4. Root for the Cleveland Cavaliers to hold onto the No. 3 seed
The Cavaliers are a half-game up on the New York Knicks for the third seed in the East. PlayoffStatus.com gives the Cavs a 45% chance of holding onto No. 3 and the Knicks a 26% chance of passing them in the standings.
For the Heat’s sake, they should be rooting for Cleveland to hold on. The Cavs are 9-13 since the All-Star break and Donovan Mitchell hasn’t looked like the MVP candidate he once was since returning from injury.
Meanwhile, the Knicks have dealt with as many injuries as the Heat have, but that hasn’t stopped them from winning seven of their last 10 games. Jalen Brunson is going to finish in the top three of some MVP ballots – and he might deserve it.
Heat-Knicks was a competitive series last year and it could be argued that the physicality of that series played a factor in Miami losing steam in the second half of the Eastern Conference finals. The Heat would rather steer clear of that rock fight.
If the Heat end up getting the sixth seed, they would face the third seed. Seeing the Cavs in the first round would be the preferable opponent.