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The Good, Bad and Miami Heat Culture: Tank or playoffs?

By Lauren Gewirtz

The Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade (3) celebrates after hitting a 3-pointer at the buzzer in the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warrios at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019. The Heat won, 126-125. (David Santiago/Miami Herald/TNS via Getty Images)
The Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade (3) celebrates after hitting a 3-pointer at the buzzer in the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warrios at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019. The Heat won, 126-125. (David Santiago/Miami Herald/TNS via Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTE, NC – FEBRUARY 16: Dwyane Wade #3 of Team LeBron gives Pat Riley a fist bump before the game against Team Giannis during 2019 All-Star Practice and Media Availability on February 16, 2019 at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC – FEBRUARY 16: Dwyane Wade #3 of Team LeBron gives Pat Riley a fist bump before the game against Team Giannis during 2019 All-Star Practice and Media Availability on February 16, 2019 at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Bad

Ah, if only there was nothing to say here.

The Heat are in a weird place right now at 28-34 and No. 10 in the Eastern Conference, just one-half game behind the No. 8 seed. That being said, there has been no way to even know for certain if they will make the playoffs or are going to tank.

This is a team that lost to the Denver Nuggets and beat the Golden State Warriors just a few days apart. As with this entire season, there has been a lot of unknown and a lot of inconsistencies.

A few weeks ago and up until Wade hit that game-winner against the Warriors, I thought it would be best for this team to tank. They could get a decent draft pick, draft another player to add to the young core and start a building process from there. Plus, as mentioned in The Good, Riley has said that he is going to make an effort to sign two max-contract players next summer.

However, when Wade hit that shot, it was like a switch flipped. That might have been the last game-winner that fans see from Wade. It might be one of the few ‘lasts’ left for him.

For that reason, the Heat should use these last six weeks of the season to make a hard push for that No. 8 seed. This season has been about Wade’s #OneLastDance and will be remembered because of him, so the opportunity should be there for him to make a playoff appearance one last time.

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