Top to Bottom : CAPSULES AND RANKINGS

Team (Record): 1. Chicago (44-6)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): 22-5 on the road, and Bulls just ended the Hawks’ 20-game home winning streak. (1).

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Team (Record): 2. Lakers (37-13)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Suggestion for Nick Van Exel: Don’t insult anyone else for a month or two. (2)

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Team (Record): 3. Miami (38-12)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Executive-of-year race coming down to former roommates Riley and West. (3)

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Team (Record): 4. Detroit (36-13)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): It’s like waiting for the stock market to fall off--it hasn’t happened yet. (4)

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Team (Record): 5. Utah (36-14)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Big spenders: Sloan, who averages 53 wins a season, gets a one-year extension. (5)

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Team (Record): 6. Seattle (34-15)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): After going 0-7 vs. top three in West, SuperSonics trounce Rockets by 20. (7)

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Team (Record): 7. Houston (33-18)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Barkley: “We’ve just got to stay healthy.” Tell Drexler when you see him in April. (6)

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Team (Record): 8. New York (36-14)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Just about to head west on a six-game trip including Seattle, Utah, Lakers. (8)

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Team (Record): 9. Atlanta (33-16)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Booby prize: No. 4 team would get Hawks in first round. Now it’s the Knicks. (9)

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Team (Record): 10. Charlotte (30-21)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Divac blocks 12! If he was that good in L.A., we’d really have loved him. (11)

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Team (Record): 11. Cleveland (27-22)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Cavaliers were up too high at 17-8 but could hang in at this level. (12)

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Team (Record): 12. Orlando (24-23)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): As Penny goes, so goes Magic. He bumps his knee, team lose three in a row. (10)

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Team (Record): 13. Portland (27-24)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Wallace returns, but the man Trail Blazers miss, Sabonis, is out another week. (13)

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Team (Record): 14. Minnesota (24-26)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Former Hoosier Dean Garrett gets 16-14 against Seikaly in win over Magic. (14)

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Team (Record): 15. Washington (23-27)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Bullet vets say they need someone tough, but Bickerstaff’s a players’ coach.(17)

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Team (Record): 16. Indiana (23-25)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Won’t be long now. Brown reported arguing with boss and old friend, Donnie Walsh. (15)

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Team (Record): 17. Milwaukee (24-26)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): In midst of seven games vs. losing teams. Time to start a push if Bucks have one. (16)

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Team (Record): 18. Clippers (20-27)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Sorry, Pooh. Right now Darrick Martin has just beaten you out. (19)

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Team (Record): 19. Sacramento (22-29)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): This doesn’t sound good: Mitch Richmond, 27% of offense, rooting for a trade. (18)

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Team (Record): 20. Phoenix (19-32)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Jason Kidd’s first 42 minutes as a Sun: 14 points, 18 assists, 9 rebounds. (20)

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Team (Record): 21. Golden State (19-29)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): After owner Cohan’s blast, Coach Adelman, GM Twardzik need good news fast. (23)

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Team (Record): 22. Toronto (17-32)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Oliver Miller’s back in town. Isiah has a weakness for problem children. (21)

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Team (Record): 23. Dallas (16-31)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Nelson gets the bad news in debut; starters score 38 in home loss to the Spurs. (24)

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Team (Record): 24. Denver (16-35)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Contract or no contract, if Motta returns after this, there is a Santa Claus. (22)

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Team (Record): 25. New Jersey (15-35)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Kendall Gill averaging 22 a game, runaway leader for comeback award. (25)

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Team (Record): 26. Philadelphia (12-37)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Cavaliers hit 76ers for 105. Johnny Davis drops below M.L. Carr in coaching race. (26)

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Team (Record): 27. Boston (11-38)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Carr plans no trades. He’s on track for Duncan, and he’s not blowing this one. (28)

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Team (Record): 28. Vancouver (11-43)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Big Country wakes from long winter’s nap, scores 62 in two-game win streak. (29)

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Team (Record): 29. San Antonio (13-37)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): More news from the crater: Elliott out for season. Lose at home to Grizzlies. (27)

GAME OF THE WEEK

SUPERSONICS AT LAKERS

* When--Today. Time--Noon. TV--Channel 4.

* Storyline--A funny thing happened on the way to this marquee matchup of Pacific leaders. Shaquille O’Neal got hurt and Shawn Kemp got suspended. It means more to the SuperSonics, who are 2-0 since Nate McMillan’s return and need to keep it going. Also, they want to ask Van Exel if he has a catalog of $100 gifts, should they beat the Lakers out.