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Stop me if you've heard this before: The Wizards keep winning and they also keep running in place in the Eastern Conference standings.
That's the situation after yet another weekend where the teams ahead of the Wizards wouldn't lose. Specifically, the Bulls won yet again, topping the Heat because Joakim Noah is incapable of letting off the gas. The Raptors also quietly keep winning, and Brooklyn, despite a hiccup Friday against Boston, isn't slowing down anytime soon.
The good news is that the Wizards should avoid finishing in seventh or eighth. But they'll need to keep winning to keep pace with the other teams around them.
Here are the current East standings:
- Indiana: 46-17
- Miami: 43-17 (1.5 GB)
- Toronto: 35-26
- Chicago: 35-28 (1 GB of TOR)
- Washington: 33-29 (1.5 GB of CHI, 2.5 GB of TOR)
- Brooklyn: 31-30 (1.5 GB of WAS)
- Charlotte: 29-34 (4.5 GB of WAS)
- Atlanta: 26-35
- Detroit: 24-39 (3 GB of ATL)
- New York: 24-40 (3.5 GB of ATL)
- Cleveland: 24-40 (3.5 GB of ATL)
Here's what each team has on the docket this week:
WASHINGTON: Monday at Miami; Wednesday vs. Charlotte; Friday at Orlando; Saturday vs. Brooklyn. Two huge games against Charlotte and Brooklyn this week. The Saturday game in particular is crucial.
CHICAGO: Tuesday vs. San Antonio; Thursday vs. Houston; Saturday vs. Sacramento. Two really tough games at the beginning, but the Bulls have been giant killers at home.
BROOKLYN: Monday vs. Toronto; Wednesday at Miami; Saturday at Washington. Three humongous games. The Nets have to beat Toronto if they want to keep pace.
TORONTO: Monday at Brooklyn; Wednesday vs. Detroit; Friday vs. Memphis; Sunday vs. Phoenix. Detroit is an easy win, but the other three games will be tough.
Let's do this.