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Team (Record): Comment (Last week’s rank)

1. Chicago (44-16): Clear sailing: Bulls have only three games left with top 10 on this list. (1)

2. Seattle (45-15): Baker announces Sonics had better keep Karl if they want to keep him. (2)

3. Utah (43-16): Not that he’s important: Jazz was 11-7 when Stock returned, 31-9 since. (3)

4. Miami (43-19): After Askins lays out Van Horn, critics note Miami backward spells I-maim. (5)

5. Lakers (41-18): Now we know who’s going to take fall. All that’s left is fall, itself. (4)

6. Phoenix (39-21): Post-surgery KJ is becoming the No. 4 guard in a three-man rotation. (6)

7. Indiana (42-18): Two losses show Pacers can’t handle Shaq. Of course, East has none of those. (7)

8. San Antonio (40-20): Twin Towers get 53 in loss to Warriors. The rest of the team totals 30. (8)

9. Portland (34-24): Best upcoming free agent center that nobody talks about: Sabonis. (9)

10. Charlotte (37-23): Thanks, guys: Coming from 19 down vs. Clips starts seven-game win streak. (11)

11. Atlanta (35-24): Live by Mookie, die by Mookie. Blaylock shooting 38%, bad even for him. (10)

12. New York (34-25): Get Bulls on NBC after embarrassing Lakers, Rockets last two Sundays. (12)

13. New Jersey (33-28): Oops: Nets just lost Jayson Williams, their heart, soul and mouth. (13)

14. Cleveland (32-28): Only three of Cavs’ 12 remaining games in March are against losing teams. (14)

15. Orlando (31-29): Like ‘Damn Yankees.’ Anderson averaged 7.4 through Feb. 1, 23.1 since. (15)

16. Minnesota (32-28): Uh-oh: Gugliotta’s friends say he’s angry at McHale for telling him to play hurt. (16)

17. Washington (31-30): Since the break, Strickland has averaged 24 points, 13 assists, 6.6 rebounds. (7)

18. Milwaukee (29-30): Uh-oh: Brass thinks Brandon wants surgery now so he can play on Dream Team III. (19)

19. Houston (30-30): Barkley stops talking, confides doing it to keep from ripping teammates. (18)

20. Boston (29-31): What’s amazing is, Pitino probably could have done it with team he inherited. (20)

21. Detroit (27-33): Just like on TV: Laimbeer on its list of coaches but Hill doesn’t like idea. (21)

22. Sacramento (26-36): You have to think Mitch-Eddie deal just popped back into everyone’s heads. (22)

23. Philadelphia (21-37): Joe Smith lives: back-to-back 15-point games off bench helps 76ers win two. (23)

24. Vancouver (14-45): Team splattered against wall while back: Grizzlies (9-14) turn Grisly (5-31). (24)

25. Golden State (13-47): On the other hand, Warriors can sell out the place for Spree’s first practice. (25)

26. Dallas (13-48): Nellie wasn’t trying to blow win over Clips, playing subs at end, was he? (27)

27. Clippers (12-47): They may like Ike but he’d have to be Mother Teresa to like them so far. (26)

28. Toronto (13-46): Oops: Alvin Williams, acquired for Stoudamire, may return to Blazers as free agent. (28)

29. Denver (5-56): Target of opportunity: Clips in Denver today. If Nuggets don’t get this one . . . (29)

Game of The Week

MIAMI AT CHICAGO

* When--Tuesday. Time--5 p.m. TV--TNT,

* Story line--In a year in which no one has been dominant, even the elite of the East have something to prove. The Bulls have eased back into the conference lead, are hot on the Sonics’ heels for best record but haven’t looked like their old selves. The Heat has won 15 of 17 but, like everyone else in the East in the ‘90s, has never shown it can play on the Bulls’ level.