The Miami Heat fell 109-105 at home to the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, hurting their chances of avoiding the play-in tournament.
The matchup was a game of runs, with both teams exchanging leads throughout the night. Miami fell behind by 16 points in the first quarter before rallying to take a 3-point lead in the second. However, Philly responded with a 20-1 run to retake a 16-point first-half lead.
The Heat made another comeback in the second half, building a 102-94 advantage with 6:28 remaining. However, they couldn't hold on down the stretch, as the Sixers closed the game on a 15-3 run to secure a four-point road victory.
Miami received a combined 42 points from point guard Terry Rozier and superstar forward Jimmy Butler. However, it wasn't enough to offset the elite performances of Philly stars Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid.
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Maxey tallied a game-high 37 points, nine rebounds, 11 assists and five 3-pointers on 57.7% shooting. Meanwhile, Embiid added 29 points, four rebounds, three assists and three 3s on 44.0% shooting in his second game back from injury.
The Heat's loss snapped their three-game winning streak, putting them in danger of falling behind the Sixers, who won their third consecutive game.
On that note, here’s a snapshot of Miami's standing in the Eastern Conference playoff picture with six games remaining.
Miami Heat Playoff Picture: Standings
Following Thursday's loss to Philly, the Heat (42-34) dropped to seventh in the East. They only have a 0.5-game advantage over the eighth-seeded Sixers (42-35).
However, Miami isn't in danger of falling further than eighth, given its 6.0-game edge over the ninth-placed Chicago Bulls (36-40).
The Heat also still have a prime opportunity to secure a top-six seed and avoid the play-in. They trail the sixth-seeded Indiana Pacers (43-34) by just 0.5 games.
Meanwhile, they are 3.0 games behind the fourth and fifth-seeded Orlando Magic (45-31) and New York Knicks (45-31). So, they have an outside chance of obtaining a top-four seed.
Miami Heat Playoff Picture: Schedule
Fortunately for Miami, it has the league's eighth-easiest remaining strength of schedule, with an average opponent winning percentage of .456.
Only two of the Heat's final six games come against above-.500 teams, including a key road matchup against Indiana on Sunday. Meanwhile, it has a favorable back-to-back home set against the shorthanded Toronto Raptors (23-53) to close the season. The Raptors have lost an NBA-leading 15 straight games.
So, the stage is set for Miami to end the year on a high note.
Miami Heat Playoff Picture: X-factor
The Heat have lacked consistent offensive production this season, ranking 21st in offensive rating (113.1). However, Rozier has been a bright spot lately, scoring 20-plus points in four straight games.
During that stretch, he is averaging a team-best 26.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 6.3 3-pointers per game on 50.7% shooting.
The Heat acquired the 30-year-old from the Charlotte Hornets ahead of the trade deadline to give them a much-needed offensive boost.
So, if Rozier can keep up his hot play to close the season, it should bode well for Miami's chances of securing a top-six finish.
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