Comment (last week’s ranking)
1. Cavaliers 55-15 (1): Don’t miss Shaquille O’Neal that badly: 9-1 since he left. Only loss was game LeBron James missed.
2. Lakers 51-18 (2): Can play without Andrew Bynum, but as they finally show, can play a lot better with him.
3. Magic 49-21 (5): 9-1 in March as Vince Carter, who averaged 8.7 in January, bumps it up to 20.
4. Mavericks 46-22 (3): With Jason Terry back, rookie Rodrigue Beaubois happening, deep just got deeper.
5. Nuggets 47-22 (4): Kenyon Martin, who went a long way on bad knees, now may be out till playoffs.
6. Thunder 42-24 (7): Imagine them with a center. Without one, just won 18 of 22.
7. Jazz 44-25 (6): Team now hopes to re-sign Carlos Boozer, whom Deron Williams says is “like the old Carlos.”
8. Spurs 42-25 (8): Richard Jefferson, $14 mill-a-year bust averaging 11, bumps it up to 19 in last five.
9. Suns 43-26 (10): Showing what’s to come — or what they will miss — Amare Stoudemire averaging 30 in March.
10. Hawks 44-24 (9): Both teams sagging, but they have tiebreaker over Celtics for No. 3 seed.
11. Celtics 44-24 (12): Oh, and No. 4 seed gets Bucks, East’s second-hottest team, in first round.
12. Trail Blazers 42-28 (11): Major jockeying looms as West’s No. 8 team starts weekend 1 1/2 games out of No. 5.
13. Bucks 37-30 (13): Andrew Bogut, top pick in ’05, at career-best 16 points, 10 rebounds, 2.5 blocks.
14. Grizzlies 36-33 (14): Hasheem Thabeet, back from D-League, gets 19 rebounds, six blocks in two starts.
15. Rockets 35-32 (15): Imagine if Spurs kept Luis Scola, averaging 22 points, 13 rebounds this month.
16. Bobcats 35-33 (16): Michael Jordan open to changing hated name — chosen for owner Bob Johnson.
17. Heat 35-34 (17): Have gun, will travel: Quentin Richardson making three 3s a game this month.
18. Raptors 33-34 (18): Oops: Chris Bosh venting isn’t good sign, nor are six losses in seven games.
19. Hornets 33-37 (19): Stunner: Darren Collison, No. 21 pick, is No. 3 rookie, averaging 18 as starter.
20. Knicks 25-44 (24): 3-1 as Toney Douglas, another one Mike D’Antoni buried, averages 18 as starting point.
21. Bulls 31-37 (20): Good news: Rookies Taj Gibson, James Johnson look good. Bad news: Everything else.
22. Kings 23-46 (21): Tyreke Evans suffers concussion, so they may hold him out of Sunday’s big game vs. Clippers.
23. Clippers 26-43 (22): After Kim Hughes’ go-round with Baron Davis, Chris Kaman pines for good times under Mike Dunleavy.
24. 76ers 24-45 (23): Rising to occasion, Jrue Holiday averages 15, shoots 52 percent this month as starter.
25. Pistons 23-46 (25): Rodney Stuckey gets 25 in first game back. Rest of franchise still in coma.
26. Pacers 23-46 (27): Not that things didn’t go as planned, but their wide-open offense is No. 18.
27. Wizards 21-46 (26): Already ready to renegotiate, Andray Blatche regrets signing for $3 mill a year.
28. Warriors 19-49 (28): Human Layup Line allows 147 by Spurs, whose starters get 75 in 90 minutes.
29. Timberwolves 14-56 (29): Good news: Three first-round picks. Bad news: It’s not enough.
30. Nets 7-61 (30): Four left vs. losing teams at home with Kings, Pistons there this week.
