By Shawn O'Neal
SportsLine NBA Editor

Just when Vin Baker, the leading candidate for Sizzlin' & Fizzlin's least valuable player award, seemed to be finding his way out of his season-long slump at the free-throw line, he's dragged back down to the bottom rung by a team that appears to be falling apart at the seams.

Or maybe it's Baker doing the dragging.

His free-throw shooting woes are well documented, but his lack of desire or inability to play tough in the paint is killing the Seattle SuperSonics. He put up 31 points in a win at Sacramento last week, but did most of his damage from the perimeter. It seems he's intent on making like Sam Perkins every night -- a big man who spends more time on the perimeter than on the blocks.

Meanwhile, the Sonics have been getting killed on the boards, and carried a five-game losing streak and a break-even record into Chicago. Seattle was able to survive the Bulls, but stood at 10-9 entering the weekend after starting an NBA-best 6-0 start.

Baker's doing damage in the locker room as well. Growing tired of having a bench seat late in tight games, Baker sounded off on the personnel decisions of coach Paul Westphal after a loss to former coach George Karl's Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. Upon hearing Baker's lament, Seattle guard Dale Ellis suggested that Baker stop worrying about his playing time and start worrying about the team's results.

Unless he wants an early off-season, Baker should heed Ellis' words. If the season were to end after Thursday's games, the Sonics would be a No. 8 seed and face Portland. If the current trend continues, that might be the best they can hope for.

While the Sonics sink in the Pacific, the Lakers are on the rise.

The Lakers have strung together nine straight wins since Del Harris was jettisoned and Kurt Rambis and Dennis Rodman were brought on board -- and Wednesday they added Glen Rice in the long-anticipated deal with Charlotte.

It's a good time to be a Laker fan, but don't get too excited -- four of those nine wins were against the Clippers.

Sizzlin' ... The Countdown

5. Kidd will play

Grant Hill's goin' to the chapel and he's going to get married, so Phoenix's Jason Kidd will be on the 2000 Sydney Olympic team after all. It will be nice for the international crowd to see that some American basketball players work on other skills aside from the dunk and ever-popular clear-out.

4. Rolling Dice

Denver's Antonio McDyess is starting to show everybody why he was one of the most sought-after free agents in the post-lockout feeding frenzy. In his last five games, McDyess is averaging 26 points and 11 rebounds. Against Utah Thursday he hit for 39 points and 11 rebounds on 17-of-26 shooting. Of course, the Utah game also marked the sixth straight loss for the Nuggets, so he can't do it alone.

3. The Heat is on

Miami continues to light up the Eastern Conference, having won 14 of its last 16 and jumping Orlando in the Atlantic Division standings. Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway are a nasty duo, and Clearance Weatherspoon and Terry Porter have proven to be master free-agent strokes.

2. They're bobsledding in hell

Having harangued them for their losses over the first 17 games of the season, praise has to be given to the Los Angeles Clippers for their Thursday win over Sacramento. Had they lost, the Clippers would have established a record for losses to start the season. As it was, they tied the 1988 expansion Miami Heat and are only two touchdowns back of first place in the Pacific.

1. Lakers are golden

Shaquille O'Neal believes Glen Rice is the final piece to the puzzle. His arrival means fewer shots for Kobe Bryant. Wonder how that will play.

Fizzlin' ... The Countdown

5. Have Satan and David Falk ever been seen together?

For folks in Minnesota, Falk, the super agent credited with prolonging the NBA's lockout, is the personification of evil. Falk and former Timberwolves point guard Stephon Marbury forced Minnesota's hand and eventually got the trade they wanted. Now Marbury is closer to his home, and says he's going to sign a long-term deal with the Nets -- something he wouldn't do with the Timberwolves, a team that has invested a lot of time and energy in him over the years.

"This is a sad time to be an executive in the NBA," Minnesota vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale said. Well put.

4. A Grizzly scene

Vancouver has lost 10 straight and traded Sam Mack to Houston for Roderick Rhodes. This sounds like a team already calling it a year.

3. Net losses

It looks like coach John Calipari has been spared the ax. He also has a new point guard to work with in Stephon Marbury, who has to be considered a step up from Sam Cassell. He's also rid of malcontent Chris Gatling, which can only help team chemistry. His team is also still the worst in the Atlantic Division and might as well follow the Grizzlies' example and call it a year.

2. Kings crowned

Any team that helps the Clippers end a 17-game losing streak is a fizzler. Especially when it gets outrebounded, 58-35.

1. Sonics' death spiral

Gary Payton is the league's best point guard, but somebody else has to produce or this team is done.