THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

*--* No Team (Rec) Comment 1 LAKERS (5-1) Can Payton, Malone keep kids quiet long enough to squeeze in a title? (1) 2 INDIANA (5-1) O’Neal still pines for Isiah Thomas, but Carlisle shows his stuff works. (9) 3 DETROIT (4-1) Milicic isn’t playing. Brown says they need him to pick up towels. (10) 4 NEW ORLEANS (5-2) Davis knocking ‘em dead, but they can’t keep this up with Mashburn out. (4) 5 HOUSTON (4-1) Van Gundy calls Yao “very kind” but doesn’t mean it as a compliment. (6) 6 DALLAS (4-3) Canadian free agent-to-be Nash says if he leaves, it’ll be for Toronto. (8) 7 SACRAMENTO (3-2) Another West power tries it Laker style, awaiting belated start of Webber. (2) 8 NEW JERSEY (3-3) Not that they weren’t any good, but Scott just became Nets’ winningest coach. (5) 9 MINNESOTA (4-3) I’m not making this up: Madsen dunk voted highlight of week on NBA TV. (7) 10 SAN ANTONIO (3-4) If Lakers lost with Duncan, Parker out, they might not have ever gone back. (3) 11 SEATTLE (3-0) Whoever Ronald Murray is, he’s averaging 23 points as starting point guard. (15) 12 WASHINGTON (3-3) Could be one of all-time busts: Kids are all doing well, except Kwame Brown. (20) 13 BOSTON (2-3) Tracking Vin Baker’s comeback: Averaged 19-7 in first two, 12-5 since. (11) 14 PHOENIX (2-3) Behind Jahidi White deal: One look at Lakers and Suns went for big men. (12) 15 PHILADELPHIA (3-3) 76ers glimpse future, they hope, as Iverson, Robinson get 54 at Chicago. (17) 16 PORTLAND (3-3) Community pulls back as Trail Blazers draw Rose Garden’s two smallest crowds. (14) 17 GOLDEN STATE (3-2) S-u-u-r-e: Knicks dying to get Van Exel, but Warriors say he’ll cheer up. (26) 18 CHICAGO (3-4) Long knives out for Cartwright, as gang without a clue lurches out of gate. (16) 19 TORONTO (3-2) Tracking Vince Carter’s comeback: Averaged 33 in first two, 17 since. (13) 20 NEW YORK (2-4) Van Horn was supposed to get eaten alive. Instead he’s averaging 19-8. (19) 21 UTAH (4-2) If he wins 35, Sloan should get coach of year people always said he deserved. (27) 22 MEMPHIS (2-4) It’s good Hubie Brown has them defending because they’re shooting 39%. (23) 23 MILWAUKEE (4-3) Porter’s young nobodies are doing as well as Karl and his Big Three did. (25) 24 CLIPPERS (1-2) Richardson’s big chance. Oh, by the way, he’ll be a restricted free agent. (28) 25 DENVER (3-3) Anthony recovers from Hype the Child Classic to get 30 against Clippers. (22) 26 CLEVELAND (1-5) James recovers from Hype the Child Classic to get 23 in Indiana. (21) 27 ORLANDO (1-6) 0-5 home start precedes West trip, which should precede the big shakeup. (18) 28 ATLANTA (1-5) Are you still in the league (cont.)? Announced 5,683 see only win. (24) 29 MIAMI (0-6) Whatever: Riley said it was OK to go because Heat was now so promising. (29)

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