NBA standings 2013: Pacers alone atop the Central, Spurs keep winning

Tim Duncan was having a renaissance season for the San Antonio Spurs, made another All-Star team and reclaimed his title as the best player on his team before a knee injury forced him out of six of the Spurs' last eight games. But even as Duncan defied the laws of aging, the Spurs continue to defy the laws of reason, winning all six of those games, including last night against the Timberwolves. They're now on an 11-game winning streak, and they're 1.5 games up on the Thunder for the top spot in the Western Conference.

Elsewhere, the Nuggets, winners of seven straight games, have moved past the Grizzlies in the standings for the fourth spot in the playoffs, a huge development because of how powerful the Nuggets' home-court advantage (read: sea-level) is.

Out east, the Pacers have taken their lead back in the Central Division over the Chicago Bulls. They're one game back, but Derrick Rose's return might as well have the Jaws soundtrack playing behind it at all times, because it's looming very large over the playoff picture in the East.

Near the top of the pile, the Knicks' loss to the Wizards last night dropped them to 1.5 games behind the Miami Heat, who beat the Rockets. If the Knicks can make up ground on the Heat, they will probably have the tiebreaker, so that's fun!