Inside the NBA: The Times’ rankings

1. SAN ANTONIO (51-11) Lakers’ hell week starts in Texas today. (1)

2. CHICAGO (42-18) Bulls get Heat check in Miami, which just had hell week. (2)

3. DALLAS (45-16) Lead Lakers 1-0 with two of season’s three there -- No. 2 is Saturday. (4)

4. BOSTON (45-15) Tad soon to beat swords into ploughshares: Perkins out, Krstic in. (5)

5. LAKERS (44-19) In good news, whatever happens, they can’t be eliminated this week. (6)

HEAT INDEX REVISITED

6. MIAMI (43-19) Lose today and Erik Spoelstra will be bigger than Charlie Sheen. (3)

OTHERS INCLUDE . . .

7. OKLAHOMA CITY (38-22) Oops: Without Krstic, Green, you only have to guard two starters. (8)

8. ORLANDO (40-23) After inspirational win in Miami, flattened by Bulls at home. (7)

9. DENVER (37-26) Anthony loses what’s left of MVP support: Nuggets 5-1 since trade. (13)

10. ATLANTA (37-25) Won in Hinrich’s debut at point, beating his old team, the Bulls. (9)

11. NEW ORLEANS (36-28) He’s back: After N.Y. debacle, Paul gets 25 as they win in Memphis. (10)

12. PORTLAND (34-27) Roy gets major points as a gamer but that’s not Brandon Roy. (12)

13. MEMPHIS (34-29) With Gay out, Sam Young, Tony Allen start in defensive lineup. (11)

14. PHILADELPHIA (31-30) Not Brand of old but this one averages 15-9 after two lost seasons. (15)

15. PHOENIX (32-28) So much for team option for ‘11-12: Carter at 14 a game, 41% there. (16)

16. HOUSTON (32-32) Lowry, who lacked only a shot, averages 2.5 threes last four weeks. (17)

17. NEW YORK (31-29) Loss to Cavaliers ends party for quote-Hip New York Fans-unquote. (14)

18. INDIANA (27-35) Southwest reality check: Just lost in OKC, Dallas, Houston. (19)

GLUB, GLUB, GLUB

19. UTAH (33-30) Ty Corbin gets two-year deal and second win in nine games! (18)

20. CLIPPERS (22-40) Baron loses what’s left of MVP support as they start 2-0 with Mo. (23)

21. GOLDEN STATE (27-34) Battled back from 15-23 to 26-29 for Smart, but 1-5 since. (21)

22. CHARLOTTE (26-35) Luckily MJ says he’s not out to just be No. 7-8, because he won’t be. (20)

23. MILWAUKEE (23-37) Bogut out. As Jerry West said of Lou Hudson, if he was a horse . . . (22)

24. NEW JERSEY (19-43) On bright side for Knicks, whom would they rather steal a star from? (25)

25. WASHINGTON (16-45) Game’s most overpriced at $118 mill, Lewis now part-time starter. (24)

26. SACRAMENTO (15-45) Why exactly didn’t Hornets play him? Thornton averaging 21 as King. (26)

27. MINNESOTA (15-49) Who IS this guy? Love just averaged 22-20 in last five. (27)

28. TORONTO (17-46) No good representing Commonwealth, either: 0-2 vs. Nets in London. (28)

29. CLEVELAND (12-49) Showed ‘em after all: Baron hits key three to beat Knicks in debut. (29)

NICHE OF THEIR OWN

30. DETROIT (22-41) Apparently Daye was innocent; apparently Rip, Ben, Tayshaun weren’t. (30)