LOS ANGELES, December 9, 2009 (AFP) - The NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers rule in the economic arena as well as on court, Forbes reported Wednesday in its annual rundown on the value of National Basketball Association clubs.

The Lakers topped Forbes' list, with the respected business journal putting the value of the club at $607 million. That's up four percent from last year, when the Lakers were judged second to the New York Knicks.

This year, the Knicks - who led the rankings for the four previous seasons - were second at $586 million.

The Chicago Bulls ($511 million), Detroit Pistons ($479 million), and Cleveland Cavaliers ($476 million) rounded out the top five.

The Milwaukee Bucks, at $254 million, brought up the rear in 30th place.

An article posted on Forbes.com noted that the NBA had taken some financial hits in a weakened economy.

The teams losing money in the last 12 months according to the report were Dallas, Portland, Orlando, Atlanta, Sacramento, Indiana, Charlotte, New Jersey, Minnesota, New Orleans, Memphis, and Milwaukee.