NBA finalist last year, the Heat intend to shock the basketball world once again. But before playing in the Playoffs, Erik Spoelstra’s men must go through the Play-in Tournament box, with a first clash this evening on the Sixers floor. A confrontation which promises to be rather tense and which could well put Jimmy Butler’s gang back against the wall.
The Heat will be eliminated if…
We may tend to forget it, but before toppling mountains during the Playoffs last year, the Heat almost got eliminated in the Play-in Tournament. A first defeat against Atlanta in the match 7-8, before getting very scared at home against the Bulls, against whom Miami was still trailing three minutes from the end of the match.
Opposed this evening to a Philadelphia team which has found its MVP Joel Embiid, who will play in front of his audience and which remains on eight consecutive victories, the Heat (and deprived of Terry Rozier) will clearly not be favorites. And in the event of a defeat for the Sixers, he will find himself at the same stage as last year: in a knockout match against Atlanta or Chicago. You see where we’re going with this.
THE EAST PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT IS SET 🔒
📺 Wednesday 4/17 | ESPN
🍿 Heat @ 76ers | 7 ET
🍿 Hawks @ Bulls | 9:30 ET pic.twitter.com/yq63j87RC0
— ESPN (@espn) April 14, 2024
If it is difficult to see Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Erik Spoelstra and Co. missing the Playoff wagon, there is a scenario in which the Heat are air-conditioned at home by a DeMar DeRozan in a state of grace or a Trae Young in Ice Trae mode . A nightmare scenario that would represent a brutal end for Miami. And which would clearly have consequences.
Here’s what will happen if the Miami Heat don’t make the Playoffs this season:
Jimmy Butler leaves civilization
After announcing that “no one wants to face Miami in a Playoff series,” Jimmy Butler suddenly loses his tongue after the Heat’s surprise elimination at the Play-in tournament. Because it’s a real shock for someone who loves playing orange ball so much at this time of year. Totally upset, Jimmy makes a radical decision: he decides to ride his horse to leave civilization, and takes nothing other than a country CD and a coffee maker. Throughout the summer, we will have no news of Jimmy Buckets, missing…
Jimmy Butler casually riding a horse through traffic 😭🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/37SRXVdR1x
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) April 4, 2024
Udonis Haslem returns to the Heat to put some slaps in the face
Retired since the end of last season, Udonis Haslem keeps himself busy by filming podcasts with Mike Miller but obviously keeps a close eye on everything that happens in his heart franchise, he who took the role of Vice President of Basketball Development within the Heat. But it’s another role that he will take on in the event of Miami’s non-qualification in the Playoffs: that of the daron who arrives in the Florida locker room to slap everyone in the face. #HeatCulture
Altercation between Jimmy Butler and Udonis Haslem on Heat bench
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) March 24, 2022
Pat Riley is (re)looking for a third star
Missing the Playoffs goes very badly for Pat Riley. And when Patoche is upset, he tends to be aggressive in the market. The observation is clear: we need a third star to accompany the Jimmy Butler – Bam Adebayo duo. After missing Damian Lillard (among others) last summer, Riley is testing the waters to try to recover Donovan Mitchell, who has still not extended in Cleveland. He also makes a few scred calls to Paul George’s agent, potentially at the end of his contract this summer. Will the Heat be able to offer a package exciting enough (probably around Tyler Herro and draft picks, or even Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic) to attract a third star to South Beach? It’s up to Patoche to prove that he has lost none of his recruiting talents at almost 80 years old.
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2024-04-17 16:13:00
#Whats #Heat #doesnt #Playoffs
