TEAMS HOLD BREATH AS PLAYERS AWAIT THE BIDDING WAR.

Byline: Scott Wolf  NBA 

The second round of the playoffs begin in earnest today, but for some first-round casualties, the breakups are already beginning.

In Toronto, San Antonio, Charlotte and Detroit, there's an uneasy feeling as the hearts of the franchise all consider leaving this summer.

No team is in a worse position than the Raptors, who are frantically trying to think of ways to convince 20-year-old phenom Tracy McGrady to stay in Canada. McGrady says he'll only stay if Vince Carter agrees to sign a long-term deal with Toronto in two years.

``I think the league wants a guy like Vince Carter in the States,'' McGrady said. ``A team like Chicago, a big media market. I don't know what Vince wants to do, but when his two years are up I don't want to be wondering whether he's going to stay or not. I have to know up front.''

McGrady's comments are widely seen as posturing, however, with everyone expecting him to sign a huge contract with either No. 1 choice Orlando or Chicago, because they have the most salary cap room.

In a slightly better but just as stressed-out position is San Antonio, which is monitoring every move Tim Duncan makes as he flirts with leaving the Spurs in a shambles.

``See that Suburban over there,'' teammate Sean Elliott said the day after the season, referring to an SUV parked inside the Alamodome. ``Drive it to (a bad neighborhood) and leave it there for three days. Then go back and see how much has been stripped.

``That's what this team will look like if Tim Duncan leaves. There might be a window switch left.''

As usual, Duncan isn't offering any clues about where he will play next season.

``I want to take some time off to get my body back into shape, relax then start talking about it in a couple of weeks,'' Duncan said. ``A couple of weeks after that, I hope to make my decision.''

Orlando is also a popular destination for Duncan, because it offers plenty of cap room and warm weather.

We'd say Charlotte is losing sleep over the status of Eddie Jones, but no one really knows what the Hornets are thinking on any issue these days. They keep whining about moving the franchise, because the city is not bowing to demands for a new arena, and now they're dropping hints that they may not even offer Jones the maximum amount of money.

``I'll tell (all the teams that want me) I love them,' Jones joked. ``Orlando, Chicago, the Clippers. Who else has money? But seriously, it's not about the money. It's about putting championship rings on my fingers.''

Either way, Jones won't be back in Charlotte next season.

Things are less nerve-racking in Detroit, where the Pistons actually believe they will re-sign Grant Hill. In fact if anyone leaves Detroit, it could be Jerry Stackhouse, whose salary ($5.3 million) would clear some cap room.

--Who's No. 1? The Lakers' surprising five-game series with Sacramento hasn't gone unnoticed throughout the league, although no one is quite ready to knock them off their perch as the team to beat in the playoffs.

``I don't think anybody thinks any team is invincible,'' Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said. ``I would still say they're the prohibitive favorite.''

``Everybody is saying it's the Lakers' championship to lose,'' Philadelphia coach Larry Brown said. ``I don't really see a clear-cut, dominant team in the league.''

``The race has been wide open since Michael Jordan left, and he's created a big hole that everybody's trying to fill,'' Miami's Jamal Mashburn said.

Of course, no one knows how to analyze the current playoff situation better than Miami coach Pat Riley, who isn't about to give his former employers (the Lakers) an edge.

``The defending champions (Spurs) went down. And there is nobody, there is not one team left that has ever experienced one, that knows how to win one,'' Riley said. ``We are starting from sort of an equal basis that way, and so it's out there for somebody to take.''

--Wizards update: No one is lobbying harder for the Washington job than St. John's coach Mike Jarvis, who is desperate to find a pro job. He's lost his top recruit, Darius Miles, who is turning pro, and is putting out feelers everywhere that he is available. The Wizards officially spoke to Lenny Wilkens this week, and GM Michael Jordan intends to speak with former Bulls teammate John Paxson.

--Whither Westphal: Sonics coach Paul Westphal did a great job this season, forcing Utah into a fifth game, but whether he returns is dependent on whether temperamental superstar Gary Payton allows management to bring him back.

That means Westphal's chances are less than 50-50.

--Back to the league: If Vancouver dumps GM Stu Jackson, as expected, he will probably return to working for the NBA's front office again, where he was previously director of operations.

RANKING THE NBA: 1 TO 10 AND NO. 29

1. Lakers

Phil Jackson can wipe smirk off face for rest of playoffs.

2. Portland

Everyone forgets this was supposed to be the invincible team before the season.

3. Phoenix

Who thought Suns would be the well-rested squad going into Lakers series?

4. Utah

As long as Jazz keeps Olden Polynice off free-throw line, should be OK.

5. New York 

Ewing declares himself best center in Eastern Conference. Hear that 'Zo?

6. Miami

Riley gives team screening of ``U-571,'' but Heat looks like sinking ship.

7. Indiana

They're so old, Pacers made George Karl look like a genius.

8. Philadelphia

Just 12 victories away from an NBA title.

9. Sacramento

If Jason Williams showed up every night, Kings might still be playing.

10. San Antonio

No one will ever confuse Tim Duncan with Willis Reed. Free agency beckons.

29. Clippers

Texas center Chris Mihm would have turned pro already if anyone else had worst record.

BY THE NUMBERS

12.5 - Rebound average in the playoffs for Charlotte forward Derrick Coleman.

10 - Assists by Suns guard Jason Kidd against San Antonio in his first game after returning from a broken ankle.

5 - Years ago today, Indiana's Reggie Miller scored eight points (two 3-pointers, two game-winning free throws) in the final 16.4 seconds to lead the Pacers to a 107-105 come-from-behind victory over the Knicks in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. The Pacers won the series.

0 - Times that the top seeds in both conference and a No. 2 seed were all taken to a fifth game in the 17-year history of the current playoff format.

SIGN OF THE TIMES

It's easy to get into a feud with NBA guru Peter Vecsey but nearly impossible to get the last word.

The czar of the telestrator, Mike Fratello, took offense to Vecsey's recent item that Fratello had met with the Clippers to discuss the head-coaching position.

Fratello retorted: ``As we all know, 50 percent of what Peter writes is correct and 50 percent of what he writes is incorrect.''

Vecsey responded: ``If Fratello's winning percentage was as high as my accuracy, he wouldn't be looking for a coaching job.''

RUMOR MILL

The Pacers have decided to hire assistant Rick Carlisle, even though Kings assistant Byron Scott and NBA analyst Isiah Thomas are being mentioned as possible candidates.

CAPTION(S):

4 boxes

Box: (1) Ranking the NBA/Sign of the times/By the numbers/Rumor mill (see text)

(2) NBA playoff series

(3) Quote of the week

(4) Stat of the week