| RANK | TEAM | THE RUNDOWN | LAST |
| 1 | SPURS (47-14) |
They’ve been so great while resting Big Three and anyone with a boo-boo, people barely raise an eyebrow as Parker taps out for a month with ankle injury. But any dropoff could cost them No. 1 overall seed and home court if they meet Miami in Finals. | 1 |
| 2 | HEAT (44-14) |
Great as they’ve looked in 15-game winning streak, media – which either beats them up or genuflects itself before them – needs to chill. Championships aren’t won in mid-season. | 2 |
| 3 | THUNDER (44-16) |
Things aren’t going THAT bad: Thunder climbs to No. 2 in the West, beating Clippers in Staples, clinching season series they now lead, 3-0. And Westbrook’s keeping his cool. | 4 |
| 4 | CLIPPERS (43-19) |
Unfortunately, Ibaka’s shot to his cojones is all but way of life for Griffin, who’s mauled by opposing power forwards who can’t match his quickness and hate it when he dunks on their heads. | 3 |
| 5 | GRIZZLIES (39-19) |
With Zach’s back, ankle injuries, should be Ed Davis’ time. Whether coach Hollins is showing front office what he thinks of Toronto trade, Davis averaged 10 minutes in first month before going for 10-10 in win over Orlando. | 5 |
| 6 | NUGGETS (40-22) |
On six-game winning streak, winner of 29 of 39 since 11-12 start, within 1 1/2 games of No. 4 Memphis. If they overhaul Grizzlies, Nuggets – 26-3 at altitude – would have home court in first round. | 7 |
| 7 | PACERS (38-22) |
Granger’s return wasn’t all they hoped for with his right knee still sore, so his minutes (19-19-19-10-8) drop instead of increase. | 6 |
| 8 | KNICKS (36-21) |
Huh? Started 18-5 with improbable Felton-Kidd-Brewer three-guard lineup. Just went 4-1 starting Felton with Shumpert (shooting 29.7 percent), Kidd (38.7 percent) and/or James White (3.1 ppg as starter). | 9 |
| 9 | WARRIORS (34-27) |
Maybe he should have been All-Star, after all: In one of greatest shooting performance ever, Curry gets 54 at MSG, going 11-13 on threes. Last five games: 38-54-25-30-26. | 11 |
| 10 | BULLS (34-26) |
Who, us distracted? In good news, Noah, pushing through plantar fasciatis, averages 19.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 5.3 blocks this week. | 12 |
| 11 | NETS (34-26) |
So much for the honeymoon: Nets, who started 12-2 under P.J., are 8-10 since. J.J. notes it’s not up to him and D-Will: “We can’t put it on one or two guys. If you put us out there by ourselves, you think we’ll win?” | 8 |
| 12 | ROCKETS (33-28) |
Nets’ Carlesimo, 0-2 against Rox, gushes, “Their offense is just beautifully conceived. They have a one [Jeremy Lin], two [James Harden] and three [Chandler Parsons] that can all bring it up. They can all run pick-and-roll … [shoot] from deep. We defended them a lot better than we did in Houston and they still got 106 points.” | 14 |
| 13 | HAWKS (33-26) |
Overachievers start six-game trip with wins at Milwaukee, Detroit, Utah, followed by losses at Phoenix, Lakers, Denver. | 10 |
| 14 | CELTICS (32-27) |
Good luck: Celtics hearts go pitty-pat as Jeff Green, who’s supposed to be team’s future, scores 31 in win at Phoenix. Then he racks up 11-6 in next two. | 16 |
| 15 | BUCKS (30-28) |
Forget coming, he’s here: Second-year power forward-turned-center Larry Sanders, the Serge Ibaka of Wisconsin, leads NBA at 3.2 blocks, averaging 12-12 over last 10. | 17 |
| 16 | JAZZ (32-28) |
Hearing footsteps? They look like there’s a herd of stampeding buffalo behind them. Just went 1-4, with lone win over Bobcats at home. Four of next five on road in Cleveland, New York, Chicago, OKC. | 13 |
| 17 | LAKERS (30-31) |
Kobe’s layup with :09 left caps 12th win in 17 games, pulls them to .500 for first time in 2013 … before they have to go to OKC, lose by 17 and drop back under sea level. | 15 |
| 18 | BLAZERS (28-31) |
Five starters they got, but zero depth. If Eric Maynor, liberated from OKC which has promising Reggie Jackson as backup, returns to player he was, GM Olshey will have another piece of puzzle. | 19 |
| 19 | MAVERICKS (26-33) |
Reincarnation? Vince Carter has reinvented himself as a savvy veteran reserve, having surprising if unnoticed season at 36, averaging 13-4-2 in 25 minutes. | 18 |
| 20 | RAPTORS (23-38) |
Wait ‘til next year, again: After winning seven of Gay’s first 10 to pull within 4 1/2 games of eighth-seeded Milwaukee, Raptors lose five in a row. | 20 |
| 21 | SUNS (21-39) |
Twin Towers, just shorter: Identical twins Markieff, Marcus Morris become 6-9 dynamos off bench, throwing jolt of energy through moribund franchise in wins over Wolves, Hawks and Spurs. | 27 |
| 22 | SIXERS (23-36) |
Making it an Official Debacle after trading promising Vucevic, Harkness for him, Bynum says knee hurts and comeback is off. With contract expiring, that should conclude his Sixers “career.” | 21 |
| 23 | PISTONS (23-39) |
Meet David Falk: A year before Greg Monroe will be free, his agent says he can get max deal “from five teams.” In other words, give it to him now or get earplugs for next year. | 24 |
| 24 | CAVALIERS (20-40) |
Varejao, out for season, was expected to be shopped. But with their young players developing, all they need is a center to contend for playoffs. Why not him? | 22 |
| 25 | WOLVES (20-37) |
Who says Ricky Rubio can’t finish, is always lookibg to pass, etc.? More must-see TV of growing fave, greasing Kobe – twice. | 23 |
| 26 | HORNETS (21-40) |
Didn’t they used to be everyone’s team of the future? With AD struggling through injuries and Eric Gordon getting attitude rep, future down to “bright” from “can’t miss.” | 25 |
| 27 | KINGS (21-41) |
Find player on awful team in a lost season who’s still competing and you have a competitor: Marcus Thornton averaged 11, shot 40 percent before break but 19 and 54 percent since. | 28 |
| 28 | WIZARDS (19-39) |
Meet David Falk, Part II: Agent who lives in area, hates Wizards, telling Washington Post, “Before Wall becomes Nene, I would trade him.” I don’t know what that means, except that Falk doesn’t rep Wall or Nene. | 26 |
| 29 | MAGIC (17-44) |
Bulls.com’s Sam Smith on Hedo Turkoglu’s suspension for performance-enhancing drugs: “Good news for the NBA … If he’s using them, they don’t work.” | 29 |
| 30 | BOBCATS (13-47) |
Just lost by 22-30-36-17 in roadies at Clips, Jazz, Kings and Blazers. Charlotte Observer notes it’s third straight winless West Coast trip. Think anybody would object if they mailed in losses and teams refunded price of tickets? | 30 |
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