THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

RANKINGS, COMMENTS (WITH LAST WEEK’S RANK)

BIG EAST

1. BOSTON (64-16)

Life is sweet: Pressure’s off with home court locked up through playoffs. (1)

2. DETROIT (56-23)

Their life isn’t bad either: Second in NBA in wins as starters coast. (2)

BIG MESS, ER, WEST

3. LAKERS (55-25)

On one hand this looks like their team. On the other, it’s 20-5 with Pau. (6)

4. PHOENIX (53-27)

Still warm if not on fire. Days off between playoff games will help Shaq. (4)

5. NEW ORLEANS (55-25)

How tough are they? Down 30, cut it to one. Lucky Lakers weren’t just up 25. (3)

6. UTAH (53-27)

Gaining on it: Former roadkill wins in New Orleans, loses at wire in Dallas. (7)

7. SAN ANTONIO (54-25)

Manu, their best player all season, just averaged 8.3 as they scored 64-72-79. (5)

8. DALLAS (50-30)

Looking more like MVP than year ago, Dirk averages 24 in 4-1 run after return. (9)

9. HOUSTON (54-25)

Team everyone wants to play in first round goes 6-0, stomps ‘red-hot’ Suns. (12)

10. DENVER (48-32)

Really wild card: J.R. Smith scored 43 off bench, averaged 18 in 7-3 finish. (10)

11. GOLDEN STATE (48-32)

With Nuggets holding tiebreaker, most wins in 14 seasons may not be enough. (11)

12. ORLANDO (49-30)

Now to see if they can get past first round for first time since Shaq left. (8)

13. WASHINGTON (42-38)

11-6 with Butler back. Happy with way they are, won’t start Arenas in playoffs. (15)

14. CLEVELAND (43-36)

12-12 since trade and LeBron’s back hurts, probably from weight of franchise. (14)

15. PORTLAND (40-40)

I never promised you a Rose Garden: Retain permanent possession of Lakers there. (16)

16. PHILADELPHIA (40-40)

Been down so long, putting Cheeks up for coach of year for making playoffs. (13)

17. TORONTO (40-39)

Just lost 11 of 15. GM Bryan Colangelo: ‘Are we disappointed? Yes.’ (17)

18. SACRAMENTO (38-42)

Good vibrations: 5-2 as all don headbands to honor injured Brad Miller. (18)

19. ATLANTA (37-43)

How do you see their return to playoffs going: Boston in four? Three? (19)

20. INDIANA (35-45)

Problem all along has been, if they unload Tinsley, who’s their point guard? (21)

EVERYONE INTO THE TANK

21. NEW JERSEY (33-47)

Maybe it was too quiet: With Kidd and all his drama gone, went 10-18. (20)

22. CHICAGO (31-48)

Fittingly, formally eliminated from playoff ‘race’ in loss to . . . Miami. (22)

23. CHARLOTTE (31-49)

Richardson averaged 21 but day may come when they rue trading Brandan Wright. (23)

24. MILWAUKEE (26-54)

In good hire, landed Detroit boss Joe Dumars’ No. 2, John Hammond, as GM. (24)

25. NEW YORK (23-57)

Only they could set sights on Derrick Rose while going on late 3-0 run. (29)

26. CLIPPERS (23-57)

You think they’d mind Knicks going past and moving them up to fifth in draft? (26)

27. MINNESOTA (21-59)

Young backcourt coming with McCants, Foye making 40% of threes. (25)

28. MEMPHIS (22-58)

GM says first-year coach Iavaroni safe -- after talking owner out of firing him.(27)

29. SEATTLE (18-62)

Started tanking opening night as part of we’re-outa-here strategy. (28)

BLACK HOLE OF MIAMI

30. MIAMI (14-65)

Started tanking Thanksgiving as part of retro-expansion-team strategy. (30)