The Weekly NBA Rankings!!

[KFDM COOP]

Mavs and Rockets move up. Who stays? The weekly rankings.

The Dallas Mavericks are like sleeping dogs -- best to let them lie. When we dropped them to No. 2 in last week's rankings, it obviously sent tremors through their plush locker room at American Airlines Center.

Dirk & Co. slapped down the playoff wannabe LA Clippers to put a headlock on the best record in the NBA, which guarantees them home-courta advantage all the through the Finals. Let's see if this time it can do them any good.

1--DALLAS MAVERICKS -- (Last wk: 2) -- 64-13 -- The barking little general, Avery Johnson, showed his soft side after the Mavs clinched the best record in the league. He told Dirk Nowitzki and Jerry Stackhouse they didn't have to travel to the road game in Minnesota tonight. Think they'll miss the snow?

2--SAN ANTONIO SPURS -- (Last wk: 3) -- 56-21 -- As Tony Soprano would say, they whacked the Suns. That sends shock waves throughout the desert as the two teams are on a collision course in the second round. The Spurs are healthier than last year and will make a bid to win it all.

3--PHOENIX SUNS -- (Last wk: 1) -- 58-19 -- They bounced back from the loss to SA to win two in a row. But Steve Nash is worried and the chemistry and selfishness. Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion are both complaining about shots. That's got to stop before the playoffs start in less than two weeks.

4--DETROIT PISTONS -- (Last wk: 5) -- 50-27 -- First (maybe only?) Eastern Conference team to crack the half-century mark in wins. They could face Miami in the second round and Cleveland in the Conference Finals. But nothing worries these old hands.

5--HOUSTON ROCKETS -- (Last wk: 6) -- 49-29 -- This is where the slope always gets slippery. Move the Rockets up near the top of the rankings and they lay more eggs than an overcited hen. With Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady both humming, maybe this time it's different.

6--UTAH JAZZ -- (Last wk: 4) -- 48-29 -- There's still snow in the mountains of Utah, but the spring thaw has definitely melted the Jazz. Another 3-game losing streak has them giving away home-court to the Rockets and maybe their entire season. Wouldn't it be fun then to spend the summer with Jerry Sloan?

7--TORONTO RAPTORS -- (Last wk: 10) -- 45-33 -- Playing without two big young guns in Andrea Bargnani and Jorge Garbajosa, but not missing a beat. T.J. Ford has stepped forward to do wonderful things as the Raptors have clinched the Atlantic Division title and are making a run at the No. 2 seed in the East.

8--CHICAGO BULLS -- (Last wk: 8) -- 46-32 -- They've regained the edge and cockiness that had them threatening Miami last spring in the playoffs. The Bulls have caught the Cavs and continue to look like a team flying beneath the radar that could do damage. No. 2 seed in the East could set up a Pistons-Bulls conference final, just like the old days.

9--MIAMI HEAT -- (Last wk: 7) -- 42-35 -- Good news was that Dwyane Wade came back early to play at home vs. Charlotte on Sunday. Bad news is that he was rustier than an old gate and was a reason the Bobcats won. But with a week and a half to go, D-Wade has time to find himself and make the Heat a threat.

10--GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS -- (Last wk: unranked) -- After puncturing the Rockets hopes last week, they came back and thumped Utah Monday night to climb into the No. 8 hole in the West. Can they knock off the Mavs in the first round? Not a chance. But it would be fun to watch them try.