With only two games left, it’s all up to the Miami Heat now

It’s time for the Miami Heat to take the wheel.

Two games. That’s all that separates the Miami Heat from the 2018 NBA Playoffs.

With only matchups against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Toronto Raptors left, everyone is anxiously waiting to see who the Heat will face come April 14.

And at this point, the answer to that is just about anyone’s guess.

Currently 43-37, Miami sits sixth in the Eastern Conference. They’re just half a game ahead of the No. 7 Milwaukee Bucks, and a game above the eighth seeded Washington Wizards.

However, neither of these teams can take away from the Heat’s accomplishments, moving forward. Miami owns the tiebreakers over both Milwaukee and Washington, meaning that it’s solely up to them to hold on to that six spot.

As it stands, if the playoffs started right now, the Heat would be facing the Philadelphia 76ers, who at 49-30, sit third. The 76ers just beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 132-130, stripping LeBron James and company of their standing. But, with Philadelphia only half a game ahead, Dwyane Wade could very well meet his best friend in the first round.

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That is, if Miami doesn’t slip.

Taking an inexcusable 122-98 loss to the New York Knicks on Friday night, the Heat once again played down to their competition. The Knicks, who hold a record of 28-51, are No. 11 in the East, and have no business handing out 20+ point defeats. Yet, that’s exactly what went down versus Miami.

"“I hardly recognized our team tonight compared to who we’ve been and how we’ve been playing,” said head coach Erik Spoelstra."

The team’s explanation?

They thrive under duress.

"“Definitely credit to them but these are the hardest games to play,” said Wade. It’s easier to play against OKC on Monday than it is to play against the Knicks or Atlanta or Brooklyn…”"

While the Heat may already be thinking about the postseason, that doesn’t mean they aren’t taking their last two games seriously.

"“I want our guys to have this type of ending to a season – where they’re checking other games, still engaged, still want to play, still want to compete, still feel that we have something to play for, because we do,” Spoelstra explained. “…the last three spots for us are still up for grabs and who we’ll play, that will probably be decided on the last day.”"

Now some may argue that it would be better for Miami to drop to the No. 7 spot, and play the Boston Celtics instead. Especially with the recent announcement that Kyrie Irving will be missing the entirety of the playoffs. However, it’s not really in the organization’s nature to throw games on purpose. And it’s hard to imagine at least some of the guys wouldn’t want to duel against the Cavaliers.

While the 76ers are still going up against the Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta Hawks, the only remaining contests for Cleveland are facing the Knicks, twice.

And although James has claimed playoff seeding doesn’t matter to him, one has to believe he’d still rather come out third, than fourth.

Next: Why the Miami Heat should want to face the Philadelphia 76ers

What will this last week of play have in store for the Miami Heat? Wait and see.