Miami Heat Now In Fight To Avoid Play-In Tournament

The Miami Heat now have 15 games to accomplish avoiding the play-in tournament.

It starts in Friday's rematch against the Cleveland Cavaliers but the Heat have made it clear they want to gain the No. 6 seed before the season ends.

“We certainly have an uphill climb to get to where we need to be,” forward Kevin Love said. “And more than anything, that’s just not to be in the play-in. We’re right there, and we feel like we can’t keep setting ourselves back. We need to start winning these next several games in order to put ourselves in a good spot and able to not have to be in the play-in.”

The Heat are three games behind the Brooklyn Nets for the No. 6 seed. The Nets have won three straight after many felt they would struggle once Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were traded away last month.

The Heat have one more game against the Nets, March 25 in Miami.

"I don't look at the standings," Heat forward Jimmy Butler said. "I'm not going to lie to you. I don't. I don't look at none of that stuff. I'm guessing we're in the play-in, right? Well, we better start winning some games and get out of that. If we don't, then we better win whenever the play-in thing starts."

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Shandel Richardson covers the Miami Heat for Inside The Heat.

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