* All Stats prior to Wednesday's games
Winners
Sacramento Kings
One of three teams to end the week 3-0 or better, the Kings launched themselves to the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Rajon Rondo and DeMarcus Cousins seem to have found their groove, while George Karl has bought in. The Kings remain the only playoff team in the NBA with a losing record, but have finally gained some traction. It took them a while to get there, but Karl has brought his team into the mix.
Toronto Raptors
No team had a better week than the Toronto Raptors. They were the only team to win all four games played and benefited from losses to teams scattered in the Eastern Conference standings, namely, the Cleveland Cavaliers. While the Cavs struggled in games against top Western Conference foes, the Raptors maintained their course.
The Six Squad is now just two games back from first place in the Eastern Conference. Point guard Kyle Lowry got the nod as a starter in the All-Star game, while DeMar DeRozan established his case for a spot on the squad. A healthy Jonas Valanciunas has been a key factor as the Raptors continue to excel without their prized offseason acquisition, DeMarre Carroll.
Golden State Warriors
After suffering two losses in a three-game span the week prior, the Warriors rebounded with authority. They won all three games this past week by a combined 77 points.
It was an utter demolition of three teams who have been at or near the top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls each got embarrassed by the defending champs on their home floors, while the Indiana Pacers game into Oracle Arena for the final beatdown. Dub Nation scored 120 points in all three contests and the return of Steve Kerr may very well represent the doom of the rest of the NBA.
Charlotte Hornets
A team that has largely struggled of late, the Hornets were able to make up some ground last week, going 3-1 in their four games. Their one loss came in Oklahoma City against the Thunder, while two of their three wins were overtime thrillers on their home floor. Wins over the Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic, and New York Knicks may seem unimpressive but, in a tight race in the East, the Hornets have chipped their way back closer to .500 and a playoff spot.
Losers
Orlando Magic
One of three teams to go winless last week, the Magic are in trouble. They entered this week on a five-game losing streak, having lost nine of their last ten games. One of those losses came at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers, who managed to win their sixth game of the season in Orlando by a score of 96-87. A young team that has looked promising at points during the season, Scott Skiles has a slump on his hands. It is, by no means, time to hit the panic button in Orlando, but the Magic are in search of some answers.
David Blatt
A trip to the NBA Finals that highlighted a record of 83-40 in a season and a half as head coach apparently is not enough to keep your job in the NBA. The cold-hearted and impatient Cavaliers relieved Blatt of his duties this past weekend after a complete dismantling by the defending champion Warriors.
David Griffin failed to fire his head coach over the summer and, event though the Cavs have been steady atop the East, the perfectionist inside him forced to make a chance. Other coaches around the league expressed their sympathy for Blatt, who is now unemployed.
Cleveland Cavaliers
After making a beyond surprising change at the head coaching position, the Cavs inked their new head coach, Tyronn Lue to a three-year extension. With the way the Warriors have played this season, the hopes and confidence of many teams across the league has been buried. In Northeast Ohio, where fans and general managers are so thirsty for a title, the Cavs made a questionable decision that has not yet given them better results.
In Lue's first game as head coach, the Cavs lost their third home game of the season to the Bulls, which succeeded an emphatic home win to the red-hot Los Angeles Clippers in Blatt's final game. The future of LeBron James and his Cavaliers is becoming more cloudy. And their hope of an NBA Title will almost certainly have to wait another year. Running the East is all but guaranteed, but patience is something they clearly don't have.
Miami Heat
The Heat lost all three of their games last week and have been hampered by injuries. They entered Monday night having lost four straight and eight of their last ten games. Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic are each dealing with injuries, along with Josh McRoberts.
While Whiteside went down with a strained oblique last Wednesday against the Washington Wizards, Dragic has been sidelined since January 13 with a calf injury. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have carried the load for much of the season, but have been unable to succeed without their starting point guard and center. The Heat are hanging tough and should be in good shape once they return to full health but, for now, Erik Spoelstra needs to find ways to grind out wins.
NBA Big Men
The NBA All-Star starting lineups were announced last week and the tallest nominees are Kevin Durant and Paul George, each standing at 6'9". The age of the stretch four is in full force and no true power forwards or centers were elected to start by the fans.
While it will undoubtedly be entertaining to watch the small lineups showcase their skills, it is a detriment to big men around the league who's chances to be selected as reserves have dwindled. Could this be a sign of things to come in the NBA?