NBA

Team (record) Comment (Last week)

1. Lakers (25-5) Scary part is, they can get a lot better and they’re already best. (1)

2. Portland (22-7) Wallace, the one who could make Trail Blazers special, averaging only 13 shots. (2)

3. San Antonio (21-10) Still looking for Elliott’s replacement: Jaren Jackson in, Chucky Brown out. (3)

4. Indiana (20-9) Look who’s back on top in the East: Pacers are 13-2 since 7-7 start. (5)

5. Miami (19-9) Struggling without Tim Hardaway--and still no word on when he’ll return. (4)

6. Utah (18-10) One and only: Mailman averaging 25.9 points, 10.1 rebounds at 36. (8)

7. New York (18-12) Can’t blame Ewing. He’s averaging 10 rebounds and taking only 10 shots. (6)

8. Phoenix (18-11) Suns say sore heel may keep Penny Hardaway out. If history means anything, it will. (7)

9. Charlotte (18-11) Scuffling without Eddie Jones. Hornets are 2-3 since he injured his elbow. (10)

10. Toronto (17-12) Coming fast: Vince Carter averaged 21.5 in November, 28 in December. (14)

11. Sacramento (17-10) Chris Webber, finally the player people thought he’d be, averaging 23 and 10. (13)

12. Seattle (18-12) Better hold Gary Payton (cont.): Five losses in a row dump SuperSonics to No. 7 in West. (9)

13. Milwaukee (17-13) For all the Bucks’ promise, still a perimeter, jump-shooting team. (11)

14. Philadelphia (17-15) Opportunity beckons. Eight of next 10 are at home. (15)

15. Denver (15-13) Van Exel has Nuggets wearing socks high. Better he should worry about their defense. (16)

16. Minnesota (13-14) Garnett gets second wind, averages 24 points, 16 rebounds in 5-0 run. (17)

17. Detroit (15-14) Hill, Stackhouse, Jerome Williams are combining for 21 rebounds a game. (18)

18. New Jersey (12-18) Kittles, whose slow rehab angered his teammates, averages 17 in 4-0 run. (22)

19. Orlando (15-14) Wake-up call in Magic Kingdom: Fairy tales come true but not every week. (12)

20. Boston (12-16) Remember Pitino’s 14-14 team first year at Kentucky? It looked better than this. (21)

21. Atlanta (11-18) Rider vows he’ll re-sign, rips teammates for not caring, misses plane, etc. (19)

22. Cleveland (12-17) Lost seven in a row and will be on the road for 10 of 15 in January. (20)

23. Washington (10-20) Juwan Howard, whom teams once fought over, averaging 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds. (24)

24. Houston (10-20) Won three games since Barkley left, and Olajuwon won’t be back for two weeks. (23)

25. Dallas (9-21) Nelson bet franchise on Bradley, now starts Trent or Nowitzki at center. (25)

26. Clippers (9-20) Managerial paralysis, underachievement--and now they have dissension. (26)

27. Vancouver (6-23) Bibby has double-figure assists in three in a row with Hollins’ up-tempo game. (27)

28. Golden State (6-23) Here’s one franchise that isn’t going to be nostalgic for the ‘90s. (28)

29. Chicago (2-25) Elton Brand was hoping he’d have more wins at this point than Coach K. (29)

GAME OF THE WEEK

CHARLOTTE at LAKERS

* When--Friday * Time--7:30 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports Net

* Story line--The Lakers meet an Eastern power in a game that was supposed to bring back Eddie Jones but won’t. It will bring back Elden Campbell and Baron Davis. Jones has a torn ligament in his left elbow and is out. The Hornets are still deep and physical, with Campbell and grumpy forwards Anthony Mason and Derrick Coleman. Whether they’re on the Lakers’ level remains to be seen.