During a two-month stretch of consistently overcoming obstacles and rising about expectations, the Heat nearly did it again Sunday, but not quite long enough to move into playoff position for the first time this season.
The excuses, certainly valid ones, were there: The Heat played without its most productive player, Goran Dragic, because of an eye injury. This was the most onerous second half of a back-to-back all season, with a 6 p.m. game beginning 14 hours after the Heat arrived in Indianapolis at 4:11 a.m., weary from Saturday’s win against Toronto and a clock adjustment from Daylight Savings Time.