11.   As of Thursday morning, the Lakers were a game behind West leaders Sacramento and Minnesota and a game ahead of the Spurs.

12.   As for the American League East race, the Yankees fell four games behind the first-place Baltimore Orioles, who beat the Blue Jays.

13.   As it was, they fell an additional two and one-half games behind the Yankees without Everett.

14.   As the second half begins, the Dodgers are in second place in the National League West, one game behind the San Diego Padres.

15.   At the start of the evening, the Mets were one and a half games behind both Houston and Cincinnati in the National League wild-card race.

16.   At the break, they were seven games behind the Chicago Bulls and a game behind the Miami Heat.

17.   At the start of play Friday night, they were nine games behind.

18.   Because the Texas Rangers lost at Oakland, the Mariners remain four games behind in the American League West.

19.   Bibby resents that Stanford, a game behind USC in the standings, is considered a solid bet to make the tournament but not the second-place Trojans.

20.   Bill Stewart got the Islanders to play hard for him in his first three games behind the bench.