The final spot offered in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament will come down to a Southeastern Division showdown between the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat.
Two mainstays of the NBA Play-In Tournament will determine one of its final spots offered.
The Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat will fight for something far greater than Southeastern Division pride at the onset of the weekend, as the winner of their Friday clash will secure the eighth and final seed on the Eastern Conference playoff bracket.
Eighth-ranked Atlanta has pulled bittersweet hosting duties after falling by a 120-95 final to No. 7 Orlando on Tuesday. The Hawks were unable to keep pace with Orlando’s depth, as reserves Cole Anthony and Anthony Black united for 42 points. Trae Young put in a game-best 28 for Atlanta, but his night was defined by a late ejection earned through two technical fouls with just under five minutes remaining. This is Atlanta’s record fourth consecutive showing in the Play-In Tournament and they previously earned spots to the primary tournament in 2022 and 2023.
The Heat, which placed 10th in the East, earned the Atlanta visit with a 109-90 demolition of the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. Tyler Herro hit his first eight shots en route to a 38-point showing in a game where the Heat led by as much as 25. The advantage never got lower than 13 in the second half, allowing Miami to earn its third Play-In Tournament win in franchise history. To date, the Heat is the only Play-In Tournament participant to reach the NBA Finals, pulling that feat off in 2023.
Atlanta and Miami have split four meetings this season, the last being a 122-11 triumph for South Beach on March 27.
__________________________________________________________
Who: (10) Miami Heat @ (8) Atlanta HawksWhat: Eastern Conference Play-In TournamentWhen: Friday, 7 p.m. ET, TNTWhere: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GAWager: ATL -1.5
__________________________________________________________
Hawk to Watch: Trae Young
The Hawks can showcase their supposed future all they want: Dyson Daniels enjoyed a noticeable Peach State breakout in his third season (leading the league in steals) while surprise teenage top draft pick Zaccharie Risacher held his own on the NBA circuit. Ultimately, however, this Hawks era still belongs to Young, who is still chasing the high of his maiden playoff voyage in 2021. Even a win in Friday might not be enough to extend his stay in Atlanta, but he no doubt has something to prove after his embarrassing ejection for “making a mockery of the game” on Tuesday night. But he can at least provide one last red memory in front of an adoring public before the endless transactional talk cycle begins.
South Floridian to Watch: Kel’el Ware
It’s sometimes hard for a team like the Heat, constantly lingering in the realm of contention, to find homegrown talents in the draft. But Ware, the 15th overall choice in last June’s proceedings, has gotten a chance to shine, especially with sizable entrants like Jimmy Butler and Nikola Jovic disappearing in the latter portions of this season. Ware proved to be a stabilizing force as Miami got back on track in the final stages, averaging 11.1 points and 10.0 rebounds in the final dozen. Though the Hawks may be missing some rebounding firepower (i.e. Clint Capela), they’re still capable of hogging the glass, especially when it comes to the second chances of Onyeka Okongwu. One more fantastic freshman effort from Ware could be what propels them into the playoffs.
__________________________________________________________
What They’re Saying
“I’m not letting [the ejection] dwindle. I’m not letting people think about what I’m feeling and things like that. Obviously, I told [the officials] I was sticking up for the squad, and I’m not going to let the refs frustrate me like that in our next game. I know we’ve got win or go home next game and I’m going to be ready. I told the team I’m gonna be ready for them and we got to take care of business.”-Trae Young on Tuesday’s game (h/t Atlanta Hawks)
“I’ve really enjoyed this team, coaching this team, working with this team … You have an opportunity to grow closer together, which is what happened from that 10-game losing streak. This team did not fold.”-Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra (h/t Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald)
__________________________________________________________
Prediction
The Hawks and Heat are engaged in different forms of desperation: Atlanta is trying to salvage something from its season after a solid start (featuring a trip to the Las Vegas portions of the NBA Cup) that was convincing them it that its current set-up was working. Miami, on the other hand, is seeking some form of respect before an intriguing offseason, one where they’re expected to take their usual place in the thick of the most prominent pursuits (i.e. Kevin Durant, Domantas Sabonis).
The Play-In Tournament, in this case, favors cases like the Hawks, who carry the necessary firepower capable of sustaining a soft purse that nonetheless proves to be a landmark after the Heat doused Jimmy Butler from their roster. Having played respectably in recent weeks, Miami’s capable of keeping it close but a determined Young should provide the difference under admittedly poignant circumstances.
Atlanta 114, Miami 109
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
