Hottest Teams in Each Conference

(USA Today Sports)

Eastern Hotties:

Brooklyn Nets

(hoopshype.com)

The Brooklyn Nets are the best team in basketball. They have shown an ability to turn on the switch and elevate their 26th rated defense when it matters most and pull out important games. Their offensive rating of 118.5 per 100 possessions is currently 1st in the NBA and would finish #1 All Time. This Nets team is currently, quite literally, the best offense of all time. Brooklyn is 8-2 in their last 10 with wins over the Lakers, Clippers, and Suns. All those wins were on the road and without KD. James Harden has elevated himself to an MVP level, KD is a top 3 player in the league, and Kyrie is having his best season ever. They are the definition of hot.

New York Knicks

(@nyknicks)

It’s late enough into the season that the bad teams have leveled out and returned to being bad. Teams with a hot start are now back in their familiar place at the bottom of the standings. But the Knicks are the 4 seed right now. They are 18-17 through their first 35, which is their best start in 10 years. Coach Thibs has done it again, turning around a young franchise and making them competitive. Julius Randle was named an All-Star and they have won 7 of their last 10. New York has been getting contributions from guards Derrick Rose and Immanuel Quickley, while seeing steady growth in R.J. Barrett’s game. Barrett’s numbers are up across the board in points, rebounds, and assists. I’m close to calling the Knicks a lock for the East Playoffs, which is something I thought I’d have zero chance saying at the beginning of the season.

Miami Heat

(Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

The Miami Heat are starting to look like the Eastern Conference Champions again. Their year started off terribly with long term losses of Goran Dragic and Jimmy Butler. Since getting both of them back, the Heat have picked up where they left off in Disney World. The Heat are 13-8 with Jimmy Butler on the floor this year and 4-9 without him. Jimmy has been making this wheel roll and controls much of the success of Miami. They lean on him to be a steading force on both ends of the floor. The Heat are now on a 6 game win streak that dates back to a February 17th overtime loss to the Warriors. Since then, the Heat have beaten the Defending Champion Los Angeles Lakers and the hottest team in the league, the Utah Jazz. Miami is showing us a way to grind out wins when Jimmy is out there, much like they did in the bubble. They are the hottest team in the East right now.

Western Hotties:

Dallas Mavericks

(Nathaniel S. Butler via Getty Images)

Dallas is like the Miami of the West. I think that’s the actual town nickname. Dallas started off the year in rough shape with one of their key players out of the lineup. Kristaps Porzingis was on the sideline and Dallas quickly found themselves in the basement of the West. In the past month or so, Dallas has climbed back into the Playoff picture. They are 7-3 over their last 10 with wins over the Warriors, Celtics, and Nets. Luka Doncic has taken his game to another level in the past month, averaging over 30 PPG, along with 8 rebounds and 9 assists. Dallas has turned things around, but they still need to take the leap we all expected. There’s still time, and for now, they are one of the hottest teams in the Western Conference.

Phoenix Suns

(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

This year’s Suns team seems like a little bit better version of last years Thunder. Chris Paul is in similar situations with both teams. Paul turned a noncompetitive roster into the 5th seed in the West last year in OKC. He lead them to a Game 7 in the first round of the Playoffs and nearly upset Houston. Paul is leading a similar charge with the Suns this year. Instead of his young star being Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, he has Devin Booker. He has DeAndre Ayton down low, Jae Crowder on the wing, and Cam Johnson and his nice fro knocking down 3s. This Suns team has more talent than people think and are becoming a force in the West. They have won 8 of their last 10 games. Phoenix has an impressive 11-5 record on the road this season and have been able to consistently pull out wins against good teams. They are ranked in the top 10 in offensive and defensive rating, which has lead to wins over the Trail Blazers, Sixers, and Bucks recently. The Suns are fun to watch and a lock to be a Playoff team this year, a first since 2010.

Utah Jazz

(Lauren Bacho/Getty Images)

Idk if this counts cause the Jazz have been hot all season, but they’re still the hottest team in the league. Utah has been the best team in basketball since opening tip this season. The Jazz have had an 11 game winning streak and a 9 game winning streak already this season. They have 27 wins, the most by any team in either conference so far and an offensive and defensive rating in the top 5. 2nd and 3rd respectively. Utah has won 8 of their last ten and just continue to chunk together wins. It will be interesting to see how much respect they get heading into the Playoffs. Not many see them as a title contender, but they have been the best and hottest team in the league for a while now.