The Times’ NBA rankings

LIVING AT THE FOUR SEASONS

1. MIAMI (27-7) Stop the Linsanity? The Heat at least put it on hiatus. (2)
2. CHICAGO (27-8) Second City may be playing second fiddle again in Eastern Conference. (1)
3. OKLAHOMA CITY (27-7) Kevin Durant only West All-Star starter who can laugh about L.A. traffic. (3)
4. SAN ANTONIO (24-10) Spurs’ recent victory streak goes to 11 before stars get a breather. (4)

PILING UP VICTORIES, MARRIOTT POINTS

5. CLIPPERS (20-11) Blake Griffin wants off Team Shaq after hearing DeMarcus Cousins slight. (5)
6. ORLANDO (22-13) Tax-free status, year-round sunshine may not be enough for Dwight Howard. (7)
7. INDIANA (21-12) Forget Orlando. Granger has right idea by heading to Turks and Caicos. (9)
8. PHILADELPHIA (20-14) Slide before break has fans wondering whether Philly’s best is good enough. (6)
9. LAKERS (20-14) Fractured team needs everyone from Jim Buss to bus boys on same page. (10)
10. DALLAS (21-13) Mavericks suddenly dreading potential playoff rematch against Lakers. (8)
11. HOUSTON (20-14) Chase Budinger doesn’t stir reminders of Clyde Drexler in dunk contest. (12)
12. ATLANTA (20-14) Whatizit? Hawks fans still unsure this up-and-down team is for real. (11)
13. MEMPHIS (19-15) FedExForum residents have delivered without Zach Randolph, going 18-12. (13)
14. PORTLAND (18-16) Fans will turn it into a new kind of Rip City if Trail Blazers don’t win more. (15)
15. DENVER (18-17) It’s not exactly a Sweet 16 as Nuggets go 4-12 with three starters injured. (14)

THE CARPET’S WET AND THE BATHROOM’S DIRTY

16. MINNESOTA (17-17) Irony alert: Timberwolves may make playoffs, Kevin Garnett may not. (19)
17. NEW YORK (17-18) Jeremy Lin couches uninspiring performance in Orlando as fatigue factor. (18)
18. BOSTON (15-17) When Celtics play outside TD Garden, they are the Antiques Roadshow. (16)
19. UTAH (15-17) Not much to get Jazzed about after team goes 6-13 before All-Star break. (17)
20. GOLDEN ST. (13-17) Victory over Clippers was one to remember in a season to forget. (21)
21. PHOENIX (14-20) Suns suddenly surrounded by optimism with spring training in town. (22)
22. MILWAUKEE (13-20) Stephen Jackson was supposed to solve problems, not compound them. (20)
23. CLEVELAND (13-18) Rising Stars Challenge? Looks as if Kyrie Irving is already here. (23)

MOTEL 6 WON’T EVEN LEAVE THE LIGHT ON FOR THEM

24. SACRAMENTO (11-22) UCLA getting almost as much out of Tyler Honeycutt as Kings are. (24)
25. TORONTO (10-23) Only intrigue left this season is whether Jose Calderon heads stateside. (26)
26. DETROIT (11-24) Michael Moore expose on Pistons to be called “Rodney & Me.” (25)
27. NEW JERSEY (10-25) Tabloids call Knicks’ debacle with Carmelo Anthony back “A Net loss.” (27)
28. NEW ORLEANS (8-25) Green Mardi Gras jerseys are a fitting tribute to an ugly season. (28)
29. WASHINGTON (7-26) John Wall experiences what it’s like to be surrounded by talent in Orlando. (29)
30. CHARLOTTE (4-28) Bobcats would need MLB’s all-inclusive policy to get an All-Star. (30)