Where Do The Miami Heat Stand With Six Days Left In Regular Season?

Anthony Pasciolla | Apr 9, 2024

Apr 9, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin (16) shoots over Atlanta Hawks; Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat took down the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, but unfortunately for them, the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers found victory as well.

Here's where the Heat stand with six days remaining in the regular season:

The Heat's double overtime victory against the Hawks puts them nine games above .500 at 44-35. However, wins for the Pacers (46-34) and Sixers (45-35) leave them as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. Indiana put forth a dominant 140-point showcase against the Toronto Raptors, led by All-Star Tyrese Haliburton. Meanwhile, Philadelphia cruised past the Detroit Pistons behind Joel Embiid, who tallied 37 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists on 54.5 percent shooting.

Assuming the Heat earn the No. 7 seed in the postseason, they will face off against the Milwaukee Bucks in the opening round. An injury to superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo on Tuesday could make this a favorable matchup for coach Erik Spoelstra and his team. If the Heat land the eighth seed, facing the 62-win Boston Celtics is inevitable. While they upset them in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, doing the same with the additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday seems unlikely.

The Heat return to action on Wednesday evening against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks are also fighting for playoff positioning, as they could make a push to overtake the Los Angeles Clippers for the No. 4 seed in the West.

Anthony Pasciolla is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or on Instagram @anthony.pasciolla