THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

No. Team (Rec) Comment (last week)

1 LAKERS

(53-23) Not many coaches could have held this circus together, but theirs did. (1)

*

2 INDIANA

(56-20) Before Carlisle, only Riley won division titles in his first three seasons. (2)

*

3 MINNESOTA

(53-24) Righting ship, Saunders goes 4-0 with old lineup as schedule gets lighter. (4)

*

4 SAN ANTONIO

(51-25) Real-time rehab: Duncan taking it easy, averaging 30 minutes since return. (5)

*

5 SACRAMENTO

(52-23) To see what Kings have left in them, tune in next Sunday vs. Lakers. (3)

*

6 MEMPHIS

(49-26) Top coach is hard call. Top exec is man who hired Hubie Brown: Jerry West. (6)

*

7 DETROIT

(49-27) As with Red Wings, octopus is tossed into game. Not received as well. (7)

*

8 DALLAS

(48-28) Nash on Lakers: “Obviously, it probably wouldn’t be our favorite team.” (8)

*

9 HOUSTON

(42-33) Shaq has to come ready now, but when he does, Yao’s a great young guy. (9)

*

10 NEW JERSEY

(44-31) With Kidd, Martin out, it won’t be easy cranking this back up. (10)

*

11 PORTLAND

(39-37) Cheeks beats odds again, but insiders say they’ll let him take 76er job. (12)

*

12 DENVER

(40-37) Anthony, averaging 25 since break, was bigger surprise than LeBron James. (15)

*

13 UTAH

(39-37) Is this end of Ostertag Era? Made Sloan crazy since ‘95, soon a free agent. (11)

*

14 MILWAUKEE

(38-38) The surprise isn’t Bucks fading, but that they were 34-30 in mid-March. (13)

*

15 MIAMI

(38-39) Heat 22-32 at break, now trying to reach soft underbelly of East draw. (17)

*

16 NEW ORLEANS

(38-38) Better reconfigure again: These guys are going west next season? (14)

*

17 SEATTLE

(34-42) Brent Barry on way out, will have many suitors, perhaps even Clippers. (16)

*

18 NEW YORK

(36-41) After Knicks say they want Nets in first round, Nets thump them by 25. (18)

*

19 BOSTON

(35-41) After Ainge says reaching playoffs can be costly in draft, Celtics go 12-5. (19)

*

20 GOLDEN STATE

(34-42) Free agent Dampier sprains ankle. In other words, see you next season. (20)

*

21 CLEVELAND

(32-44) An 11-2 run after getting McInnis, 1-8 swoon when he got hurt. (21)

*

22 PHILADELPHIA

(32-45) Iverson gets second opinion he wants on knee, calls it a season. (22)

*

23 TORONTO

(30-45) In surprise, Grunwald is axed. In what won’t be surprise, O’Neill’s next. (23)

*

24 PHOENIX

(26-51) Jacobsen raises three-point shooting to 41%. (25)

*

25 ATLANTA

(25-51) The Hawk way: The sale announced last summer became official last week. (27)

*

26 WASHINGTON

(23-53) Loss to Pistons reminds Wizards they had Hamilton and both Wallaces. (26)

*

27 CLIPPERS

(27-50) So much for pitch to free agents of just look how far we’ve come. (24)

*

28 CHICAGO

(22-55) Ex-Laker Pargo gets 34-14-12-25-20, is Bulls’ top scorer at 17.3 a game. (28)

*

29 ORLANDO

(19-58) McGrady calls teammates quitters, then bails to rest knee for Olympics. (29)