Q: Ira, play-in loss and pray for a top lottery pick for a star player. Let\u2019s be\u00a0 here. \u2013 Ray, Miami.<\/p>\n
A: Let\u2019s be real here: If the Heat lose in the play-in, they likely will be seeded No. 13 or No. 14 in the lottery. If they make it out of the play-in, no matter what happens in the playoffs, they likely will be No. 15. Yes, the lottery adds the luck factor,\u00a0 but as Tankathon noted after Monday night\u2019s victory over the 76ers<\/a>, the Heat in the lottery would be seeded for a 0.5% chance of the No. 1 pick and a 2.4% chance of a top-four pick. OK, I\u2019ll bite: Things that have a roughly 2% chance of happening are being born with green eyes, being born a redhead or having fraternal twins. So, yes, if the Heat chose to lose in the play-in, it would increase their chances of drafting a green-eyed redhead who is a fraternal twin. (That said, I asked Google Gemini: \u201cNBA player with green eyes and red hair who is a twin?\u201d The answer spit out was thus: \u201cThe NBA player you\u2019re likely thinking of is Cody Martin (or his identical twin brother, Caleb Martin). While most fans identify them by their athleticism or college careers at NC State and Nevada, they are among the few prominent NBA players with a distinct combination of light\/greenish eyes and hair that often has a reddish or auburn tint, especially when grown out or viewed under bright arena lights.\u201d)<\/p>\n Q:\u00a0 Let\u2019s hope sincerely we end up 8th seed or higher. \u2013 Klif.<\/p>\n A: So someone willing to value the play-in over the lottery? Interesting. But, yes, if the play-in is viewed by the Heat as a vehicle toward more of a successful season, then getting into that Nos. 7-8 play-in game is key, since it means two chances for the playoffs. Worth noting is that in the Heat\u2019s three previous trips to the play-in, only once did they win their first play-in game. So two chances are better than one.<\/p>\n