TOP TO BOTTOM / NBA

Team (record): Comment (Last week’s position)

1. Utah (31-8): Old guys go 7-0 in 10 days with Sloan tossed twice, Malone suspended once. (1)

2. Portland (30-10): Trouble is finding out ex-Jail Blazers are now more mature than your team. (2)

3. Orlando (28-12): Now that Daly believes in him, Penny’s averaging 26 points, 57% in April. (3)

4. Houston (26-13): Hakeem’s playing great. Charlie’s fine. Scottie’s last six: 12-4-10-8-7-31. (5)

5. Miami (25-13): East’s best (only?) center: closest to Zo’s 20-10-53% is Ewing’s 17-10-43%. (7)

6. Indiana: (26-14) Bird finds running mouth on Smits isn’t as effective as it was with McHale. (6)

7. San Antonio (27-12): Spurs now on 19-4 run but how excited can you get when they lose to Mavericks? (4)

8. Lakers (25-16): Gee, who would have thought this would end with all this unpleasantness? (8)

9. Atlanta (24-17): They’re lame enough with him: Before Smith returned, scored 78-67-84-77. (10)

10. Detroit (23-17): Sure enough, falling off. Thus was it ever for teams that live by jumper. (9)

11. Philadelphia (21-18): Barkley blasts Iverson. Maybe he reminds Charlie of someone he used to be. (12)

12. Milwaukee (22-17): 10-11 since trade, Cassell may not play this season but they’re hanging on. (11)

13. Cleveland (21-19): Once again, Mike Fratello is doing best coaching job no one will notice. (16)

14. New York (21-20): Scapegoat, scapegoat, who’ll be our scapegoat? Heat’s on GM Grunfeld. (14)

15. Minnesota (22-19): As Clippers showed, they’re just shell of bright young team they were. (13)

16. Phoenix (20-20): Rookie Garrity coming: gets 25 in win over Spurs, 20 in win over Mavericks. (18)

17. Seattle (19-20): How low can they go (cont.): Just lost to woeful Nets, at home, by 30. (17)

18. Toronto (19-20): Kids look great in highlights but in this league, veterans still rule. (15)

19. Charlotte (19-20): Just a hunch: Eddie, who said he wanted to go there, isn’t as happy now. (21)

20. Sacramento (18-22): Can’t decide if they want to make the playoffs more than fancy plays. (20)

21. Golden State (17-22): Still talking playoffs. Must think 10 teams from each conference get in. (22)

22. Boston (15-24): Anderson pulls hamstring. If that’s it there, may not retire his number. (24)

23. Washington (16-23): Got the Chris Webber blues: Can’t live with him, can’t live without him. (23)

24. New Jersey (11-28): So much for their little boomlet. The Timberwolves will like their No. 1 pick. (19)

25. Dallas (13-27): Nelly feels heat from Ross Perot Jr. for first time in three seasons there. (25)

26. Chicago (10-30): Looks like overachieving days are over: the Bulls average 76 in 0-8 run. (26)

27. Denver (12-29): Another season he didn’t grow up: Under fire, Nick stops talking to press. (27)

28. Clippers (7-32): Next year, how about acquiring starting point guard before season starts? (29)

29. Vancouver (7-33): Not your great closers: Finished 5-36, 6-36, 6-33 and this season, 3-26. (28)

GAME OF THE WEEK

PORTLAND AT UTAH

When--Friday. Time--7:30 p.m. TV--TNT

* Story line--The Western elite are squaring off and the Lakers aren’t invited. The Trail Blazers are big surprises but still have to show they’re the equal of these grand old men, who as usual are barreling down the stretch, even as the compacted schedule sends them out there for their 11th game in 16 nights.