They won their 10th game in a row after beating the Kings by 12 at home Monday. For their incredible run, we've rewarded them with the No. 2 spot in this week's rankings. Who else deserves it? Not the Kings, whose league-best record belies their mediocre play of late. Not the Timberwolves, who followed their big win over the Lakers at home with a loss to the visiting Spurs. Not the Mavericks, not the Spurs, not the Nets.
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Team/Record
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Prev rank/
Last week
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Skinny
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THE TEAM TO BEAT |
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1. Lakers 42-17
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1/3-1 |
Who needs Kobe? The Lakers are now 7-0 without Sugar Ray Bryant over the past two seasons. The big guy has a lot to do with that, of course.
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| TEAMS WHO REALLY COULD BEAT L.A.
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2. Blazers 36-24
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7/4-0
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The Blazers are finally practicing what Maurice Cheeks has been preaching all season long -- team basketball.
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3. Kings 42-17
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2/1-2
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Loss to plodding Pacers (sans Reggie Miller) should raise red flag to coach Rick Adelman about Sac-town's limp defense.
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4. Wolves 40-20
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4/2-2
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Win over Lakers proved they've added enough muscle with Marc Jackson to attack Shaq.
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5. Mavericks 42-18
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3/2-1
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Still wondering if point guards Steve Nash and Nick Van Exel can co-exist on the same club.
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6. Spurs 39-21
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5/3-1
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They're talking transition in San Antonio. As long as Tim Duncan is the foundation, the Spurs don't need to rebuild, just add on.
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| THE EAST'S BEAST
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7. Nets 39-20
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6/1-3
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A bigger concern than Kenyon Martin's flagrant foul fetish: Jason Kidd's energy. Will he have any for the playoffs?
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| DON'T FORGET ABOUT US
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8. Pistons 34-24
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11/3-1
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Tale of two cities: Won at Charlotte on Stackhouse's last-second shot, lost at home to Heat on Jones' buzzer-beater.
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9. Jazz 33-26
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8/2-1
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Have struggled against the West's best, going 1-12 against the conference's top five teams.
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10. Sonics 34-27
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12/3-1
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Red-hot Blazers aren't the only ones making noise these days in the Pacific Northwest.
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11. Bucks 34-25
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9/2-2
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The roller coaster continues. Win at Boston, lose at home to Blazers in OT, win at Cleveland, lose at New York.
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12. Celtics 32-27
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10/1-2
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Small frontcourt lineup of Walker, Pierce and Rogers was huge in big win at Philadelphia.
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13. 76ers 30-29
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14/3-1
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Against Nets, Sixers backed up Allen Iverson's smack about still being the East's beast.
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14. Heat 26-32
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18/3-1
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Shocking win at Dallas and Jones' buzzer beater in Detroit continued Heat's stunning climb from 2-14 start.
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WORKS IN PROGRESS |
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15. Magic 31-29
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13/1-3
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Seven-game trip got longer with losses to Pistons, Wizards in overtime and Reggie-less Pacers.
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16. Pacers 30-30
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16/2-2
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Beating Kings without Reggie Miller made up for ugly, last-minute collapse in Phoenix.
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JORDAN-LESS
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17. Wizards 29-30
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17/2-2
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Maybe the Wizards can hang tough until Michael Jordan gets back after all? Naaaaah.
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ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
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18. Clippers 30-30
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19/1-0
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Ex-Bull Elton Brand returns to Chicago on Friday with Clips at .500 mark for the first time since Feb. 5.
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19. Hornets 29-30
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20/2-1
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Head west for four-game road trip through Seattle, Sacramento, Phoenix and L.A. searching for playoff identity.
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20. Suns 28-32
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21/1-2
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The Comeback Kid: Marbury engineered amazing last-minute rally to beat Pacers at home.
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21. Raptors 29-33
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15/0-4
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Toronto media and fans want Wilkens' head on a platter for Raps' slide out of playoff race.
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ONE WORD: LOTTERY
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22. Cavaliers 22-38
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22/2-2
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Just 9,915 fans, the smallest crowd in Gund Arena history, were on hand for Tuesday's win over the Hawks.
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23. Rockets 22-37
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23/2-1
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Hakeem probably wished he'd stayed in Houston after Rockets dealt Raptors their 12th straight defeat.
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24. Knicks 22-36
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25/2-2
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Extend Chaney's contract? Signing Clarence Weatherspoon to a five-year, $27.1 million deal is no longer the Knicks' dumbest move.
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25. Hawks 22-38
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26/2-2
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The medical bills continue to mount for Atlanta, which lost Dion Glover to a fractured bone in his right foot.
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26. Bulls 16-44
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24/1-3
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The ups and downs of a 19-year-old center: Eddy Curry goes for 19 and 14 one night; just 2 and 2 the next game. |
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TOUGH TO WATCH |
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27. Warriors 16-42
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29/1-3
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Wally Szczerbiak called them a bunch of "clowns" for trading Marc Jackson. Nope, just the owner wearing the court jester hat.
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28. Nuggets 17-40
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27/1-3
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This thought had to enter Antonio McDyess' mind while the Nuggets slipped further into oblivion: "I came back for this."
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29. Grizzlies 15-45
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28/0-4
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So franchise forward Pau Gasol isn't getting along with Jason Williams? Can you say "Hasta la vista, Jason?"
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