| RANK | TEAM | THE RUNDOWN | LAST |
| 1 | SPURS (36-11) |
Team Ghost: Latest of Pop’s guys to sit out is… Pop? He’s home sick as winning streak reaches eight – with their coach out for three, Timmy out for three, Manu for five. | 3 |
| 2 | THUNDER (34-11) |
Kevin Martin says he’d take cut in $12.4 million salary to stay, which is why they traded Harden, whom they miss when Westbrook’s cold, as in their last five when he shoots 34.7% as they go 2-3. | 2 |
| 3 | HEAT (28-13) |
The way I hear it, Riles relaxed their dress code after acquiring Birdman to shore up their rebounding, so he only has to keep his Mohawk neatly trimmed. | 4 |
| 4 | CLIPPERS (33-13) |
Reality check: After going 3-0 without CP3, lost next four. Injury now “bone bruise,” not just bruise, with no timetable for return. In other words, they’ll be as careful as Bulls are with Rose. | 1 |
| 5 | GRIZZLIES (29-15) |
Oops: Griz hoped getting below tax threshold would end trade talk, which Z-Bo says was “definitely” a problem. Unfortunately, talk about dealing Gay persists, as does their fade since 18-6 start. | 6 |
| 6 | WARRIORS (28-17) |
Curry get All-Star snub despite averaging 21-4-7, then goes out with another sprained ankle. Happily for them, they have Jarrett Jack, game’s best backup point, who has 26-12 in win at Cleveland. And Bogut’s back! | 8 |
| 7 | KNICKS (27-15) |
SSRLC (Still Seeking Real Level Cont.): 9-10 since 18-5 start with Melo shooting 42% this month. On the other hand, Felton returns, and win at Boston shows they’re tougher than they were in recent Charmin Era. | 11 |
| 8 | NUGGETS (28-18) |
How high can Nugz go? They’re 17-6 since 11-12 start. I guess this is where we note teams above – and several below – have No. 1 options like KD, CP3, Tony, Steph, Z-Bo, Jefferson, Harden, Lillard, Kobe…. | 7 |
| 9 | NETS (27-18) |
DWill, a great shooter in Utah but barely at 40% as a Net, makes 28-49 over last four. If he goes back to being DWill, they’re the big team in town, not just the borough. | 10 |
| 10 | BULLS (27-17) |
Deng, No. 1 in the NBA in minutes, returns after missing five games with hamstring pull. The players whom Tibs hasn’t worn down yet win three times led by Noah, who’s No. 6 in minutes. | 9 |
| 11 | PACERS (26-19) |
He’s alive! Hibbert, averaging single figures and – in a feat thought impossible for 7-foot NBA starter – shooting 39%, bumps it up to 11, 48% this month! | 5 |
| 12 | HAWKS (25-19) |
Remember the Highlight Factory? Now they’re the Smurf Factory with Devis Harris startig in three-guard lineup with Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver, as Hawks win their first three without Lou Williams. | 12 |
| 13 | BUCKS (24-19) |
Crowded race for Interim Coach of the Year: Jim Boylan’s now 8-3 to PJ Carlesimo’s 13-4, as Bucks average 104 under him after averaging 96 for Skiles. | 14 |
| 14 | ROCKETS (25-22) |
Curry, averaging 21-4-7 for Warriors who lead Rox by four games, got robbed. But it’s hard to call Harden, averaging 26-5-6 for team in playoff slot, “undeserving.” | 15 |
| 15 | JAZZ (24-21) |
Still one of the league’s underrated personnel operations. Imagine if they could have kept DWill, Boozer, AK-47, Wes Matthews, Koufos to go with Jefferson, Millsap, Hayward? | 13 |
| 16 | BLAZERS (23-22) |
Note to Suns: This is how you rebuild: Highest-scoring starting unit at 81 a game to OKC’s 77 with Aldridge-Matthews-Hickson-Batum-Lillard at age 27-26-24-24-22. | 17 |
| 17 | LAKERS (20-25) |
Who had Kobe playing point with Nash off the ball as their answer? If I did, I wouldn’t have written “Lakers RIP” last week. After losing 11 of 14, just went 3-0 as Kobe scores 49 points on 34 – with 39 assists. | 20 |
| 18 | CELTICS (21-23) |
The Hard Truth: At 35, Pierce, averaging 19 but shooting 42%, a nine-year low, beaten out for All-Star Game by Deng after playing in five in a row—and no one even says it’s controversial. | 16 |
| 19 | MAVERICKS (19-26) |
Last week’s starting centers: Kaman, who suffered a concussion, followed by Brand, followed by rookie Bernard James as Carlisle looks for something – anything – that will work while losing 16 of 24. | 18 |
| 20 | HORNETS (15-30) |
Figuring out his role – and it’s not shooting threes despite starting 20-37 as a Clipper rookie – Al-Farouq Aminu, a force on boards for small forward, averaging 9-10 this month, shooting 51%. | 21 |
| 21 | WOLVES (17-24) |
Rubio shooting 25.7% (twenty-five-point-seven percent). I’m guessing that’s right up, er, down there with any starting guard in shot clock era. | 19 |
| 22 | SIXERS (18-26) |
Jrue, latter-day Mo Cheeks averaging 21 this month, shooting 48%, becomes All-Star. Sixers got him at No. 17 in 2009 after five PGs went before him, including Tyreke, Rubio, Flynn. | 25 |
| 23 | PISTONS (17-28) |
Drummond is stat geeks’ fave with high efficiency ratings. But whatever he does to keep Frank yo-yoing him, he just did it again, averaging 13-9 over three, 5-6 in next three, then going for 18-18. | 22 |
| 24 | RAPTORS (16-29) |
Now 1-7 since end of improbable 10-3 run and trying to decide whom to move – Lowry, who has friendly contract with only $1 million guaranteed in 2013-14, or Calderon, before he leaves as free agent. | 24 |
| 25 | CAVALIERS (13-33) |
It’s not easy to become an All-Star in your second season, while missing 11 of 43. But Kyrie deserved it, averaging 26-3-6 this month and looking like best young guy since KD. | 29 |
| 26 | WIZARDS (11-32) |
If this keeps up, he’ll be an MVP candidate: Wiz now 6-4 with Wall after going 5-28 – and losing 13 of their last 14 – before his debut in their 33rd game. OK, maybe their team MVP. | 23 |
| 27 | KINGS (17-29) |
You’ve heard of players whose scoring averages goes up every season? Tyreke’s has gone 20-18-17-15. Did you see this item about Phil Jackson? | 26 |
| 28 | MAGIC (14-30) |
On the bright side: Redick gets 26-14-31 as starter and Davis back for last eight. Unfortunately, the team, once 12-13, has lost 17 of 19. | 27 |
| 29 | SUNS (15-30) |
Interim Lindsey Hunter isn’t playing the kids, either – what there are of them: Starters are still Scola (32), Gortat (28), Dudley (27), Tucker (27) and Dragic (26). | 28 |
| 30 | BOBCATS (11-33) |
One of your longer-running rebuilding programs: Kidd-Gilchrist, chosen at No. 2 over Lillard and Beal, averaged 11-6 through Jan. 1 but dropped to 7.5 and 41% this month. | 30 |
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