| RANK | TEAM | THE RUNDOWN | LAST |
| 1 | CLIPPERS (27-8) |
Remember when Lakers sniffed, “What rivalry?” The Clippers could send half their starters to Tahiti and beat the Lakers, now 11 1/2 games back and trailing the season series, 2-0. | 2 |
| 2 | THUNDER (26-8) |
Thorny prodigy Westbrook, once nicest young man in UCLA program, shakes off questions about warmup after shooting 39 percent last month: “I’ve just been trying to take my time. That’s all.” | 1 |
| 3 | SPURS (27-10) |
Whether Pop wants them to or not, Spurs seem to be on rest break, losing two of three, including one by 17 to Knicks in MSG. | 4 |
| 4 | HEAT (23-10) |
Trying to play small and getting outrebounded by 2.3 a game, NBA’s No. 21 differential. Just got hammered by 20 and 19 on boards in losses to Bulls and Pacers. Next five on road. And LeBron just sat out practice to rest sore knee. | 3 |
| 5 | WARRIORS (22-11) |
Firepower’s almost like the old days, but defense isn’t: Now seventh – up from 22nd two seasons ago, when they outbid Lakers to add Mike Malone to Mark Jackson’s new staff. | 6 |
| 6 | GRIZZLIES (22-10) |
Things looking up – at least compared to last two weeks – by winning two in a row for first time since Dec. 21. Showing how much things have changed, big test is Wednesday at Golden State. | 5 |
| 7 | KNICKS (23-11) |
Still seeking their real level after 18-5 start. Beat Spurs in MSG to show they can still play with best, but home loss to Celtics with Melo melting down signals competitive Atlantic race. | 8 |
| 8 | PACERS (21-14) |
Wait ‘til you hear them now: LeBron said Pacers “have been talking a lot” before Heat goes to Indy, gets held to 77, outrebounded by 19, loses by 10. | 9 |
| 9 | NUGGETS (20-16) |
Take a bow, George Karl: After holding team together while playing 19 of first 29 on the road, they tear Clips apart in Denver, upset Lakes in LA, with 12 of next 14 at home. | 10 |
| 10 | BULLS (19-13) |
Boozer, whose signing to five-year, $80 million deal is part of local lore like 1968 Democratic Convention and Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicking over lantern, scores 27-31 in wins at Miami, Orlando. | 12 |
| 11 | ROCKETS (21-14) |
Toyota Center was Laker hell when they were good, as in 2010 second-round series when Rockets won three there without Yao. On Tuesday it was no contest as Rox win 10th of 12. | 11 |
| 12 | HAWKS (20-13) |
Uh-oh: Overachieving Hawks hold team meeting, which is what teams do when they don’t know what to do after losing two in a row, the second at home to Boston – before making it three in Minnesota. | 7 |
| 13 | NETS (20-15) |
Runaway leader for Interim Coach of the Year: Carlesimo now 5-1, with win over Thunder in OKC. Players used to think P.J. yelled too much, but after Avery, he may sound normal. | 17 |
| 14 | CELTICS (17-17) |
Someone forgot to to pound a stake in their heart, again: With Avery Bradley back, they beat Pacers, win in Atlanta and New York after losing previous four by 19-18-22-10 to Clips, Dubs, Kings, Griz. | 20 |
| 15 | BLAZERS (19-15) |
Who are these guys? Lillard + Hickson + last season’s 28-38 team – (Camby + Crawford + Felton) = No. 7 team in West, on 9-3 run, winning in New York and Memphis. | 14 |
| 16 | WOLVES (16-15) |
What’s Love got to do with it?: After missing start of season with fractured knuckle, ripping management, averaging sloppy 18-10 while shooting 35 percent, Kevin’s out again for at least six weeks. | 15 |
| 17 | JAZZ (18-18) |
Where have you gone, Paul Millsap? Once rock-solid, the upcoming free agent is down from 2010-11 average of 17 to 14 as more of his minutes go to Favors. | 18 |
| 18 | BUCKS (17-16) |
Farewell, Scott Skiles: One of the coaches who makes a difference, he took 26-56 Bucks to 46-36 in Year Two but this makes five, a long time for such a hard-driving guy. | 13 |
| 19 | LAKERS (15-19) |
How low can they go? Now 9-13 under D’Antoni, with their next two at Spurs, vs. Thunder with Dwight, Pau, Jordan Hill out. Answer: Lower than this. | 16 |
| 20 | SIXERS (15-21) |
Happily for them, they upset Griz in Memphis and Lakers in LA. Otherwise, they would have gone oh-fer on eight-game, 13-day trip that dropped them out of East’s last playoff slot. | 19 |
| 21 | MAVERICKS (13-22) |
Dirk says Mavs have two chances, slim and none: “I always liked to think you don’t want to build your franchise on hope. We hoped for Deron last year. We hoped for Dwight. Why would he leave the Lakers? … Why would CP3 leave?” | 21 |
| 22 | PISTONS (13-23) |
Just when they thought it was safe to look at the standings: Pistons had won six of seven with victories over Heat and Hawks when Bobcats came in and beat them. | 22 |
| 23 | KINGS (13-22) |
Why they put up with his BS: You don’t see many 6-11, 270-pounders cross over on dribble, turning defender into statue like Cousins, averaging 21-15 in 4-2 run since latest suspension. | 25 |
| 24 | RAPTORS (12-22) |
Lakers, here I come? Averaging 4.3 rebounds, a little light for a 6-11 guy, shooting 39.8 percent, a little light for an NBA starter, making $11 million per year, with team 8-4 since he was hurt, Bargnani’s so out of there. | 23 |
| 25 | MAGIC (12-22) |
Silver lining in nine-game losing streak: Afflalo, overshadowed at UCLA by Westbrook and Darren Collison, takes it to new level, averaging 20 since Dec. 1. | 24 |
| 26 | SUNS (12-24) |
Might be a good idea to bring in some guys and rebuild one of these days: Arizona Republic notes Suns on pace for 27-55 finish, second worst in 44-year franchise history behind 16-66 expansion team in 1968-69. | 26 |
| 27 | HORNETS (9-25) |
With Gordon back, Davis healthy after 7-25 start, once-promising young team emerges with wins at Dallas, at home vs. Spurs. Better late than never. | 28 |
| 28 | CAVALIERS (8-28) |
It’s not good when Dion Waiters, the rookie you took at No. 4, shoots 38 percent, then says he’s “not thrilled” when you try bringing him off the bench. | 27 |
| 29 | WIZARDS (5-28) |
Shocker: Good news. Wall expected back next week. Bradley Beal, the No. 3 pick everyone loved, starts to show why, averaging 18 over five, hitting game-winner as they stun OKC. | 30 |
| 30 | BOBCATS (9-24) |
Two straight weeks with a win after five without one. That might be a bit tougher this week, with three of five on the road and two back-to-backs. | 29 |
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I keep OKC at number one, but thats just me as i dont believe in the clips yet. A bad stretch is coming. And boy, Nuggets are too low. They just beat up golden state, and have been playing exceptionally well of late. Id drop the Knicks several slots, and miami a couple places, too. Raise Denver and Brooklyn, and leave Indiana where they are. Honestly the east is so much weaker. I cant see anyone other than miami, indiana or brooklyn contending. Knicks age is catching up with them. In the west, its SA, OKC, Denver, clips and memphis in no particular oder and all of them would be #1 in the east.