The Miami Heat are priming themselves for a run through the Eastern Conference playoffs, but have managed to maintain the top seed in the conference regular season for quite some time now. With the end of the season drawing near, you not only have teams making their final tweaks and adjustments to their rosters and rotations, but all while jockeying for the final position.
When it comes to the Miami Heat’s chances to go into the postseason with the top seed, 54 wins should be enough to get them there. Currently at 47 after their most recent win over Oklahoma City, the Miami Heat should be able to pull that record out.
Though it may not be their ambition, it would, at least, make things a bit more comfortable as far as home-court advantage goes. That’s about the most you can say for seeding in the East right now though, as some of the most talented teams have been volatile and in flux with their rosters for much of the season.
The Miami Heat are battling for the East’s top seed. With help from the Bucks Saturday and a chance to help themselves Monday, they can widen the gap.
There is also this. Perhaps the Miami Heat don’t care about the top seed as much as it may seem either.
Here is a recent thought on the topic from the head coach, Erik Spoelstra. He said it prior to a recent win over Detroit.
"“It’s more about trying to get to a better level than where we are right now,” Spoelstra said, with the Heat 4-3 in their previous seven going into the matchup with the Pistons. “And I think it’s always good to learn how to win games, even in this last stretch. So wherever that puts you, you’ll be where you are at the end of the year.“But I think if you build that habit of competing at a high level, finding solutions and learning how to win, and learning how to win in different ways and going through shared adversity collectively and figuring it out, I think is always important.”"
The Miami Heat’s head man couldn’t be more right but again, the opportunity to play, sleep, and remain in the confines of your home city more than you aren’t can’t be understated. Their chances of doing so got that much better on Saturday too, while they can continue to propel that notion on Monday.
They got help from the second-placed Bucks on Saturday, as they were defeated by Minnesota to widen the Heat’s gap on the conference, while Miami will have a chance to do so themselves on Monday in a matchup with Joel Embiid, James Harden, and the third-placed Philadelphia 76ers.
With opportunity before them to seal the deal on the top seed and a chance to send a message to another top contender in the conference on Monday, look for Miami to put their best foot forward then and as they head down the stretch of the season.