2/12 @ BKN — I Know, the desk before tip-off Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in. Brooklyn comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 102 a night and allowing 98, shooting 44 percent and 31 from three, 19 free throws a game; C. Johnson at 16 and K. Johnson at 15 a game. Without Thomas (19 straight), Clowney (6 straight). One day's rest. Philadelphia comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 118, shooting 47 percent and 34 from three, 20 free throws a game; Maxey at 27 and Embiid at 26 a game. That is 4 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 11 a night. Without Okeke (2 straight), Drummond (2 straight), Bona (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. So: Brooklyn wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Brooklyn has been plus-4 a night and Philadelphia minus-11 and the defense, Brooklyn allowing 98 a night to Philadelphia's 118. Call it Brooklyn 112, Philadelphia 105.

2/20 vs BOS — I Know, the desk before tip-off Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in. Philadelphia comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 115, shooting 45 percent and 32 from three, 21 free throws a game; Embiid at 26 and Maxey at 26 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 12 a night. Without Okeke (3 straight), Lowry (2 straight). 7 days' rest. Boston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 105, shooting 48 percent and 38 from three, 17 free throws a game; Tatum at 29 and Porziņģis at 20 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 9 a night. Without Brown (2 straight), Holiday (4 straight). 7 days' rest. So: Boston wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Boston has been plus-9 a night and Philadelphia minus-12 and the defense, Boston allowing 105 a night to Philadelphia's 115. Call it Boston 114, Philadelphia 109.

2/22 vs BKN — I Know, the desk before tip-off Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in. Philadelphia comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 118, shooting 46 percent and 30 from three, 20 free throws a game; Embiid at 23 and Maxey at 22 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 10 a night. Without Okeke (4 straight), Lowry (3 straight). One day's rest. Brooklyn comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 100 a night and allowing 100, shooting 42 percent and 28 from three, 18 free throws a game; C. Johnson at 17 and Watford at 14 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Thomas (21 straight), Clowney (8 straight). One day's rest. So: Philadelphia wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Brooklyn has been plus-5 a night and Philadelphia minus-10 and the defense, Brooklyn allowing 100 a night to Philadelphia's 118. Call it Philadelphia 109, Brooklyn 108, Brooklyn keeping it close.

2/24 vs CHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in. Philadelphia comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 114, shooting 44 percent and 27 from three, 21 free throws a game; Maxey at 23 and Embiid at 21 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Edwards (2 straight), Okeke (5 straight), Lowry (4 straight). One day's rest. Chicago comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 125, shooting 41 percent and 32 from three, 22 free throws a game; Giddey at 18 and Vučević at 15 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 8 a night. Without Williams (2 straight). One day's rest. So: Philadelphia wins, and the game turns on the defense, Philadelphia allowing 114 a night to Chicago's 125 and the arc, Chicago at 32 percent from three to Philadelphia's 27. Call it Philadelphia 117, Chicago 111.