The Nets always seem to be one massive distraction away from spiraling into turmoil, but they impressively have put their multitude of issues and a corresponding slow start behind them over the past two weeks.

Winners of eight of their last nine entering Friday’s visit to Toronto, the Nets have zoomed through a weak middle class in the Eastern Conference to a coveted top-4 spot, and one game behind No. 3 Cleveland at 17-12.

That’s an encouraging record considering they opened the season with five losses in seven games until Steve Nash was fired on Nov. 1. Despite also losing that night to the Bulls to fall to 2-6, they’ve gone 15-6 under replacement Jacque Vaughn, including last week’s win in Indiana with seven rotation regulars out of the lineup either due to injury or the dreaded load management designation.

So what does all of this mean for the final four months of the regular season, and does this recent stretch bode well for the Nets’ stated intention of vying for the first NBA championship in franchise history?