NBA TOP TO BOTTOM

Team (record) Comment (last week’s position)

1. Lakers (22-5) They’re 5-1 against next five in West and played four of them on road. (1)

2. Portland (20-7) Not a great December: Trail Blazers are 7-4 after going 13-3 in November. (3)

3. San Antonio (19-9) Even worse December: Spurs are 6-6 after going 13-3 in November. (2)

4. Miami (17-8) They miss Timmy: Heat averaged 106 with Hardaway, 92 since he left. (4)

5. Indiana (16-9) Unsung warrior: Dale Davis averages 12 points, 10 rebounds, 1.5 blocks. (6)

6. New York (17-10) Van Gundy finally breaks down, starts Sprewell, Houston together at guard. (9)

7. Phoenix (17-9) Kidd gets three triple-doubles in week, misses a fourth by two rebounds. (7)

8. Utah (16-10) That wasn’t a trip, that was a life. Jazz loses last three on 10-day swing. (5)

9. Seattle (18-9) Someone better hold Payton: Of nine losses, six were by 16 or more. (8)

10. Charlotte (16-9) Rumors around about Lakers, but Eddie Jones vows he wants to stay with Bugs. (10)

11. Milwaukee (15-12) A big man away from being good. Of course, so are about six teams. (13)

12. Orlando (15-11) Anonymous Magic now No. 5 in East. I see it, I just don’t believe it. (19)

13. Sacramento (14-10) Help! Webber led Kings in scoring in 21 of 22 before getting hurt. (11)

14. Toronto (14-12) Raptors not quite ready for prime time and Oakley, Willis are getting older. (12)

15. Philadelphia (14-14) From here on, 76ers are going to need United Nations peacekeeping team. (14)

16. Denver (13-12) New sharpshooter in town: Raef LaFrentz knocking down 44% from the arc. (18)

17. Minnesota (11-13) Timberwolves win four in row as Peeler, in a funk about contract, goes to bench. (21)

18. Detroit (12-14) Now or never: 11 of Pistons’ next 15 games are against losing teams. (16)

19. Atlanta (11-15) Trouble is when Isaiah Rider is the best thing you’ve got going. (15)

20. Cleveland (11-15) Cavaliers win 64% when Kemp gets 20. Unfortunately, he hasn’t done it for five games. (17)

21. Boston (11-14) Don’t look now, but Celtics are No. 11 in East and 8-14 after 3-0 start. (20)

22. New Jersey (9-18) Nets will be funnier, anyway: Jayson Williams to start practicing soon. (22)

23. Houston (9-18) Francis, who was supposed to take over, averaging 14 since Barkley left. (24)

24. Washington (9-18) $5 million-a-year Ike Austin benched in favor of $385,000 Jahidi White. (23)

25. Dallas (9-18) Finley leads NBA at 42 minutes a game, No. 10 in scoring, 19 in steals. (25)

26. Clippers (8-18) Nice thing about losing everyone is Lamar Odom gets to take over show. (26)

27. Vancouver (6-19) Best way to use Big Country on defense: Lay him down in lane, hope someone trips. (28)

28. Golden State (6-20) Carlesimo survives another week, but better not count on seeing him in 2000. (27)

29. Chicago (2-21) Not only haven’t the Bulls scored 100 points, they’ve only reached 95 four times. (29)

GAME OF THE WEEK

MIAMI AT ORLANDO

* When--Wednesday. * Time--5 p.m. * TV--TBS

* Story line--Let’s just say it’s a slow week. The Heat, the class of the East, such as it is, is hoping to get Tim Hardaway and Jamal Mashburn back. The Magic is a major surprise, still contending under first-year Coach Doc Rivers, after trading four of last season’s starters.