THE TIMES’ RANKINGS: TOP TO BOTTOM

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

1. Chicago (30-12): Jordan at 29 ppg, Pippen back, Rodman in trouble. Looks like they’re ready. (2)

2. Seattle (33-9): Skeptics (hello) swallow hard as they show they can run with big dogs. (1)

3. Lakers (31-10): That stuff about Horry helping in non-statistical ways is getting old. (3)

4. San Antonio (29-14): But in this league these days, there’s a big drop-off between Nos. 3 and 4. (6)

5. Utah (27-13): Remember how Jazz was before going on a roll in ‘97? That’s how it is now. (5)

6. Miami (26-14): Looks like West isn’t all that effete. Heat got chopped up on 1-3 tour. (4)

7. Indiana (28-12): Problem: Only one rebounder on Pacers’ Smits-Mullin-Dale Davis front line. (7)

8. Atlanta (26-16): He’s still Steve Smith: averages 29 for six games, 14 for next three. (8)

9. Phoenix (26-13): Coughed up 16-point lead in bid to show Lakers they’re real contender. (9)

10. Cleveland (24-16): Good news/bad news: Most of rotation will be in rookie all-star game. (11)

11. Portland (24-17): Rider late for (another) shootaround and has to miss (another) start. (12)

12. New York (24-16): Knicks not title contenders but you have to give them credit for heart. (16)

13. New Jersey (23-19): Gatling’s return will give Calipari whole team--for second game this season. (13)

14. Minnesota (23-17): Marbury defuses furor about weather. For $125 million, he’ll buy ear muffs. (15)

15. Charlotte (25-17): Mason moaning again. Imagine losing Rice, Vlade, Geiger, having to keep him. (10)

16. Washington (22-21): Remember Murphy’s Law? In Washington, they have Chris Webber’s Law. (14)

17. Boston (18-23): Great coach, awful GM: Pitino’s $22 million center, Travis Knight, now a backup. (18)

18. Detroit (20-21): Hill, who can get Collins axed with nod, gives lukewarm endorsement on NBC. (19)

19. Milwaukee (20-22): Upset: frugal Kohl goes $7 million a year to re-sign valuable Tyrone Hill. (20)

20. Houston (19-20): Drexler: “Trade rumors hurt our chemistry.” Apparently he missed the last month. (17)

21. Orlando (20-23): Daly must be eyeing the old broadcast booth as skid extends to 4-16. (21)

22. Philadelphia (14-25): Iverson grasps what Brown want--it’s called “passing”--leads 6-2 surge. (23)

23. Sacramento (17-27): Richmond counting down: only 25 more shopping days till trade deadline. (22)

24. Vancouver (13-30): At least, Grizzlies can tell Canadians they’re the best in the country. (23)

25. Clippers (10-33): Allowed 112 points a game on trip. NBA’s worst average (theirs) is only 103. (24)

26. Toronto (8-33): Clippers North: Stoudamire soon to leave as rest of Raptors’ kids edge toward exit. (28)

27. Dallas (7-34): Nellie, who traded Cassell, Gatling, JJ for Bradley, benches him for game. (28)

28. Golden State (7-33): So-called Warriors go belly up again. At least Sprewell has alibi for this one. (26)

29. Denver (3-38): Owners reassessing Bristow, who wanted to start from scratch, overdid it. (29)

GAME OF THE WEEK

UTAH AT CHICAGO

* When--Today. * Time--10 a.m. TV--Channel 4.

* Storyline--Utah gave the Bulls a scare in the finals, but the Jazz hasn’t recaptured its form of last spring. The Bulls are 100-4 at home over two-plus seasons and the Jazz hasn’t beaten a Jordan team in Chicago since 1990. You might want to turn the volume down because they’ll do a big number on Rodman’s latest partying misadventure/heartwarming return. Dennis fans can get the full story in his next book, “Even Worse Than I Was a Year Ago.”