THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

GAME OF THE WEEK

LAKERS at HOUSTON

*--* No Team (Rec) Comment (last week) 1 SACRAMENTO (34-13) Lakers may well get a lot better, but so may Kings, Timberwolves and Spurs. (1) 2 INDIANA (37-14) Anderson’s old and Tinsley can’t shoot, so Pacers still had better find a point guard. (2) 3 MINNESOTA (35-14) What if Hudson, Szczerbiak, Olowokandi, who played 23 games, return and help? (3) 4 SAN ANTONIO (34-18) Cowpokes back on road for three weeks as rodeo takes over the SBC Center. (4) 5 DETROIT (33-19) Thanks for coming: Brown says Milicic, No. 2 pick, won’t play this season. (5) 6 LAKERS (29-18) World’s greatest cut-ups show they’ve still got it, off the floor, anyway. (6) 7 DALLAS (32-18) Hmmm: Van Exel says he wants to go home to Texas, and Nash will be free agent. (7) 8 NEW JERSEY (28-20) Lame Duckville: Crowds in 12,000 to 13,000 range (announced) as Frank goes 6-0. (9) 9 HOUSTON (29-21) Francis suspension tip of iceberg as fun-loving kids meet dead-serious coach. (8) 10 DENVER (29-22) A little late for All-Star voters, but Anthony gets 26-39-24 in last three. (10) 11 MEMPHIS (28-21) Make that, we’re waiting to see whether Gasol is Garnett, Nowitzki or Radmanovic. (13) 12 NEW ORLEANS (27-24) Oops: Now that Mashburn’s back, Davis is hurt and Hornets just went 1-4. (11) 13 MILWAUKEE (27-23) Tim Thomas, No. 7 pick in 1997, has averaged 12 a game since Jan. 1. (12) 14 NEW YORK (24-27) Marbury, asked whether Knicks are nearer title than Suns: “It’s not even close.” (17) 15 SEATTLE (24-25) Antonio Daniels, who could always play but couldn’t shoot, has learned how. (14) 16 UTAH (25-26) Jazz gain could be somebody else’s loss: Ostertag will be free agent. (15) 17 PORTLAND (23-25) Randolph is definitely an All-Star if he’s not identified with Wild Bunch. (22) 18 TORONTO (23-25) Rare Moiso sighting: Jerome averages 10 rebounds over three with Bosh out. (16) 19 CLIPPERS (22-26) On second thought, might be better to be on road vs. East than home vs. West. (19) 20 MIAMI (21-30) Nice knowing you: Owner Arison says Pat Riley will do “what’s best for Pat.” (18) 21 GOLDEN STATE (21-27) Lost season: Troy Murphy has played only 11 games and may not play any more. (20) 22 CLEVELAND (19-32) Argh: Now they say Fratello, fired there, told friends not to vote for James. (24) 23 PHILADELPHIA (21-30) How to get rid of what’s left of your chemistry: Brown out, Robinson in. (21) 24 BOSTON (23-29) Oops: It wasn’t just O’Brien who was upset at Ainge and has since quit. (23) 25 PHOENIX (18-35) Always nice to find a star on the lot: Johnson averages 27-6-5 over five. (25) 26 WASHINGTON (16-33) Even admirers wonder as wired-a-tad-tight Arenas returns despite doc’s advice. (26) 27 ATLANTA (17-35) Not that they don’t try: In games they trail after one quarter, Hawks 2-20. (27) 28 CHICAGO (14-37) Eddy Curry scores 27-25-23-21 while GM John Paxson is out shopping him. (29) 29 ORLANDO (13-39) Leadership’s so important: COO Weisbrod says Johnny (12-29) Davis “gets it.” (28)

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When -- Wednesday. Time -- 6 p.m. PST. TV -- Ch. 9, ESPN.

Story line -- Everyone wants to know how the Lakers will play when (if?) Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant are together again. Who knows, it could happen here.