| RANK | TEAM | THE RUNDOWN | LAST |
| 1 | HEAT (52-14) |
I’m speechless. Actually, long-time LeBron defender that I am, I will gag if I hear one more thing about them. | 1 |
| 2 | SPURS (51-16) |
Remember when Pop got upset at schedule, sent half his team home and got fined $250,000? This week, the Spurs get a break with home games vs. Warriors and Jazz while Nos. 2-5 in West hack each other up. | 2 |
| 3 | NUGGETS (47-22) |
What are you tykes doing here? Now 36-10 – with 13 in row – since 11-12 start. In good/bad news, No. 1 option they’re not supposed to have is 37-year-old Andre Miller, who scored nine of their last 11 in win at OKC. | 5 |
| 4 | THUNDER (50-18) |
Crunch time for 2012 finalists who reconfigured themselves when they dealt Harden starts with home loss to Nuggets, who win season series, 3-1. Next: at Memphis tonight. | 3 |
| 5 | GRIZZLIES (45-21) |
Oops: Showdown they lost in Denver is followed by a game they need but don’t get in Utah … going into yet another showdown tonight at home vs. OKC. | 4 |
| 6 | CLIPPERS (46-22) |
Remember when they won 17 in a row and 24 of 27? That was a while back. Since then, the Clippers have gone 14-13 with a chance to become the West team that wins 50-plus and goes on road in first round. | 6 |
| 7 | PACERS (42-26) |
Hometown guy George Hill, fuming at Lakers fans in stands at Indy: “It sucks. It was 70-30 out there. These are the same people that want autographs.” Happily, fans won’t want as many autographs if Pacers keep winning a few, losing a few. | 7 |
| 8 | LAKERS (36-33) |
17-year Kobe Era flashes before their eyes as team says he’s “out indefinitely” before he returns in next game — briefly – as they surprise Pacers. With 18 wins in 25 games, talk turns to how well ball moves without Kobe – until Suns drill them by 23. | 8 |
| 9 | KNICKS (39-26) |
Went 1-4 on West trip with “starting lineup” of Felton, Shumpert, Kurt Thomas replacing Chandler, Kenyon Martin taking Melo’s place and Chris Copeland for James White, whoever he was. | 9 |
| 10 | NETS (39-28) |
Solid 17-14 on road including 7-3 in last 10 and head back out for seven in 15 days, starting with Tuesday’s win in Detroit. Visits to Dallas, Clippers, Phoenix, Portland, Denver, Utah and Cleveland looming. | 10 |
| 11 | WARRIORS (39-30) |
Over/under is 300: Ancient foe arises – even if it’s behind them this season – with Lakers, who just cut 5 1/2 games off Dubs’ 8 1/2-game bulge visiting Monday. | 11 |
| 12 | BULLS (36-30) |
No, He’s Still Not Back. With Bulls at home, if Rose doesn’t play Friday vs. Blazers or Saturday vs. Pacers in potential division decider, odds start doubling daily on returning this season. | 12 |
| 13 | HAWKS (37-30) |
Talk about the rock on which they’ve built their church: Big Al at career-best 17-10. Unfortunately, they’ve torn down building that sat on the rock, with Lou Williams, rookie John Jenkins only others signed for 2013-14. | 13 |
| 14 | ROCKETS (36-31) |
Not that streaks aren’t a big deal, but who coached and started five seasons ago when team that won 22 in row fell to Lakers in second round? Rick Adelman, Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, Ron Artest, Luis Scola and Rafer Alston. | 14 |
| 15 | CELTICS (36-30) |
Still them after all these years: Put KG, who was injured, out there with crazed unit that led Heat by 17 and you’ve got a Celtics team that – underdog or not – no one in his right mind will want to mess with in playoffs. | 15 |
| 16 | JAZZ (34-33) |
Forget the Lakers’ lead for final playoff spot. Jazz may be to embarrassed to continue after losing at home to Knicks’ makeshift lineup that had just been bombed by 29-23-15-13. | 16 |
| 17 | BUCKS (34-32) |
DeMarcus Jr.: Blocks leader Larry Sanders gets ejected in two in a row, is now up to four. How about he and DeMarcus Sr. meet in a steel cage death match? | 17 |
