Southeast Division Teams Surge as Playoff Chase Intensifies

Hawks, Magic, Heat and Hornets all on hot streaks, making the Southeast Division one of the NBA's most competitive regions

Mar. 17, 2026 at 5:12pm

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The Southeast Division of the NBA has seen a resurgence in recent weeks, with the Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, and Charlotte Hornets all going on impressive winning streaks. This has made the division one of the most competitive in the league, with the possibility of it sending four teams to the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

Why it matters

The strong play of the Southeast Division teams has created an exciting playoff race, with the teams feeding off each other's success. This is a stark contrast to last season, when the division was historically bad. The improved play of these teams could make for an exciting finish to the regular season and potentially the playoffs.

The details

The Hawks are on a 10-game winning streak, their best stretch in over 11 years. The Magic and Heat have each won 7 straight games, while the Hornets are making a push for their first playoff berth in a decade. Overall, the 5 teams in the division are a combined 40-25 since the All-Star break, the best mark of any division in the NBA during that span.

  • The Hawks' 10-game winning streak began after a loss to the Heat on February 20.
  • The Magic, Heat, and Hornets have all won 7 straight games since the All-Star break.

The players

Quin Snyder

Head coach of the Atlanta Hawks.

Erik Spoelstra

Head coach of the Miami Heat.

Jamahl Mosley

Head coach of the Orlando Magic.

Paolo Banchero

Star forward for the Orlando Magic.

Kon Knueppel

Rookie for the Charlotte Hornets who is a serious challenger for Rookie of the Year.

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What they’re saying

“Everybody also knows what time it is right now. You have to make moves. You have to do something. And we knew that coming out of All-Star break.”

— Erik Spoelstra, Head coach of the Miami Heat

“We're both competitors. There were times where I was frustrated and I wasn't playing as well as I think I should be. But it never became me pointing the finger at him or being disrespectful. It was all constructive; he's talking to me, I'm talking to him. And winning, it cures everything.”

— Paolo Banchero, Star forward for the Orlando Magic

“Everybody's trying to be aggressive but also solid at the same time. I think that's really important. We don't want to be gambling. We just want to make people work.”

— Quin Snyder, Head coach of the Atlanta Hawks

What’s next

With less than a month remaining in the regular season, the jostling between the Hawks, Heat, Magic and Hornets for playoff positioning could go down to the wire. The Southeast Division's four contending teams will look to continue their strong play and secure their spots in the postseason.

The takeaway

The resurgence of the Southeast Division has created an exciting playoff race, with four teams - the Hawks, Magic, Heat and Hornets - all playing at a high level and pushing each other. This is a stark contrast to last season, when the division was historically bad, and shows the competitive nature of the NBA this year.