THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

MARK HEISLER’S NBA RANKINGS WITH COMMENTS

Rk Team (Record) Comment (last week’s rank)

1 Lakers (11-1) Not that he needs $5,000, but you could have put tent over lane with Shaq’s shorts. (1)

2 San Antonio (9-3) Admiral’s rebound average last three seasons: 10, 9.6, 8.6. Now it’s 6.3. (2)

3 Sacramento (10-3) Amazing but true: Kings No. 7 in defense, and it’s not because they slow game down. (3)

4 Milwaukee (9-1) Bucks coming to play Lakers to start four-game swing, so we’ll see what they’ve got. (4)

5 New Jersey (9-4) All he makes are big ones: Kidd at 32%, sends two games into OT with three-pointers. (5)

6 Minnesota (10-2) Timberwolves coming to play the Lakers and Clippers, so we’ll see what they’ve got too. (6)

7 Philadelphia (7-5) This can’t actually work, can it? Coleman averaging 17-9 in return to NBA ball. (9)

8 Orlando (7-7) Outlaw trade was for cap room--gives Magic $5 million more for Duncan in ’03. (10)

9 Toronto (8-6) Alvin Williams averaged 14 in playoffs; now he’s at 9.9 while shooting 34%. (8)

10 Dallas (9-5) Cuban better stop worrying about Shaq, he has problems closer to home. (7)

11 Indiana (8-7) 27th pick Jamaal Tinsley happens: Try 76 points, 38 assists in three games. (15)

12 Houston (7-6) Fate of good little teams facing good big ones: fading after 5-1 start. (11)

13 Detroit (8-4) Playing tough on road, No. 2 on defense--this doesn’t look like a mirage. (13)

14 Phoenix (7-7) Two seasons after surgery, Gugliotta, making $10.1 million, averaging 8-6. (18)

15 Portland (7-7) With Pippen out, Stoudamire hiding on injured list, Trail Blazers had to start Erick Barkley. (16)

16 Utah (5-8) As Stockton showed Clippers, whatever the Jazz’s problem is, it isn’t him. (21)

17 Boston (5-6) Celtics felt better about themselves before two losses to Hawks and one to Wizards. (12)

18 Charlotte (6-7) Silas asks why the lethargy. A) Hornets draw 10,700 a game. B) It’s them. (14)

19 Clippers (5-8) One of best things Odom did was play in post, but now Brand is there. (17)

20 Seattle (6-8) Payton trade alert back on as team shows it’s only marginal contender. (20)

21 New York (6-8) Once-proud, now-bedraggled Knicks lose by 16 to the Clippers, 24 to the Suns. (22)

22 Denver (6-7) Not the ideal spot for Rider: Issel had Van Exel to worry about, plus his job. (23)

23 Golden State (6-7) Warriors won four of first six on road, but now they look like old selves again. (19)

24 Cleveland (2-10) Three years to free agency: What did Andre Miller do to deserve this? (27)

25 Atlanta (5-9) Oops: Hawks needed a point guard but dealt Tinsley, who got 29 in their first meeting. (25)

26 Miami (2-10) Open season on Riley: Everybody piles on as team goes down the chute. (24)

27 Washington (3-9) Human after all: Jordan puts up games of 30-44-31, shoots 53%. Wizards lose all. (26)

28 Chicago (1-11) Brand says game between his old Duke and Bull teams would be “tossup.” (28)

29 Memphis (1-11) One name to remember, anyway: 7-0 rookie Gasol in top 10 in shooting, blocks. (29)

GAME OF THE WEEK

MILWAUKEE AT LAKERS

When--Tuesday. Time--7:30. TV--Fox Sports Net.

Story line--This looked like last spring’s finals pairing until the Bucks lost to the gimpy 76ers. Milwaukee won both regular-season games against the Lakers and people (me) said they’d have a “shooter’s chance,” whatever that meant. See if they can make enough jumpers to cancel out Shaq’s 30-something.