THE TIMES’ RANKINGS: Top to Bottom

Team (Record): 1. Chicago (64-10)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Limping, slumping--MJ has shot 50% in two of last 11 games. (1)

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Team (Record): 2. Utah (56-17)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Starting Mailman-MVP Internet campaign. Maybe dweebs haven’t heard of Jordan. (2)

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Team (Record): 3. Miami (56-18)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Riley goes to whip: Mourning averaging 38 minutes since return. (3)

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Team (Record): 4. New York (53-22)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Nightmare scenarios loom: meeting Riley in second round--or Michael. (5)

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Team (Record): 5. Atlanta (51-24)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Top-exec candidate: GM Babcock, rebuilt on the fly, amid gloomy surroundings. (6)

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Team (Record): 6. Houston (50-24)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Barkley joins Hakeem, Clyde in lineup for the first time since Jan. 26. (7)

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Team (Record): 7. Seattle (52-23)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): It’s panic time as Kemp, averaging 21 at break, 15 since, misses flight, practice. (4)

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Team (Record): 8. Lakers (50-24)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): They went 3-7 in first 10 games without Shaq and Horry, but are 10-4 since. (12)

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Team (Record): 9. Portland (44-32)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Trail Blazers 13-2 in March after going 11-3 last March. (8)

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Team (Record): 10. Detroit (51-23)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank):First 50-win season since 1991 when they had Daly, Isiah, Laimbeer, Rodman. (10)

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Team (Record): 11. Charlotte (48-26)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Injuries piling up: Tony Smith, Dell Curry join Mason on the bench. (9)

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Team (Record): 12. Orlando (41-33)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Four losses in row end Adubato honeymoon. When’s the next players’ meeting? (11)

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Team (Record): 13. Washington (38-36)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Fab Two combine for 39 points, 19 boards a game in March as Bullets surge. (15)

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Team (Record): 14. Cleveland (38-36)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): As Stoudamire said, they had one scorer, then Terrell Brandon got hurt. (13)

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Team (Record): 15. Minnesota (37-37)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Oops: Set for Lakers, SuperSonics or Rockets in playoffs. T-Wolves are 1-11 vs. trio. (14)

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Team (Record): 16. Phoenix (36-39)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Three-guard lineup blistering foes--while three-pointers drop. (17)

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Team (Record): 17. Indiana (36-38)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): About to become second Larry Brown team to miss playoffs in 17 pro seasons. (16)

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Team (Record): 18. Clippers (33-41)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): This was week that was. Road to nowhere is leading instead to playoffs. (18)

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Team (Record): 19. Sacramento (29-45)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Even in West, losing 13 of 14 down stretch won’t cut it. (19)

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Team (Record): 20. Toronto (27-48)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Marcus, no longer “Cotton,” Camby, aver- ages 21 points, 10 rebounds in March. (20)

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Team (Record): 21. Milwaukee (29-45)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Andrew Lang back first time since break. The Bucks went 8-17 without him. (21)

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Team (Record): 22. Golden State (28-46)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): After loss to T-Wolves, nice guy Adelman reminds Warriors they’re being paid. (22)

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Team (Record): 23. Philadelphia (21-53)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Three-game winning streak may be too late to save Davis, after 18-50 start. (26)

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Team (Record): 24. New Jersey (23-50)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Jim Jackson, looking like himself after long absence, gets 90 in three games. (24)

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Team (Record): 25. Dallas (22-52)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Nobody told Nelly it would be easy. Mavericks go 3-14 in March, average 84 points. (23)

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Team (Record): 26. Denver (20-54)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Oh, oh: McDyess has rubber band on wrist to protest Bristow’s trading Jackson. (25)

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Team (Record): 27. San Antonio (19-55)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Wilkins, omitted from NBA’s top 50, moves into seventh on all-time scoring list. (27)

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Team (Record): 28. Boston (13-62)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Leprechaun ordering doubles as Celtics post their first 60-loss season. (28)

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Team (Record): 29. Vancouver (12-64)

Comment (Last Week’s Rank): Canadians must be amiable people: One of worst teams ever averaging 16,465. (29)

GAME OF THE WEEK

CHICAGO AT NEW YORK

When: Thursday. Time: 4:30 p.m. TV: none Story line--The Knicks reached their zenith, beating Chicago in their last meeting in Madison Square Garden, putting them 1 1/2 games up on the Heat, but got giddy, a rare lapse for a hard-working team. Bull Coach Phil Jackson has been resting his aging players, but there will be no holding Michael Jordan back in this one.