Though mired in their third extended losing streak of the season, coach George Karl said he believes the Milwaukee Bucks remain in relatively good standing in the days leading to the all-star break.

Comfortably atop the Central Division despite a three-game losing streak, the Bucks have three showdown games this week against Eastern Conference challengers from the Atlantic Division.

Tuesday they play the surprising Boston Celtics before going Thursday to New Jersey, which leads the conference. And on Saturday, the Bucks return home to face Philadelphia for the first time at the Bradley Center since the Eastern Conference finals last year.

All three are what Karl calls statement games, the kind the Bucks need to win in order to establish favorable positioning in the conference before the break begins on Feb. 8.