THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

*--* No. Team (Rec) Comment (Last week) 1 LAKERS (19-5) ‘90s Bulls defended every game. These Lakers defend every playoff game. (1) 2 SACRAMENTO (18-6) No games out of state until Jan. 7 and Webber should be back by then. (3) 3 SAN ANTONIO (19-10) Horry says you can’t score in SBC Center because rims are bent upward. (4) 4 INDIANA (20-8) It’s good enough in the East, anyway: Since 14-2 start, Pacers are 6-6. (2) 5 MINNESOTA (17-9) Sam I Am On Fire: Cassell’s averaging 24 points, 8 assists this month. (8) 6 NEW ORLEANS (18-10) Oops: Hornets just lost to Clippers by 29, Nuggets by 22 and Kings by 11. (5) 7 DALLAS (15-11) Fun while it lasted: Mavericks were 27-14 on road last season, 3-9 now. (6) 8 HOUSTON (15-11) Yao Ming, asked about recent team meeting: “I don’t speak English.” (7) 9 DENVER (16-11) Running after taking air out of ball last season marks Bzdelik as comer. (10) 10 DETROIT (15-11) Imagine that: Elden Campbell loses starting job, falls out of rotation. (9) 11 MEMPHIS (15-11) Real or promise of things to come? Five of six on the road will tell. (14) 12 PORTLAND (12-12) Zach Randolph: Think of a 6-7 1/2, 265-pound Shaquille O’Neal. (11) 13 UTAH (14-12) On annual pre-holiday trip because Frank Layden wanted players out of house. (12) 14 TORONTO (14-12) Donyell Marshall making Little Ball work, averaging 9.8 rebounds there. (13) 15 NEW JERSEY (13-13) Kidd ripped Scott after blowout in Memphis. Guess what comes next. (16) 16 GOLDEN STATE (12-12) Latest they were over .500 in 10 years, but players moan about Musselman. (19) 17 PHILADELPHIA (13-13) Good news: 3-2 without Iverson. Bad news: He may be out awhile. (15) 18 CLIPPERS (11-12) Now looks like at least 13 West teams would make playoffs in the East. (21) 19 SEATTLE (12-13) Apparently: Starbucks boss Schultz says with Sonics “I can’t change squat.” (17) 20 BOSTON (13-14) Glum O’Brien doesn’t like deal Ainge just made. Guess who goes next. (18) 21 MILWAUKEE (13-14) Well, Gadzuric’s humblest Bruin center in NBA since Jack Haley, anyway. (20) 22 PHOENIX (10-17) They’re small enough with Stoudemire. They’re 2-6 since he was injured. (22) 23 MIAMI (9-17) Dwyane Wade may not only be good but special, averaging 20 this month. (23) 24 NEW YORK (10-18) Chaney, who supposedly was safe this season no matter what, shakier. (24) 25 CHICAGO (7-18) Next, sky may fall: Curry joins Pippen and Chandler on the injured list. (25) 26 CLEVELAND (8-19) With Davis gone, Silas now looking for new homes for Miles, Ilgauskas. (27) 27 WASHINGTON (8-17) Oops: Stackhouse won’t be back before mid-January. Arenas hurt again. (26) 28 ATLANTA (7-22) Again, I have to blame my teammates: Ratliff says he can use help on D. (28) 29 ORLANDO (6-21) Again, I have to blame my teammates: McGrady says that his are selfish. (29)

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