It’s called the “Rodeo Road Trip” — a stretch of three weeks every season around the All-Star break, when the local rodeo takes over San Antonio’s AT&T Center and forces the Spurs to go on an extended road trip.

Over the past several years, the Spurs used it as the turning point of their season, fine-tuning their play during this stretch as a catalyst for a big-stretch run. This year, it’s a nine-game run that starts a week from today and lasts until February 19.

This year, they need it more than usual. While the big picture doesn’t seem too different for the Spurs — they’re near the top of the Western Conference at 26–13, and stars Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker remain as effective as ever — some troubling signs are bubbling beneath the surface.

San Antonio is only 9–10 in its past 19 games, and only 2–6 on the road in that stretch — not a good omen for a team that will be living out of suitcases for much of the next month. And they haven’t beaten a team with a winning record since December 15.

For the moment, everyone presumes the Spurs are laying low before their annual blast through the latter part of the schedule, but, looking at their results of late, some doubt has to creep in. San Antonio is getting little from it’s role players, and the normally airtight Spur defense has sprung some rare leaks. For that reason, the defending champs find themselves unusually low in the Power Rankings this week. Maybe they’ll rally during the Rodeo Road Trip, as they always seem to do, but the last month has been troubling enough that, this year, they need to prove it.

Quick side note: This week’s rankings include all of yesterday’s day games, but not the night contests.

1. BOSTON CELTICS (33–6) (LW: 1): They got back on track with three straight impressive wins, with a reawakened offense the key. Guard Ray Allen went nearly three weeks between 20-point games before burning Portland for 35.

2. PHOENIX SUNS (29–12) (3): All we’re hearing are stories of disharmony and discord. Maybe somebody should mention that they’re 29-12, have the best record in the West, and won their last two games by 20 and 24.

3. LOS ANGELES LAKERS (26–12) (2): The Staples Center crowd booed center Kwame Brown mercilessly in the Lakers’ loss to Phoenix on Thursday. So just in case he ever becomes an Isiah Thomas-era Knick, at least he’ll be prepared.

4. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS (28–12) (6): Byron Scott has a great shot at being named coach of the West’s All-Stars for the shindig in N’awlins next month — Phoenix’s Mike D’Antoni is ineligible, and Scott’s club has best record of the others.

5. DETROIT PISTONS (29–12) (4): The Pistons are too good to lose back-to-back games to second-tier teams, but it happened this weekend against Sacramento and Chicago. Blame it on the midseason doldrums by a veteran group waiting around for May.

6 DALLAS MAVERICKS (27–13) (5): Just when you think everything’s fine, they throw up a stinker like yesterday’s lopsided loss in Washington, and you begin to wonder. They’ll need to go 40–2 the rest of the way to match last year’s 67 wins.

7. UTAH JAZZ (24–18) (8):Nothing like a back-to-back against the Clippers to get another winning streak started. The Jazz have now won six of seven, while team docs just lifted the minutes restrictions on bruising forward Matt Harpring.

8 PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (25–16) (9): The young Blazers are surviving their road test rather well — they’re now 3–3 on their seven-game Eastern swing after Travis Outlaw’s game-winner beat the Hawks in OT yesterday.

9. SAN ANTONIO SPURS (26–13) (7): Things get tough even before the Rodeo Trip — San Antonio faces the Lakers and Hornets at home this week. One piece of good news: Sharpshooting guard Brent Barry is back from a calf injury.

10 WASHINGTON WIZARDS (22–17) (12): This team’s defensive turnaround has been simply remarkable. They’ve surrendered 100 points just twice in 10 games in January; last season that was pretty much a nightly occurrence.

11 DENVER NUGGETS (24–15) (10): Linas Kleiza’s 41-point explosion against the Jazz was the first time this year somebody besides A.I. or ‘Melo led the Nuggets in scoring. It also might be the last.

12. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (21–18) (15): Cleveland entered last night’s game 7–1 in 2008, but the bigger story may be that Mohawk that Damon Jones sported for Thursday night’s tilt with the Spurs.

