WOULD RATHER PLAY THROUGH ALL-STAR BREAK


1. MIAMI (28-12) LeBron James seeks 10-day contract for 50-year-old who made halfcourt shot. (3)


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2. OKLAHOMA CITY (34-10) Sounds of season-long trip include cowbells of Sacramento, alarm bells of L.A. (1)

3. SAN ANTONIO (36-11) Coach Gregg Popovich might irk All-Stars by demanding effort. (4)

4. CLIPPERS (32-13) What does a coach have to do around here to get a contract extension? (2)

SHOULD BE WELL-REPRESENTED IN HOUSTON

5. NEW YORK (26-15) Having to fend off those pesky Nets again for back-page tabloid treatment. (5)

6. GOLDEN STATE (26-17) Hoping to catch new rival Clippers in the four-five first-round playoff matchup. (6)

7. MEMPHIS (28-14) Beating the Lakers these days means being just part of the crowd. (7)

8. INDIANA (26-18) David West should show up at Toyota Center next month with resume in hand. (8)

9. BROOKLYN (26-18) P.J. Carlesimo’s magic reminiscent of another coach whose initials are P.J. (9)

10. CHICAGO (26-17) Surging Bulls suddenly worry about how Derrick Rose may affect chemistry. (11)

11. DENVER (27-18) Pepsi Center hard to beat except for Atari 2600 graphics on scoreboard. (12)

12. ATLANTA (25-18) Annual All-Star snub getting old real fast for 27-year-old Josh Smith. (10)

ALREADY PLAYING DEFENSE AT ALL-STAR LEVEL

13. MILWAUKEE (23-19) It’s always Bucks season the way Monta Ellis keeps shooting. (16)

14. UTAH (24-20) Paul Millsap’s testy exchange may have awoken a slumbering giant in Pau Gasol. (17)

15. HOUSTON (24-22) Temporary home of Boeing’s Dreamliner and nightmarish stretch for Rockets. (13)

16. PORTLAND (22-21) LaMarcus Aldridge may not return from Houston after seeing so much talent. (15)