Miami will participate in the play-in tournament for the second straight season.
Even though the Miami Heat made it to the NBA Finals the previous season, they will have a difficult assignment this time around as they must defeat the Philadelphia 76ers to get the opportunity to play the No. 2 seed New York Knicks in the playoffs. Another Miami Heat season, another trip to the play-in round. But the team may have a fatal defect that will prevent them from moving on.
The Heat had another uneven season, finishing with the eighth seed despite defeating the Toronto Raptors in their last two games. They might have finished as high as the fifth seed going into Sunday’s regular season finale, but they were at least hoping for the sixth spot to escape the tournament entirely..
They used to be in charge of their own fate, but that was before they required teams from the Eastern Conference, including the Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic, and 76ers, to lose, and none of them did.Now that Miami has face reality and play Philadelphia, what fatal fault might prevent them on Wednesday night?
One of the bad themes that have dogged the Heat this season—and even from the previous one, when important players lost a substantial amount of time—has been injuries. It persisted in 2024 and has persisted to the day, when three essential rotational components run the risk of missing the competition.
Terry Rozier and Duncan Robinson, whose last game of the season was a 7–7 loss to the Indiana Pacers, are the first two players to have missed the final four games. In the brief update regarding their recovery process going forward prior to Sunday’s Raptors game, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra mentions that Rozier is suffering with a neck injury and Robinson is dealing with a bothersome back issue known as “left facet syndrome” that held him out earlier.
Spoelstra stated, “It has been beneficial for both of those guys.” Their physical attributes will inform us of their advancements. We’ll just keep taking care of them even though I understand how much they both want to be outside right now.
Spoelstra talks Rozier’s injury
The Heat traded for Rozier prior to the NBA trade deadline because they needed an upgrade at point guard beyond Kyle Lowry. He has shown to be a far more prolific scorer and a reliable ball facilitator. With the Charlotte Hornets, he has been adjusting well to the team’s scheme and playing more of a supporting role than a featured one. Spoelstra talked about what it will take for him to return to the starting lineup.
Spoelstra stated, “It’s as simple as that as soon as he gets relief.” “He needs to calm down because right now his neck is just really jacked up.” For those who have experienced back or neck discomfort, it simply requires time. He is working tirelessly.
According to what Spoelstra would tell ClutchPoints, Rozier is “day-to-day” and suffers from a random neck injury that could disappear one day when he wakes up. Even the 30-year-old guard acknowledged that he “shouldn’t have played” in the Indiana game referenced earlier.
After the April 7 outing, Rozier remarked, “I mean, I never like to make excuses, but I shouldn’t have gone, I shouldn’t have played.” “We move on, can’t do anything about it, I know it’s going to get better. I felt like I hurt the team by trying to be a warrior and get out there, and I feel like I hurt myself.”
