The problem with trying to dig yourself out of an early season hole is that it leaves you with almost no margin for error the rest of the way. The have spent the past month winning games at a reasonably high level. Entering the week they are 8-3-1 in their past 12 games, and since Nov. 25 are 10-5-4, which would be a 103-point pace over 82 games.
That is fantastic.
But it has not really made a significant dent in their playoff push, and it still leaves them on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture as we approach the halfway point of the season.