How they rank

RANKINGS, COMMENTS THROUGH SATURDAY

*--* FOUR ACES 1. LAKERS (37-9) Lakerdom holding its breath, waiting for the word on Andrew. (1) 2. BOSTON (39-9) Remember Christmas when Lakers started them on 2-7 nose dive? So do they. (2) 3. CLEVELAND (36-9) Oops: After complaining Magic got three all-stars, Magic wallops them. (3) 4. ORLANDO (35-10) Booby prize: Boston-Cleveland loser looking at them in second round. (4) 11 JACKS 5. SAN ANTONIO (32-14) Just won in Utah, Phoenix in 2-1 warmup on road before eight-game Rodeo Trip.(5) 6. DENVER (31-16) Carmelo gets 19 in win over Bobcats after Nuggets go 6-4 without him. (6) 7. PORTLAND (29-17) Getting it, however incrementally: Oden averages 16-11 over five. (12) 8. HOUSTON (29-19) Big Three reunite -- for a game. Tracy now out, Artest says he may shut it down.(8) 9. NEW ORLEANS (28-16) West just got back, Chandler still out and they weren’t deep enough before. (7) 10. DALLAS (27-19) Lucky him: Cuban says he’s keeping Dirk, as Celtics kept Pierce. (10) 11. UTAH (26-22) May not be their year: First lost Deron Williams, then Boozer, now Kirlenko. (9) 12. MIAMI (25-21) In running for Brad Miller, who’d be major upgrade over Jamaal Magloire. (14) 13. ATLANTA (27-20) Moping around in 5-9 swoon, waiting for brass to take hint about Woodson. (11) 14. PHOENIX (25-20) Lost seven of 10. If this keeps up, they’ll shop Nash, Amare and O’Neal. (16) 15. PHILADELPHIA (23-23) Brand averages 8-5, 2.6 blocks in new defensive role as they go 3-2. (15) 11 FIVES 16. DETROIT (25-20) Three-guard lineup doesn’t work. Nor does going big with Brown or Johnson. (13) 17. NEW YORK (21-25) If these nobodies win 35, D’Antoni should be coach-of-year candidate. (21) 18. MILWAUKEE (24-27) Good news: Villanueva en fuego. Bad news: Redd lost for season. (18) 19. INDIANA (19-29) Dunleavy may buy Jim O’Brien another season: Pacers 6-4 with Mike Jr. (22) 20. MINNESOTA (16-29) 12-4 run (after 4-23 start) ends in home losses to Pistons, Lakers. (20) 21. CHARLOTTE (19-28) If they make the playoffs, Lakers just hope they don’t reach the Finals. (17) 22. NEW JERSEY (21-27) Back to rebuilding after 2-9 slide. Now will they shop Vinsanity? (19) 23. CHICAGO (21-27) Del Negro looking one and done: owner Reinsdorf calls season ‘disaster.’ (24) 24. TORONTO (19-29) Trying to move O’Neal but it took Pacers years to find a sucker: them. (23) 25. GOLDEN STATE (15-33) Dangerous again -- well, some nights. With everyone back, won in New Orleans. (25) 26. OKLAHOMA CITY (11-36) Durant, finally at forward, averaging 27 points, 8.9 rebounds this month. (27) FOUR JOKERS 27. MEMPHIS (11-35) What now? Now 0-12, seven with Iavaroni, two with Davis, three with Hollins. (29) 28. SACRAMENTO (10-38) Salmons, who could help someone, also on trading block with Miller. (28) 29. WASHINGTON (10-37) Blatche third Wizards center to require surgery after Haywood, Thomas. (30) 30. CLIPPERS (10-37) Finally have enough players. Now some sign of life would be nice. (26) *--*