| 18 | MAVERICKS (32-35) |
Some of the most impressive coaching jos are ones in middle of pack nobody notices – like this one by always-underappreciated Rick Carlisle, whose teams exceed expectations year in, year out. | 18 |
| 19 | BLAZERS (31-36) |
Toast of fantasy leagues, playing five games this week. But Blazers have things to get done, like getting better pick, losing to 76ers and Bucks before heading for Chicago, Atlanta, OKC. | 19 |
| 20 | RAPTORS (26-41) |
Amir Johnson, who arrived at 18 without a lot of clues as No. 56 pick in 2005, seems to have just gotten it big time, going for 30-39 in last two. | 20 |
| 21 | SIXERS (26-40) |
What are they telling him? Spencer Hawes, averaging 12-9 since break, gets key to city from Mayor Michael Nutter — in a ceremony in convenience store. I swear, I’m not making this up. | 21 |
| 22 | WOLVES (23-42) |
Love hopes to play last 2-3 weeks, presumably to show he loves it on the tundra after constructive criticism of management some took as trying to get traded to Lakers for Pau Gasol. | 22 |
| 23 | WIZARDS (23-43) |
Nice scouting report: Since David Falk, perhaps feeling left out after halycon ‘90s with MJ, said Wall has “no feel for the game,” speedy point guard is averaging 15-4-8, shooting 44 percent. | 28 |
| 24 | KINGS (24-44) |
DeMarcus needed rest of season off for elbowing Dunleavy as GM Petrie noted, “There’s no defense for the indefensible.” Finding one — let’s not taint the franchise during bidding war? – NBA lets big juvie off. | 27 |
| 25 | SUNS (23-45) |
Remember Wes Johnson, 2010 No. 4 pick everyone loved, rarely seen since? Having the month of his NBA career, even if it’s just 11 ppg and winning starting job, even if it’s here. | 26 |
| 26 | CAVALIERS (22-45) |
Kyrie’s brilliant second season may be over: Shoulder injury to keep him out ‘til April, and why bring him back then? Rookie backcourt mate Dion Waiters may be joining him, too. | 23 |
| 27 | PISTONS (23-46) |
Pistons fans hoping rookie Drummond makes it back this season, because young or not, other guys aren’t exactly re-enacting Showtime. | 24 |
| 28 | HORNETS (22-46) |
It was hardly the rookie season people expected, but nobody’s down on top pick Anthony Davis, averaging 15-9 and shooting 52 percent since the break. | 25 |
| 29 | MAGIC (18-50) |
Thanks again, Sixers: With Vucevic becoming NBA center, rookie uber-athlete Harkless is averaging 13 ppg since break, shooting 51 percent and making occasional three. Both arrived in Dwight deal. | 29 |
| 30 | BOBCATS (15-52) |
Unbuilding program: 2011 No. 9 pick Kemba Walker is decent, 2011 No. 7 Bismack Biyombo is lost, 2012 No. 2 Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is jumper-challenged. Reclamation project Byron Mullens, 7-footer who posts up at arc, benched for journeyman McRoberts, who tries. | 30 |
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I’m in agreement that there is always the possibility of a loss, and it seems as if the Miami Heat, this HERALDED collection of geniuses and prodigies alike, play DOWN to the other team’s level, not up. We saw it against the Celtics (to a lesser degree), the Cavs (Almost a big embarrassment for Bron), etc., and while they may very well continue the streak into the playoffs, I think the end is near; they look to be tiring a bit. I’m here in Denver and also watching my Nugget’s impressive streak, but it looks like the Nuggets are IMPROVING their game in the process, not tiring out as the Heat seems to be. I watch most of the game son my iPad, usually after my shift at DISH ends, and it’s been really cool having a new app for my iPad that lets me take my TV and DVR with me on the go. DISH Anywhere gives me full access to my home TV setup, and since it’s like watching TV from home, I can also channel-surf between games to check the status of the respective streaks live.