The NBA season is 70% complete; loads went down these past seven days. Here’s what you need to know—and I promise you’ll want to know some of this:

 

ATLANTIC DIVISION (Raptors 40-15, Celtics 38-16, 76ers 34-21, Nets 25-28, Knicks 17-38)

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Toronto began the week by extending its franchise-record win streak to 15 by dropping 137 points on lowly Minnesota despite the absence of F Serge Ibaka (flu); Raptors starters combined for 123 of those points, another team record. The streak came to a crashing halt on 2/12 behind 38% shooting at Brooklyn. C Marc Gasol (hamstring) remains out...The Celtics extended their win streak to seven games 2/9 before falling to Houston two days later. Then, in a double OT thriller, F Jayson Tatum stole the show with a 39-point effort that sank the visiting Clippers. G Kemba Walker shot 5-of-17 in each of the final two games of the week.

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Philadelphia's Furkan Korkmaz combined to score 65 points on 2/7 and 2/9...only to put up a big, fat ZERO in 23 minutes 2/11 vs. the Clippers. Still, the 76ers—who continue to baffle on the road (9-19) while dominating at home (25-2)—went 2-0 this week and hold on to the 5th spot in the East even as C Joel Embiid's behavior drew a few boos at home. C Al Horford didn't start 2/11, the first time since 2007 he's come off the bench.

Despite missing G Kyrie Irving (knee), Brooklyn held on to the 7th spot in the East with a 2-0 week. Spencer Dinwiddie sank a clutch J with 5.2 left to beat the Pacers 2/10, then the Nets ended Toronto's 15-game win streak; it was their own fifth straight home win...New York lost twice, including a double-overtime loss at Atlanta that the Knicks led by 16 in the 4Q. F Bobby Portis was tossed 2/12 for hitting Washington's Shabazz Napier in the back with a dead ball.
 

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CENTRAL DIVISION (Bucks 46-8, Pacers 32-23, Bulls 19-36, Pistons 19-38, Cavaliers 14-40)

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Milwaukee played the week without new father Giannis Antetokounmpo; he was not missed 2/10 vs. Sacramento as G Eric Bledsoe and F Khris Middleton dropped 28 each in the "Cream City" jerseys. However, the duo struggled mightily at Indiana two nights later as the Bucks absorbed their eighth loss. Free-agent F Marvin Williams, late of the Hornets, was signed and played 20 minutes against the Pacers.

Indiana's losing streak grew to six games on 2/10 vs. Brooklyn, but they got back on track playing the Giannis-less Bucks two nights later. F T.J. Warren dropped 35 on 16-of-19 in that clash as the Pacers, who led by 25 in the first half, won 118-111...Chicago, playing shorthanded, went 0-2 this week, falling at Philadelphia and Washington to extend their losing skid to six games. Still, G Zach LaVine shined, scoring 73 points combined with 13 threes made.

G Reggie Jackson endured a nightmare shooting week for Detroit (7-for-27 in two losses), although he did knock down a three to force overtime at Orlando 2/12. The whole team stunk up the gym 2/10 vs. Charlotte (35% FG, 20% on threes) and tallied just 76 points. G Derrick Rose (adductor) returned 2/12 to boost the woeful offense—only to go 1-for-13 at Orlando...Cleveland, after taking its worst home loss ever 2/9 vs. the Clippers (133-92), trounced visiting Atlanta without F Kevin Love (Achilles) 2/12. In the win, C Tristan Thompson scored 27 off the bench...including three threes!

 

SOUTHEAST DIVISION (Heat 35-19, Magic 24-31, Wizards 20-33, Hornets 18-36, Hawks 15-41)

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The big news out of Miami was the trade acquisition of F Andre Iguodala from Memphis (and the addition-by-subtraction of G Dion Waiters). Unfortunately, the veteran's presence did not translate to instant victories, as Miami fell in two of three contests—the lone win coming against Iguodala's old Warriors squad 2/10. On 2/12 at Utah, all 13 of G Duncan Robinson's field goal attempts were threes (he made six).
Orlando, #8 in the East but #1 in the NBA in points allowed per game, gave up 126 to the Hawks 2/10 but won anyway thanks to a 79-point second half. They very nearly squandered a 22-point lead vs. Detroit two days later, but pulled out the win in overtime. G D.J. Augustin (knee) remained out.

The Wizards won two of three during the week, as Bradley Beal racked up 86 points. New York made them sweat a bit 2/12, but a 34-19 game-closing run sealed the victory. It may interest you that in their 2/9 loss to the Grizzlies, Washington turned the ball over just seven times—but holding on to it proved equally rough, considering they shot 35% and just 7-for-33 on threes.

On 2/10, the Hornets snapped a five-game skid by holding Detroit to 76 points (fortunate, considering they only shot 38% themselves). They then upended Minnesota on the road behind 28 from Devonte Graham and 25 from Malik Monk off the bench...Atlanta outlasted New York in double overtime 2/9; G Trae Young's 48 led the way. Young continued to score at a high rate (3rd in the NBA with 29.7 PPG) but his 15-win team then dropped road games at Orlando and Cleveland. Trade acquistion Clint Capela (plantar fasciitis) has yet to debut for the Hawks.

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(If this hasn’t put you to sleep yet, continue to Part 2: Western Conference.)