Joe Johnson, Hawks
117-93 win vs. Clippers
28 pts, 10-14 FG, 7-8 3-pt FG

Deron Williams, Jazz
110-92 win at Celtics
32 pts, 7-10 FG, 17-18 FT

Allen Iverson, Nuggets
137-105 win vs. Raptors
28 pts, 9-12 FG,10-10 FT

Everyone tends to focus on New Orleans and Portland as two of the NBA’s most impressive surprises. But we need to start examining Philadelphia, which overcame an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit on Friday to topple Chicago and notch its sixth triumph in seven games. Andre Iguodala recorded 25 points, including splashing in two clutch free throws with 19.5 seconds left, eight rebounds, three assists and a block for the surging Sixers.

Paul Pierce, Celtics
110-92 loss vs. Jazz
8 pts, 1-7 FG, 0-3 3-pt FG

Manu Ginobili, Spurs
84-80 loss at Pistons
9 pts, 4-10 FG, 1-5 3-pt FG

Raymond Felton, Bobcats
89-80 loss at Rockets
4 pts, 2-14 FG, 0-2 3-pt FG

Tracy McGrady knew there was a palpable reason to play with nagging knee and back pain for the remainder of the season. Dikembe Mutombo realized returning for a 17th season and rejecting retirement had its purpose. Bobby Jackson recognized that getting traded last month to Houston wasn’t relegation at all. The entire Rockets organization, including Yao Ming, who is out for the rest of the year with a left foot fracture, understands their new place in NBA history. With an 89-80 triumph over Charlotte on Friday, Houston won its 21st straight and passed the 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks for the second most consecutive victories. Let’s realize the significance of this. The Rockets exceeded Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson and the legendary Bucks team that cruised to an NBA championship. Although still extremely far-flung from the all-time record mark of 33 straight wins, Houston now has its eyes on Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and the 1971-72 L.A. Lakers.

They are two of the most balanced and consistent teams of the decade. They emanate prestige and intellect, and easily should be considered the most trustworthy squads of today. The Spurs and Pistons, who met in the 2005 NBA Finals and have won a combined five championships in the last nine years, are commonly viewed as “the teams to beat” in their respective conferences. In what is traditionally a grueling, defensive-minded contest between these powers, it surely was no different on Friday as Richard Hamilton recorded seven of his 25 points in the final 21 seconds to secure Detroit’s triumph over San Antonio. The Pistons limited Manu Ginobili to just nine points, his lowest total since he scored nine on Feb. 6, and Tim Duncan to 9-of-23 shooting from the floor. Since winning a season-best 11 straight, the Spurs have lost four of their last five overall and four straight on the road.

Who says they are only a championship-contending team when they play at EnergySolutions Arena? We need to start raising the volume on the Jazz, whose sweet-sounding melody snapped the Celtics’ 10-game winning streak on Friday in Beantown. Utah, which is a league-best 28-3 at home, won its second straight on the road to, for now, silence the critics who suggest it can’t solidify its supremacy away from its building. Deron Williams recorded a game-high 32 points and eight assists. Boston clinched the division title, nonetheless, because Toronto lost.

Injuries to your team are like those annoying insects swarming the picnic table during a summer barbecue. You can swat at them all you want, but ultimately, they find their way back. As the postseason approaches, we must keep an eye on the health of each team. There were several scares on Friday as Pau Gasol, Ray Allen and David West left their respective games with ankle problems. Chris Paul also dealt with a sprained ankle, but managed to hobble to the finish line in New Orleans’ triumph over L.A. Chris Bosh, meanwhile, missed his eighth straight game with a sore right knee.

Adam Harrington has traveled around during his entire basketball career. While at N.C. State, Harrington became the first freshman in school history to lead the team in scoring. He, then, transferred to Auburn and earned Third Team All-SEC honors during his sophomore season. The Massachusetts native has seen it all and is now incorporating his experience and knowledge for the Tulsa 66ers. In their OT triumph over Rio Grande Valley on Friday, Harrington racked up 36 points and added seven assists and five rebounds. Desmon Farmer scored 44 for the Vipers.