- Nov 17, 2006
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Miami will be without.......
Haslem, Moon, Cook and Head.......Wright and Blount too.
Miami can lock up 5th seed Sunday with a win and a PHILLY road loss to Toronto.
Wade rolled his ankle badly Friday night.......
Read this :
Sunday could prove to be D-Day for the Miami Heat when it comes to keeping itself out of harm's way in the opening round of the playoffs.
With the Detroit Pistons losing 106-102 Saturday night to the Indiana Pacers, the Heat can clinch the No. 5 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference Sunday night with a combination of a victory over the visiting New York Knicks and a Philadelphia 76ers road loss to the Toronto Raptors.
Under that scenario, the Heat would be locked into the No. 5 seed, and therefore a best-of-seven first-round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks.
Had Detroit won Saturday night, the Heat was faced with the possibility of having to win two of its final three games to secure the No. 5 seed.
"The fifth seed is a must," rookie power forward Michael Beasley said, as he looked ahead to tonight's visit by the Knicks at AmericanAirlines Arena. "I mean the playoffs are good by themselves, but the higher seed you get, the better off you are."
That is particular true this season, with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic drawing the bottom three seeds in the conference, Nos. 6 through 8.
While the Heat hasn't been openly rooting for a first-round series against the Hawks, playing as a road team against Atlanta is viewed as far less daunting than the other challenges.
With the Magic losing 103-93 Saturday night to the New Jersey Nets, it means Cleveland will play the No. 8 seed in the East, Boston will play the No. 7 seed, and Orlando the No. 6 seed. Should the Heat lose its remaining three games, it could be seeded anywhere from No. 5 to No. 8.
Heat guard Dwyane Wade said a strong finish to the regular season has nothing to do with handpicking a first-round opponent.
"You can't worry if we don't get in fifth," he said. "If we don't get fifth, we've just got to play and whatever happens, happens."
While a Heat victory and 76ers loss Sunday still leaves open the possibility of a season-ending tie at 42-40, the Heat holds the tiebreaker over Philadelphia, by virtue of a superior conference record (the first tiebreaker, head-to-head, ended 2-2).
While the Chicago Bulls still could reach 42 victories, a total the Heat would reach with a victory Sunday, the Heat holds the season-series tiebreaker at 3-1. The Heat also would win a three-way tie for No. 5 between itself, Philadelphia and Chicago.
Detroit, which faces the Heat in the teams' season finale Wednesday at AmericanAirlines Arena, no longer can reach 42 victories.
By settling No. 5 tonight, the Heat then would be in position to not only shut down Wade and any other ailing regulars until next weekend, it also would not have to show its hand in Tuesday's visit to Atlanta. Wade rolled his ankle in Friday's loss in Boston.
The playoffs open next weekend, with injuries a concern for the Heat.
The Heat will face the Knicks without power forward Udonis Haslem, due to a lacerated right thumb, as well as without guard Luther Head, due to a broken left hand.
Beyond that, it appears likely that forward Jamario Moon will miss a second consecutive game with a strained right groin and that guard Daequan Cook will require additional time off for the sore right shoulder that kept him out of the second half of Friday's loss in Boston.
Then there are forward Dorell Wright, who has yet to be deemed fit from last season's knee surgery, and center Mark Blount, who still is dealing with emotional issues from a family death.
That would leave the Heat with nine able bodies, including center Joel Anthony, who was trusted for all of 29 seconds Friday against the Celtics, and guard Chris Quinn, who struggled mightily in his cameo appearance in the loss in Boston.
Haslem, Moon, Cook and Head.......Wright and Blount too.
Miami can lock up 5th seed Sunday with a win and a PHILLY road loss to Toronto.
Wade rolled his ankle badly Friday night.......
Read this :
Sunday could prove to be D-Day for the Miami Heat when it comes to keeping itself out of harm's way in the opening round of the playoffs.
With the Detroit Pistons losing 106-102 Saturday night to the Indiana Pacers, the Heat can clinch the No. 5 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference Sunday night with a combination of a victory over the visiting New York Knicks and a Philadelphia 76ers road loss to the Toronto Raptors.
Under that scenario, the Heat would be locked into the No. 5 seed, and therefore a best-of-seven first-round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks.
Had Detroit won Saturday night, the Heat was faced with the possibility of having to win two of its final three games to secure the No. 5 seed.
"The fifth seed is a must," rookie power forward Michael Beasley said, as he looked ahead to tonight's visit by the Knicks at AmericanAirlines Arena. "I mean the playoffs are good by themselves, but the higher seed you get, the better off you are."
That is particular true this season, with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic drawing the bottom three seeds in the conference, Nos. 6 through 8.
While the Heat hasn't been openly rooting for a first-round series against the Hawks, playing as a road team against Atlanta is viewed as far less daunting than the other challenges.
With the Magic losing 103-93 Saturday night to the New Jersey Nets, it means Cleveland will play the No. 8 seed in the East, Boston will play the No. 7 seed, and Orlando the No. 6 seed. Should the Heat lose its remaining three games, it could be seeded anywhere from No. 5 to No. 8.
Heat guard Dwyane Wade said a strong finish to the regular season has nothing to do with handpicking a first-round opponent.
"You can't worry if we don't get in fifth," he said. "If we don't get fifth, we've just got to play and whatever happens, happens."
While a Heat victory and 76ers loss Sunday still leaves open the possibility of a season-ending tie at 42-40, the Heat holds the tiebreaker over Philadelphia, by virtue of a superior conference record (the first tiebreaker, head-to-head, ended 2-2).
While the Chicago Bulls still could reach 42 victories, a total the Heat would reach with a victory Sunday, the Heat holds the season-series tiebreaker at 3-1. The Heat also would win a three-way tie for No. 5 between itself, Philadelphia and Chicago.
Detroit, which faces the Heat in the teams' season finale Wednesday at AmericanAirlines Arena, no longer can reach 42 victories.
By settling No. 5 tonight, the Heat then would be in position to not only shut down Wade and any other ailing regulars until next weekend, it also would not have to show its hand in Tuesday's visit to Atlanta. Wade rolled his ankle in Friday's loss in Boston.
The playoffs open next weekend, with injuries a concern for the Heat.
The Heat will face the Knicks without power forward Udonis Haslem, due to a lacerated right thumb, as well as without guard Luther Head, due to a broken left hand.
Beyond that, it appears likely that forward Jamario Moon will miss a second consecutive game with a strained right groin and that guard Daequan Cook will require additional time off for the sore right shoulder that kept him out of the second half of Friday's loss in Boston.
Then there are forward Dorell Wright, who has yet to be deemed fit from last season's knee surgery, and center Mark Blount, who still is dealing with emotional issues from a family death.
That would leave the Heat with nine able bodies, including center Joel Anthony, who was trusted for all of 29 seconds Friday against the Celtics, and guard Chris Quinn, who struggled mightily in his cameo appearance in the loss in Boston.
