Miami Heat Looking Forward To Challenge Of First Play-In Tournament Experience

It wasn't quite the season the Miami Heat expected but they are excited about the opportunity of extending it.

The Heat play the Atlanta Hawks in the play-in tournament Tuesday. The Heat are participants in this round for the first time.

"This is going to be fun," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "I think you have to embrace this new experience. To the old heads in our locker room, we've experienced long NBA career and not have this opportunity. I think this has been great for the league."

The Heat finished seventh in the Eastern Conference while the Hawks were 10th. The teams met last year in the first round, with the Heat advancing. Spoelstra said he is a fan of the league's new format that allows more teams chances to make the postseason.

"You also have far fewer teams tanking and this is a new experience," Spoelstra said. "I think this is a really good game to compete and go after it. We're looking forward to it. Our guys love competition and this has high stakes to it."

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