ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – The Miami Heat beat the Atlanta Hawks 123-114 in overtime on Friday night to advance out of the Play-In Tournament and into the NBA playoffs as the No. 8 seed to face the No. 1-seed Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round.
With the loss on Friday, the Hawks were eliminated from the postseason.
Miami (37-45) was up 62-53 at the half, but Atlanta (40-42) had a strong fourth quarter to make it eerily close in the final minutes. Hawks guard Trae Young made a layup in the final seconds of regulation to tie the game at 106, forcing overtime.
And that’s when the 3s started flying. Once overtime began, a combined seven 3-pointers were hit, with Davion Mitchell’s 26-foot 3-pointer with 24 seconds left putting the game away for the Heat.
Young was 9 for 22 with 29 points and 11 assists for the Hawks while forward Onyeka Okongwu scored 28 points while accumulating 12 rebounds and three steals. The team was 10 for 12 from the free throw line.
The Heat learned Friday morning that they would remain without five-time All-Star center Kevin Love, who had been away from the team since March 7 due to a family matter. His time in the NBA could be coming to an end sometime soon, and the Heat have said that they’d retire the 36-year-old’s No. 0 jersey when he calls it a career.
In his absence, the Heat shot 50% and 38.1% from beyond the arc and forced 13 turnovers. Tyler Herro led the way with 30 points. The team was 11 for 18 from the free throw line.
Game 1 of the first round between the Cavaliers and Heat will be on Sunday, April 20, at 7 p.m. ET.
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