THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

GAME OF THE WEEK

NEW YORK AT HOUSTON

*--* Rk Team (record) Comment (last week’s rank) 1 SACRAMENTO (28-9) With or without Webber, schedule gets tougher. Of course, so does Lakers’. (2) 2 SAN ANTONIO (26-14) Spurs gave up 79 a game in 17-1 run, then went 0-3 allowing 92. (1) 3 INDIANA (31-11) Bender, No. 5 pick in 1999, back to finally show what he has, Pacers are hoping. (3) 4 MINNESOTA (26-12) Cassell not in top 10 guards in All-Star voting, has 33 in win in San Antonio. (4) 5 DETROIT (28-13) Remember UCLA in Brown’s first season? Pistons’ winning streak now at 12. (6) 6 NEW JERSEY (21-17) Oops: Nets reportedly going to Brooklyn, where no new arena is set, either. (7) 7 LAKERS (25-12) Sayonara: Big Four Minus Two or Three on road for 21 of 29 through mid-March. (5) 8 DALLAS (24-16) Ask Warriors how easy it is to find coach to take over for unorthodox Nelson. (9) 9 HOUSTON (23-16) Yao may get to be dominating after all but it’ll be another season or two. (10) 10 NEW ORLEANS (23-17) Running on fumes: Hornets’ 42% shooting worst of teams with winning records. (8) 11 DENVER (23-18) Now to see what their real level is: After 19-11 start, Nuggets are 4-7. (11) 12 MILWAUKEE (22-18) Bench just outscored opponents’ subs by 12.4 a game as Bucks went 7-1. (13) 13 UTAH (21-18) Who are these guys? Jazz just went 4-1 after Matt Harpring left for season. (14) 14 TORONTO (20-18) No. 19 in defense last season under Wilkens, now No. 5 under O’Neill. (15) 15 MEMPHIS (21-18) This isn’t because schedule was easy: Grizzlies played 22 of 39 on road. (16) 16 SEATTLE (19-19) Sucker bet: SuperSonics have replaced Celtics as team taking most threes. (12) 17 BOSTON (20-22) Leprechaun’s revenge (cont.): In white sneakers at home, Celtics are 10-12. (19) 18 PHILADELPHIA (18-22) Robinson ready, averaging 24 this month, so now we’ll see how this works. (17) 19 CLIPPERS (16-21) It’s been nice knowing you too. After Friday they play 18 of 25 on road. (20) 20 PORTLAND (16-22) Wheels fall off: Just went 5-10, waiting to see who gets custody of Wallace. (18) 21 NEW YORK (18-24) At least Knicks gave him a fair chance: Chaney had Marbury for four games. (23) 22 MIAMI (16-24) Odom’s real test is keeping this up, but averaging 17-9-4 is impressive. (22) 23 GOLDEN STATE (16-23) Deja Nick (cont.): Just went 2-10 and Van Exel may opt for knee surgery. (21) 24 CLEVELAND (13-27) Always leave ‘em laughing: NBA’s new marquee road draw is 4-19 on road. (24) 25 PHOENIX (14-26) Joe Johnson, No. 10 pick in 2001, gets (last?) chance to show what he has. (25) 26 CHICAGO (12-28) Good news/bad news: Bulls can get another talented teen in lottery. (26) 27 ATLANTA (12-29) Like last season’s Clippers, roster may soon be a buffet for entire league. (27) 28 WASHINGTON (11-28) Arenas, back for seven games, now out six weeks with same stomach pull. (28) 29 ORLANDO (10-31) Hired Davis trying to please McGrady, but Tracy doesn’t look that happy. (29)

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When -- Wednesday. Time -- 6:10 p.m. TV -- ESPN2

Story line -- This could be fun. Rocket Coach Jeff Van Gundy will stick up for his old Knick assistant, Don Chaney, and try to underline the point by burying their old team.