Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte: Three of the hottest teams in the league since the ASB, and we are likely going to face one of these teams in the first round. Which do you prefer?

The Eastern Conference is surging right now, while the West has been struggling as of late. The Warriors and the Spurs are the only teams out West with <10 losses since the break, whereas the East has 6 teams with under 10 losses. The Jazz, Mavericks, and Grizzlies are all .500 or less since the break, but there are no easy outs in the East right now – who knew??

As the playoff picture shapes up, it looks like Boston, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Miami will settle into the 3-6 seeds in some order. Atlanta, Miami, and Charlotte have been 3 of the best teams in the league since the All-Star break; all three teams have been in the top 7 for win percentage and in the top 6 for +/-. We are in a position right now of having to face one of these three streaking teams in the first round.

Here are some stats since the All-Star Break:

Boston Celtics (for reference)

Currently 46-32
14-9 record since ASB (9th best in NBA)
4-6 vs current playoff teams since ASB
Points for: 108.1 (since ASB)
Points against: 102.8 (since ASB)

Atlanta Hawks

Currently 46-32
15-8 record since ASB (7th best in NBA)
7-6 vs current playoff teams since ASB
Points for: 104.2 (since ASB)
Points against: 97.6 (since ASB)
2-1 vs BOS this season (L13, W24, W8)
Notes: Atlanta was a disappointment this season after breaking out last year, but they have been heating up on both sides of the ball. They have the 3rd highest point differential since the break behind only SAS and GSW. They always play well against the Celtics, going 2-1 against them last year and 2-1 again so far this year. Paul Millsap and Al Horford are a troublesome 1-2 punch in the frontcourt; in the 3 games against us this year, they have combined to shoot 42/77 (55%).

Charlotte Hornets

Currently 45-33
18-7 record since ASB (3rd best in NBA behind only SAS and GSW)
5-6 vs current playoff teams since ASB
Points for: 105.1 (since ASB)
Points against: 99.7 (since ASB)
0-2 vs BOS this season (L5, L13)
Notes: On the surface it appears we probably match up best against the Hornets, since the majority of their scoring is from the PG/SG/SF positions where we defend best. However, they are an incredibly well-disciplined team and they are great at protecting the ball: they have had the lowest TO/G in the league for the past 3 seasons. They don't make a lot of mistakes and they beat the teams they are supposed to beat (13-1 since the All-Star break against non-playoff teams). They are overlooked night in and night out, and that 18-7 record since the break is no joke (they beat a full-strength Spurs team a few weeks ago). They hit a lot of threes -- 4th in 3PM/G and 6th in 3P% -- and have at least 4 three-point shooters on the floor at all times. Also worth noting is that we didn't face Al Jefferson in either matchup so far this year. Although he isn't the player he used to be, he's still a low post offensive threat.

Miami Heat

Currently 45-32
16-8 record since ASB (5th best in NBA)
4-6 vs current playoff teams since ASB
Points for: 108.1 (since ASB)
Points against: 102.8 (since ASB)
0-2 vs BOS this season (L10, L12)
Notes: Potentially the scariest team in the East outside of Cleveland and Toronto, and health is the only thing holding them back. Chris Bosh is the major wildcard here, and nobody knows if he will be able to play in the playoffs, but they have been killing it recently without him. The addition of Joe Johnson and the emergence of Josh Richardson have been crucial to their team success -- they are shooting a crazy 70/135 (52%) from three since the break. When they get hot, watch out. In their last 23 games, they have 7 wins of at least 16 point, including a 21-point beating of Cleveland.

We face all three of these teams in our final four games, so it's going to be a very interesting finish to say the least.