Miami Heat Check Gaming: Controlling their own destiny

It’s all on the line for Miami Heat Check Gaming.

In the NBA, we talk about teams winning the matchups they’re supposed to win and preparing themselves to be ready for the biggest games on the schedule.

Last night, Heat Check Gaming was able to do just that, behind a triple-double from league MVP finalist HOTSHOT (Juan Gonzalez).

Last night’s matchup versus Kings Guard Gaming was a makeup game from week 11, due to inclement weather.

I’m going to stop you right there.

Yes, the weather does affect the NBA 2K League. There are 17 teams in the league, each located in the city of their NBA affiliate. So the storms that hit the northeast last weekend hindered Sacramento from making the trip to the Brooklyn, New York studio where all league games are played.

In this league, team members select an archetype for their avatar before the start of each game.

Heat Check rolled out with a squad that was sure to feature their team leader.

From top to bottom, their lineup was as follows: Shot-Creating Sharpshooter (MAJES7IC), Pure Sharpshooter (24K DROPOFF), Shot-Creating Slasher (HOTSHOT), Sharpshooting Rim Protector (SHARPSHOOTERLOS), and a Slashing Stretch Five (JALEN03303).

As you can tell from the number of times you see “sharpshooter” on that list, HOTSHOT is the primary ball handler, surrounded by 3-point shooters.

Kings Guard Gaming was in last place entering last nights matchup with red-hot Heat Check and looked destined to stay there.

Heat Check is the hottest team in the league, coming into the studio on a four game winning streak and leaving the studio on a five game one.

The first quarter was close, with the Heat leading 17-16. For those that have played NBA 2K, you could tell by watching that Miami was toying with its food. Heat Check primary runs a 5-out set that allows space for HOTSHOT to operate.

Last night was no different, but they took advantage of the Kings decision to have TIMELYCOOK (Eric Donald) on a Slashing Defender opposite HOTSHOT. They had plenty of opportunities for MAJES7IC and 24K DROPOFF to showcase their patience and play-making abilities, while HOTSHOT was dealing with having a defender archetype following him wherever he went.

From the second quarter on, the Heat lead was somewhere between 7-15 points, but honestly felt like 20-25. Multiple Kings players were seen with their heads either straight ahead or down during timeouts with no communication. They had that look of “When will this game end?” all over their faces. Their body language was consumed with disgust for the game, and there was nothing they could do about it.

I couldn’t help but notice WORTHINGCOLT (Jhade Black) go 7-of-19 from the field (3-for-10 from deep). With every miss off the rim, you could see the the Kings fall deeper and deeper into the sunken place.

The Heat (especially HOTSHOT) made sure to stand up and chirp across the stage at the Kings players every chance he got. With everyone able to score, despite the Kings having two defensive archetypes on the court, it was hard to notice the Kings out-rebounded the Heat 26-16.

Although their rebounding was tremendous thanks to MOOTYY and their field goal percentage was high (58 percent,) you just can’t win a game where you give up nine more turnovers than your opponent, with five of them being live-ball situations that lead to easy, fast-break layup opportunities for 24K DROPOFF (22 points, 4-of-8 from deep) and MAJES7IC (16 points, 9 assists).

The Heat finished off Kings Guard 80-69.

Now we pivot to the high drama that is any last week of any league’s regular season.

Heat Check Gaming is currently in fourth place (8-4), with two more regular season games remaining tomorrow, August 11 (at Toronto, vs. Memphis).

They are solely in control of their own destiny and are looking to win both games.

If they win one of two, they punch their ticket to the playoffs next weekend. But if they are able to win both games, they guarantee themselves a top four seed.

We won’t have to spend all day tomorrow waiting around, since the Heat open up the broadcast vs. No.9 Raptors Uprising GC at 11 AM. This is the game that’s circled on the Heat’s schedule.

The Raptors are currently 7-6 on the season, along with Cavs Legion GC, Wizards District Gaming, and Celtics Crossover Gaming. No matter what, one of these teams are guaranteed not to make the playoffs, thanks to the No.12 Knicks Gaming.

New York somehow completed the biggest Cinderella Story of the season, by winning the play-in game vs. Warriors Gaming Squad (due to both their low records), then continuing on a three-game winning streak against opponents of increasing difficulty, to win the last regular season tournament of the year, THE TICKET.

Usually, tournament winners get a cash bonus and recognition, but the winners of this particular tournament got a cash bonus of $75,600 to be split evenly amongst the six members of the team, and an automatic bid to playoffs regardless of record.

Heat Check Gaming’s HOTSHOT entered the NBA 2K League’s record books last night, by becoming the fifth player in history to finish a game with a triple-double (28 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists), and they’re going to need every bit of that plus help from “the others,” to remain in the top half of the standings.

Every player knows they do not want to be mixed into the fray of the bottom four teams trying not to get ousted by Knicks Gaming, so they’ve set a simple goal for themselves: Win Out.