For the first time in the six-year history of the NBA Play-In Tournament, a 10-seed has clinched a playoff spot.
The Miami Heat toppled the Atlanta Hawks in overtime Friday night, 123-114, to secure the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. And with that, Miami will face the Cleveland Cavaliers, who led the East with 64 victories, in the first round.
Tyler Herro led all players with 30 points on 10-of-21 shooting, while Andrew Wiggins chipped in 20 points. Miami, however, got massive shots from newly-acquired point guard Davion Mitchell, who scored 16 points and flushed three 3-point shots in overtime.
Trae Young led the Hawks with 29 points, but the Hawks, for the second consecutive season, were eliminated from playoff contention in the Play-In Tournament.
Here are three takeaways from Friday’s Heat-Hawks play-in game:
It’s that time of the season: Heat focus, intensity ramping up
The Heat, a recent below-average regular season team, have now gone through the Play-In Tournament each of the past three years to get to the postseason. But, once there, the Heat usually have ramped up their competitive intensity and efficiency. Miami likes its identity to be one of grit and competitiveness; it will once again have to prove it.
Can this Heat team make a similarly historic run like the one from two years ago? It’s highly unlikely. That 2022-23 team often needed Jimmy Butler to go nuclear and this iteration of the Heat often slogs through offensive stretches — particularly in second halves. Friday night was a perfect example; the Heat had stretches at the starts of the third and fourth quarter when their shot selection regressed, leading to lazy defensive effort on the other end. In the fourth quarter, after Miami started the period 1-of-9 from the field, the Hawks momentarily took the lead.
The Heat lost an NBA-worst 15 games this season when carrying a lead into the fourth quarter. Miami led by nine entering the period Friday night. Its biggest lead in the game was 17. Cleveland won’t be as forgiving.
Hawks’ slow start, particularly from deep, looms large in defeat
In the modern NBA, leads come and go. It’s the nature of the up-tempo pace played today, highlighted by the fact that even big men can hit 3s. In elimination games, however, slow starts can be lethal. Atlanta discovered that Friday night.
The Hawks started the game 0-for-5 and Miami scored the game’s first 10 points. Atlanta made just one 3 out of its first 13 shots from beyond the arc. All-Star guard Trae Young didn’t get going until the fourth quarter. And while the Hawks did eventually hold a six-point lead in the fourth quarter, resilient teams like the Heat force teams into mistakes. The Hawks clearly missed Jalen Johnson (torn labrum), who was looking like a candidate for Most Improved Player before suffering the injury. Young can be a special player in the clutch. But he has never played with an All-Star teammate. He turns 27 in September. The Hawks must give him more help.
Heat depth shines, but can it continue in the playoffs?
Miami had six players reach double figures, and backup point guard Davion Mitchell — who played 40 minutes of game time — was massive down the stretch. He laced three 3-pointers in overtime and provided energy with hustle plays, including a debilitating offensive rebound that all but put Atlanta out of reach. Forward Haywood Highsmith was also clutch with 12 points, 10 rebounds and several key defensive stops.
Rookie center Ke’lel Ware was highly effective in just more than 20 minutes, scoring 12 points on 6-for-6 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds. Ware, who sometimes gets into foul trouble and still is finding his way defensively, plays more in first halves. The Heat may need more of him in the third and fourth quarter, however, with the Cavaliers boasting Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen — a pair of versatile bigs who can score and defend.