The Miami Heat are right back where they’re most comfortable, the NBA Play-In Tournament. The Heat are 40-37 and are the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference. Miami is headed toward the Play-In Tournament for the fourth straight season.
So with that in mind, we asked our Sports Illustrated OnSI writers to weigh in: Are the Heat better off winning or losing in the play-in?
Ethan J. Skolnick
While it’s understandable that the majority of Miami Heat fans would prefer the team lose in the play-in, and move up a few slots in the draft order — and perhaps give themselves a better shot at the miracle they never get in the lottery — I’ll go the other way on this.
If you’re going to tank, well, then, tank. But if you’ve come this far, even if it’s out of stubbornness or stupidity or whatever, you need to at least see it through.
Yes, the Heat are likely five-game exits against any first round opponent, with maybe the Knicks presenting the best chance for a longer series, but there is some potential benefit to Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis getting some playoff burn, until Erik Spoelstra sits them down. Might as well get a couple of home playoff games, and just hope they’re not as embarrassing as the two against Cleveland last season.
Adam Simon and his scouting staff have shown that a couple of draft slots don’t really matter that much; they’ll find a good player in the first round, especially in a draft as deep as this one.