Heat close regular season with rout of Hawks, with Hornets up next in play-in
· Yahoo Sports
MIAMI — No, not something you necessarily shout loud and proud.
Visit bettingx.club for more information.
But for the Miami Heat, it is what resonates after the regular season for a second consecutive year: We’re No. 10.
And that they are, off to Charlotte for a play-in game against the Hornets, with the loser finished for the season and the winner going on the road for an all-or-nothing Friday night road play-in game.
Sunday night’s 143-117 victory at Kaseya Center over the disinterested Atlanta Hawks gave the Heat a 43-39 closing record, a six-game improvement over last season, when they also finished No. 10 in the Eastern Conference, But the result otherwise was largely moot, with the Hornets’ Sunday victory in New York securing the No. 9 seed and the right to host the Heat.
Had the Hornets lost that game, the Heat, with their victory, would have hosted the Nos. 9-10 play-in game.
Charlotte wound up strolling to victory with the Knicks sitting their rotation players, just as the Hawks sat out their regulars against the Heat.
All it took for the Heat on Sunday night against a disinterested opponent was a sizzling scoring start from Bam Adebayo, who closed with 25 points and 10 rebounds, a 26-point outing from Jaime Jaquez Jr. and a welcomed bench boost from Norman Powell, who closed with 25 points.
Five degrees of Heat from Sunday night’s game:
— The pathway: With the clarity of Sunday’s regular-season finales, the Heat’s postseason pathway is now set.
With a victory over the Hornets in the play-in opener, the Heat would play the loser of the Orlando Magic-Philadelphia 76ers Nos, 7-8 game on the road on Friday night for the right for the final playoff spot.
With two play-in victories, the Heat would play the No. 1 Detroit Pistons in the best-of-seven opening round of the playoffs starting Sunday at Little Caesars Arena, extending their playoff streak to a franchise-record seven consecutive seasons.
With a loss in the play-in round, the Heat would be seeded into the lottery for the first time since 2019.
— Game flow: The Heat led 33-24 after the opening period, pushed their lead to 18 in the second period, but saw their lead down to 70-61 at halftime.
The Hawks then trimmed their deficit to five early in the third period, before the Heat went into the fourth up 99-84.
While the Heat opened with a representative lineup of Adebayo, Kel’el Ware, Andrew Wiggins, Tyler Herro and Davion Mitchell, the Hawks sat anyone and everyone of note, as they closed as the No. 5 seed in the East.
Held out by the Hawks were Nickeil Alexander-Walker (toe ), Dyson Daniels (toe), Jalen Johnson (rest), Jonathan Kuminga (knee), Jock Landale (ankle), CJ McCollum (rest), Onyeka Okongwu (finger) and Gabe Vincent (knee).
— Powell play: The contribution by Powell was particularly meaningful, amid his largely uneven, injury-riddled second half of the season.
Playing in reserve for the sixth time this season, Powell was up to 14 points by halftime, again in an either/or rotation with Herro.
Powell missed Friday night’s victory in Washington with groin soreness, listed as questionable earlier in the day Sunday.
Sunday, he closed 8 of 18 from the field, 3 of 7 on 3-pointers.
— Possible, not likely: While Ware started his second consecutive game after playing off the bench the previous 11, a start against the Hornets in the play-in game would seem unlikely due to the Hornets’ volume of 3-point attempts.
Ware continues to play mostly in drop coverage or as an anchor to the Heat zone, an approach that would play into the hands of Charlotte’s 3-point shooting.
The opportunity to start was there for Ware on Sunday night with Pelle Larsson sidelined by a leg contusion.
Ware closed with 16 points and seven rebounds Sunday, closing 4 of 5 on 3-pointers.
— Still chase mode: While Adebayo has not been shy about his goal of passing Udonis Haslem for the Heat’s all-time lead in rebounds, that pursuit now is put on hold for another season.
Adebayo entered Sunday’s game 45 rebounds from the total of his predecessor as Heat captain, now 35 down going into next season.
____