THE TIMES’ RANKINGS
RANKINGS, COMMENTS (WITH LAST WEEK’S RANK)
BIG EAST
1. BOSTON (61-15)
So hot, Celtics just won by 23 at Charlotte with Big Three sitting out. (1)
2. DETROIT (54-21)
San Antonio of the East: This makes seven 50-win seasons in a row. (2)
BIG MESS, ER, WEST
3. NEW ORLEANS (53-22)
Still going: Hottest team in West on 9-1 run with its only loss in Boston. (3)
4. PHOENIX (51-25)
On 11-3 run with Stoudemire going wild, averaging 30 points, 9.8 rebounds. (5)
5. SAN ANTONIO (52-24)
Key Spur: Finley, who looked finished at 35, averaged 14 in 8-0 run. (4)
6. LAKERS (52-24)
Offense is a thing of beauty with Gasol. Unfortunately, defense is still awful. (8)
7. UTAH (51-26)
Lakers won season series. That’s huge if they have to play Jazz, 35-4 at home. (6)
8. ORLANDO (48-28)
Relentless uber-athlete Howard’s 14.5 rebound average highest in five years. (9)
9. DALLAS (47-29)
Won game it had to, beating Golden State in Dallas to take season series, 3-1. (11)
10. DENVER (46-30)
Controls tiebreaker with Golden State, leading series, 2-1, with better record in West.(10)
11. GOLDEN STATE (46-30)
1-6 start with Jackson suspended for 2006 gun incident may be what dooms them. (12)
12. HOUSTON (51-25)
Team everyone wants to play in first round: 5-5 since streak ended. (7)
13. CLEVELAND (42-35)
Magic just outscored Cavaliers, 54-31, in second half as they lost fifth of seven. (13)
14. WASHINGTON (40-37)
Gilbert, finally allowed back on floor, gets 17 in 20 minutes of first game. (14)
15. PHILADELPHIA (39-38)
Once a reluctant shooter, Igoudala averaging 21 in 76ers’ 21-8 run. (15)
16. PORTLAND (38-38)
With Lakers headed there, Roy, who strained groin, returning to go for 41 wins. (16)
17. TORONTO (38-39)
Missing piece: top ’06 pick who plays like one. Bargnani averaging 10 off bench. (17)
18. SACRAMENTO (36-40)
Theus keeps Kings playing it out with nothing to play for: Just went 4-0. (18)
19. ATLANTA (36-41)
Bibby trade finally paying off: Started 4-10 with him, 10-3 since. (19)
FOULED UP BEYOND ALL RECOGNITION
20. NEW JERSEY (32-45)
Running with Harris, averaged 103 in last nine. Unfortunately Nets lost six. (20)
21. INDIANA (32-44)
Good thought if a little late: Jermaine O’Neal vows to spend summer working on body. (21)
22. CHICAGO (30-46)
Won 49 last season. Miami, which won 44, may be only team taking bigger drop. (22)
23. CHARLOTTE (29-48)
With Jordan publicly cool, Vincent better get off to good start next season. (23)
24. MILWAUKEE (26-49)
Not a bust after all: Bogut, top pick in 2005, averaging 16-12 since break. (24)
25. MINNESOTA (19-56)
7-11 since 12-48 start. Must be because Garnett wasn’t there to tank this season. (25)
26. CLIPPERS (23-53)
Wavy Gravy’s bit of heaven in disaster area: Thornton scores 21-13-39-26-21. (26)
27. MEMPHIS (20-56)
Would they take local hero Rose -- with Conley, Crittenton, Lowry at point? (27)
28. SEATTLE (17-59)
Couldn’t someone around here use scrappy Earl Watson, who makes 37% of threes? (28)
29. NEW YORK (20-56)
Walsh, who hired Isiah Thomas once, is his boss again, however briefly. (29)
BLACK HOLE OF MIAMI
30. MIAMI (13-63)
Talk about pulling the plug: Wade, Haslem, Marion, Williams, Banks, Wright out. (30)
More to Read
Get our high school sports newsletter
Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.