There's no way around it, the Boston Celtics are the hottest team in the NBA.
Four straight wins and nine wins out of their last 10 games have been enough for Boston to claim the best record in the league at 17-4. But while the Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks are in a class of their own record-wise, there are a few under-the-radar contenders in the East that might have the juice to challenge them down the stretch.
The Miami Heat will have another chance to avenge their Eastern Conference Finals loss to Boston in their second and third meetings of the season over the next three days, and Miami will do so with their own momentum having won three straight after a slow start.