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Miami Heat: Games with playoff implications for Heat fans to watch this week

WASHINGTON, DC -  MARCH 23: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat signs autographs after the game against the Washington Wizards on March 23, 2019 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC -  MARCH 23: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat signs autographs after the game against the Washington Wizards on March 23, 2019 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
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PORTLAND, OR – MARCH 23: Langston Galloway #9 of the Detroit Pistons reacts during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers on March 23, 2019 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. 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 Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR – MARCH 23: Langston Galloway #9 of the Detroit Pistons reacts during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers on March 23, 2019 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. 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 Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Detroit Pistons outlook

The Pistons currently hold the seventh seed and are in by far the most secure spot of the three teams. With just nine game left and a two-game lead over the ninth-place Charlotte Hornets, it would take a disaster for the Pistons to miss the playoffs.

If you’ve watched enough Detroit basketball, though, you know disaster is always lurking.

The Pistons now have the toughest schedule of the three teams, facing a combined winning percentage of 51.5 percent. It’s tough, but it’s not especially daunting as it ranks the 11th-most difficult remaining schedule.

The Pistons travel from Oakland to face the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday. The Nuggets are tied with the Milwaukee Bucks for the best home record in the NBA at 30-6, so the Pistons are in for a major challenge.

Following that matchup, they’ll return home to face the Orlando Magic on Thursday, a game which depending on how things go for the Magic against the 76ers and Heat could have dire implications for the Pistons.

They’ll wrap the week up at home facing the Portland Trail Blazers for the second time in seven days. The Blazers have the second-worst road record among Western Conference playoff teams at 17-18 and they’ll be without C.J. McCollum, but Damian Lillard is tough anywhere he plays.

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