13. HOUSTON ROCKETS (22–19) (11): Tracy McGrady is back in the lineup but says he’ll be playing with pain in his knee all season. That pain might extend to Rockets fans, who thought they’d be watching a contender this season.

14. ORLANDO MAGIC (25–17) (13): Guard J.J. Redick is a commonly heard name in trade discussions; the Magic have little use for him, but his skills as a sniper could prove highly valuable in a place like Cleveland or New Jersey.

15 TORONTO RAPTORS (22–19) (16): The T.J. Ford wait goes on, as he’s working out in Houston with no return date set. One wonders if there isn’t more to this story than we’ve heard thus far.

16. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (25–18) (14): Their troubling habit of mixing greatness with mediocrity continues, as the Warriors inexplicably lost at home to the T-wolves yesterday. Fortunately for them, Knicks and Nets are their next two opponents.

17. ATLANTA HAWKS (18–20) (17): Atlanta has dropped three straight heading into a five-game Western swing. If you’re into silver linings, the Hawks’ D has been excellent — they’re up to no. 8 in Defensive Efficiency (points per 100 opponent possessions).

18. INDIANA PACERS (19–23) (19): Just another week of drama in Indy: Jamaal Tinsley said he was suspended while the coach denied it, and Jermaine O’Neal says he might take the rest of the year off to let his knee get well.

19 SACRAMENTO KINGS (17–22) (21): The Kings won road games against Detroit and Indiana now that the big three of Ron Artest, Kevin Martin, and Mike Bibby are back in the lineup. That’s a bad omen for the Nets — who play them at Arco Arena tonight.

20 CHARLOTTE BOBCATS (16–25) (23): Don’t look now, but they’re 5–4 in their past nine games and two of the losses were in overtime. But they’ll need to play better, because their second half schedule is brutal.

21 CHICAGO BULLS (16–24) (20): Good news: The Bulls are now 3–0 against Detroit after beating Pistons again on Saturday. Bad news: They’re 13–24 against the rest of the NBA, and they only have one game left against Detroit.

22 PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (16–26) (24): The Sixers surprised both Houston and Toronto this week before falling back to earth in a home loss to the Pacers. But the longer they can keep contact with playoff race, the worse the odds are of an Andre Miller trade.

23 NETS (18–22) (18): They lost to the Knicks, the Clippers, and the Suns and they briefly pondered a trade of Vince Carter and change to Indiana for injury-prone forward Jermaine O’Neal. I’m still not sure which is worse.

24 MILWAUKEE BUCKS (16–25) (22): The Bucks seemed to have regained their mojo, right up until Golden State pasted them at home on Friday. One senses a roster makeover is coming, though probably not one that involves the Knicks’ Zach Randolph.

25 KNICKS (13–28) (25): Getting Paul Pierce ejected was Quentin Richardson’s best play of the season so far. Meanwhile, since Stephon Marbury “chose” to have surgery — the team’s words, not mine — Jamal Crawford has been an eye-opener at the point.

26 LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (12–25) (27): A reawakened Sam Cassell pumped in 32 points in a shocking upset of Phoenix; word is he’s hoping for a buyout so he can reunite with buddy Kevin Garnett in Beantown.

27 MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (12–29) (26): The Griz reportedly are close to a buyout deal with veteran point guard Damon Stoudamire, who would be Boston’s second choice if they can’t get Cassell.

28 SEATTLE SONICS (9–32) (28): The Sonics were pounded on a four-game swing through the south, and their only win in past month was against no. 29 Minnesota. They’re also still seeking their first win of 2008, having dropped 11 straight.

29 MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (6–34) (30): This is not a typo: Ryan Gomes had 35 points and 11 boards in the T-wolves’ shocking road win at Golden State. They also put up a good fight in a road loss to Denver, for what that’s worth.

30 MIAMI HEAT (8 – 32) (29): From the penthouse to the outhouse: Pat Riley’s 2006 champs are now at rock bottom after 13 straight defeats heading into last night’s tussle with Cleveland. If I were Mickey Arison, I wouldn’t go near my fax machine.

jhollinger@nysun.com