Heat vs. Hawks: Play-In Showdown for Home Court

The Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks are on a collision course for a critical regular-season finale this Sunday night, with both teams having much to play for regarding playoff positioning. Miami has secured a spot in the play-in tournament for the fourth consecutive year. However, with one game remaining, they are fighting to earn home-court advantage for their subsequent play-in contest against the Charlotte Hornets. This requires a victory over the Hawks and a loss by the Hornets to the Knicks.

Atlanta, having clinched their first playoff berth since 2023, will enter the postseason as either the fifth or sixth seed in their conference. Their first-round opponent will be determined by their final standing, potentially facing the Cavaliers or the Knicks. Despite recent injury concerns for key players like Tyler Herro, the Heat demonstrated their depth in a recent 140-117 win over Washington, with players like Simone Fontecchio and Jaime Jaquez Jr. stepping up with significant scoring performances.