The Cavaliers have been the hottest team during the last six weeks. Record-wise, the Hawks are the best team in the NBA. But based on current form, Cleveland is better than Atlanta right now.




The Hawks aren't quite in the same great form they showed earlier this season although still are plenty good. But with home-court advantage through-out the conference playoffs all but locked up, the Hawks don't have quite the motivation and incentive the Cavaliers do as the Cavaliers are in a dog fight for the second seed in the East.




The Hawks have won the last two meetings in the series, both of which occurred in December. Cleveland is different and better since then as newcomers and supplemental pieces J.R. Smith, Timofey Mozgov and Iman Shumpert have fit in well and upgraded the Cavaliers' defense.




The Hawks have four All-Stars but none of them are as good as LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.