Why Thursday's Heat game in Philadelphia matters so much

The Miami Heat have made the goal clear from here:

Strip off the Play-in stigma.

For three straight seasons, the Heat have landed outside the top six, in the Play-in Tournament, needing to scrap their way out. Each time they did, even doing so last season as the 10th and final seed. And of course, in 2023, after they got out, they terrorized the East, reaching the NBA Finals.

It has never been the preferable path, however, and the Heat have been open about trying to avoid it, even as they keep sinking back into it.

“Our coach talks about it every day. As players, really me and Bam [Adebayo] who’ve been here, we want to get out of the play-in. That’s our goal, or that’s our first goal. We’ve got a lot of goals, but that’s actually our first goal.”
Tyler Herro to the Miami Herald

Well, here's the chance. As NBA play opens Monday, Miami is in 8th, in a virtual tie with Orlando for seventh (but down the tiebreaker) and just one-half game behind Philadelphia for 6th.

Philadelphia is Thursday's opponent, after the Heat try to build on a three-game winning streak against the Giannis-less Bucks on Tuesday.

So this game later this eek matters more than most.

That's because, in addition to passing the 76ers in the standings, at least for now, the Heat can also clinch the tiebreaker should that become an issue in mid-April.

And that is needed, considering that the Heat have already dropped the tiebreaker to Orlando, losing all four games (including an added NBA Cup game) with one to play, and no shot to reverse it. Additionally, the Heat have lost both home games against Toronto, which currently sits in the fifth spot, and is the only other team really within striking distance; it will be impossible for the Heat to catch Detroit, New York, Boston or Cleveland without a run that only the Big 3 Heat could have.

The Heat do have two games remaining with the Raptors, but those games are on the road, and Miami has really struggled with Toronto's length.

So it's obvious what the Heat need to do.

They need to comfortably pass Orlando so the tiebreaker becomes irrelevant, and that is helped by the Magic's ongoing injuries, the latest to Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs. And they need to capture the tiebreaker against Philadelphia on Thursday, and then surge past and stay ahead, as the 76ers deal with Paul George's suspension as well as Joel Embiid's eternal uncertainty.

Embiid (knee) missed his team's 135-108 rout of Minnesota, as elite guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe combined for 63 points. It's not clear if he will play Tuesday against Indiana, but since the Pacers are tanking, that seems like a skip.

Whatever version of the 76ers the Heat see on Thursday, they must come away with a victory.

A big game in February? This one will be.