(Last week's rank in parentheses)

1. Lakers (1): Now we know: Phil Jackson was behind the Shaq-Kobe drama all those years. Who says? Shaq, who then denies everything he said on the record.

2. Celtics (3): Happy Birthday, Sam "I Am" Cassell. One of the league's best guys ever is same age as Jack Benny always was. (Ask your grandparents)

3. Cavaliers (2): How uptight are Clevelanders going to be for the next two seasons now that the Knicks have gotten so far under the salary cap?

4. Magic (9): They're league's hottest team, and Jameer Nelson has been just as important to their win streak as Dwight Howard, who is shooting 58 percent.

5. Nuggets (11): All George Karl wanted to talk about before Wed. game at AT&T? That he didn't "diss" Allen Iverson, as had been reported. Turns out, he didn't.

6. Rockets (7): Whaddaya know? Tracy McGrady's knee gets sore and he doesn't miss a single game. And Yao's foot doesn't feel so bad, either.

7. Pistons (4): They still miss Billups, but at least Rip Hamilton has stopped moping long enough to make a few more buckets.

8. Suns (5): Lakers exposed their weaknesses; their early offense is way down, and they take way too many spot-up jumpers.

9. Jazz (8): D. Williams targets this week for return; they'd better hope Boozer is back soon, too. They're no elite team without the two.

10. HorNets (6): Uh-oh. They were losing and squabbling before return trip to temporary home in OKC provided an easy victory.

The rest

11. Hawks (10)

12. Trail Blazers (13)

13. Raptors (12)

14. Spurs (15)

15. Heat (14)

16. Mavericks (19)

17. 76ers (18)

18. Bulls (22)

19. Warriors (25)

20. Knicks (16)

21. Kings (26)

22. Bucks (17)

23. Pacers (21)

24. Nets (20)

25. Bobcats (24)

26. Grizzlies (23)

27. Timberwolves (29)

28. Wizards (27)

29. Clippers (28)

30. Thunder (30)

BASELINE CUT

NBA cracking down on physical play so far

How do you know Stu Jackson is doing his job?

When you hear coaches and general managers complaining that he's too mean.

Jackson is the NBA's executive vice president of Basketball operations, which makes him the Czar O' Discipline. He has been busy this season, suspending and fining players for flagrant fouls and overly physical play, including throwing blows that looked suspiciously like punches.

Jackson even sat down Kevin Garnett after he flailed at Bucks center Andrew Bogut. Celtics coach Doc Rivers whined and called the suspension "ridiculous."

Suns guard Steve Nash was equally outraged when Jackson suspended him for a game for running to a scrum against the Rockets.

Blame Tim Donaghy.

Never has the NBA been more sensitive about its image than it is right now, when some fans continue to question the integrity of the game and a crashing economy makes everyone nervous about selling tickets.

"The league has been adamant and persistent about that for a while," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of what seems like an early and determined crackdown on physicality. "But perhaps this season it might be felt there is no room for any sort of chink in the image, so to speak. They're going to be a lot more critical about what all of us do on the court, which seems logical to me."

Even Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, the epitome of old school, thinks disciplining overly physical play is required.

"It's all for the better of the game," Sloan said. "I don't think it's what the fans want to see."