The Miami Heat have officially finished the NBA season as the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference. As such, they will enter the play-in tournament, where they will face the Chicago Bulls in the opening round.
Erik Spoelstra’s team has failed to beat the Bulls on all three occasions this season. As the 10th seed, the Heat must defeat the Bulls before then facing the loser of the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic. Therefore, Miami has to win two consecutive elimination games to qualify for the playoffs, where a matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers would be waiting for them.
Without Jimmy Butler, who is one of the biggest playoff risers in the NBA, the Heat’s chances of qualification look slim. Winning two straight play-in games is no easy feat. It’s also worth noting that in the last two seasons, where Miami has qualified for the playoffs via the play-in tournament, they dropped their opening game. The ability to lose and remain in contention isn’t afforded to the 10th seed.
If Andrew Wiggins is healthy, he will have a significant role to play. Wiggins was a major catalyst for the Golden State Warriors‘ surge to the 2022 championship. Bam Adebayo’s defense will also be key. Still, the Bulls are a tough opponent, especially since unlocking the Josh Giddey, Coby White and Matas Buzelis guard rotation.
Heat Want to Keep Davion Mitchell Around
Regardless of what happens over the new few games, it would appear the Miami Heat are keen on keeping Davion Mitchell beyond the current season. Mitchell will become an unrestricted free agent once the season reaches its conclusion.
“According to someone with direct knowledge, the Heat ideally would like to keep point guard Davion Mitchell, an impending restricted free agent who has thrived in a bench role recently after his February acquisition from Toronto,” Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported. “But the type of offers he gets in restricted free agency could force Miami’s hand.”
Mitchell has become a key contributor for Miami. His intense brand of defense and ability to navigate screens at pace have ensured he slots right into Erik Spoelstra’s system.
Tyler Herro Could be a Swing Factor
If the Heat are going to find a way of winning back-to-back knockout games, Tyler Herro will likely shoulder a significant amount of the offensive burden. The former Sixth Man of the Year has taken massive developmental strides this season and has shone in a bigger role.
Herro ended the regular season with averages of 23.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists. He’s shot 47.2% from the field and 37.5% from deep.
“He’s playing so patiently without the ball,” Spoelstra said during a March 29 news conference. “It’s really slowing down for him. The more aggressive you are, he’ll play off the ball. He’s playing less and less, bringing the ball up the court and running an angle pick and roll; he’s playing off a catch, playing off overreactions. He’s so skilled; if you are getting him on the move like that, he’s a handful. And he’s burning a lot less calories doing it as well. Guys are getting comfortable getting him the ball when he’s on the move.”
Herro has proven that he can be a primary or secondary option on a team. However, if the Heat want to get back to contending for championships, they must find a new star-level player to lead the team. That way, Herro can shine in a secondary option, while also operating as the lead creator.
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