) Mu ss el ma n us es Bo yk in s, Su ra in cr un ch , Ri ch ar ds on le ss , Du nl ea vy ne ve r. (1 8) 19 SEATTLE (16-20) Mc Mi ll an sa ys it hu rt s wh en “s om eo ne “ wh os e in it ia ls ar e GP is “s ta nd of fi sh .” (1 9) 20 MILWAUKEE (18-20) Br ig ht sp ot : th ir d- ye ar gu ar d Mi ch ae l Re dd , av er ag in g 14 .6 of f th e be nc h. (2 3) 21 NEW YORK (14-22) A 20 % la yo ff of Ga rd en st af f in wo rk s. Wi ll Ca bl eV is io n se ll ou t ne xt ? (2 0) 22 CLIPPERS (14-24) Br an d sh ou ld n’ t wo rr y ab ou t se as on be in g ov er . Th at wa s mo nt hs ag o. (2 1) 23 MEMPHIS (12-26) Pu tt in g it to ge th er , 22 -y ea r- ol d Ga so l av er ag in g 22 -1 0 th is mo nt h. (2 2) 24 ATLANTA (14-24) Yo u kn ow wh at mi gh t he lp ? Ow ne r wh o ca re s. Tu rn er ju st wa nt s pr og ra mm in g. (2 4) 25 CHICAGO (14-24) Re gr es si on : Cu rr y ha s tw o do ub le -f ig ur e re bo un d ga me s, No v. 6 an d 8. (2 5) 26 MIAMI (13-26) Yo u kn ow bi g- ti me Ri ck y Da vi s? Ri le y tr ad ed hi m fo r ol d Ch ri s Ga tl in g. (2 6) 27 CLEVELAND (8-32) Go in g wi th ki ds li ke Ca rl os Bo oz er , lo ok in g fo r ta ke r fo r Ty ro ne Hi ll . (2 7) 28 TORONTO (10-29) Fa ns ge t me ss ag e a li tt le sl ow ly : Ca rt er st il l Ea st ‘s le ad in g vo te ge tt er . (2 8) 29 DENVER (9-29) Ro ok ie Hi la ri o ma ke s a li tt le mo ve , av er ag in g 15 -7 th is mo nt h. (2 9) Note: Records are through Thursday’s games

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