It’s not like the old days when for the entirety of the 2010’s either the Cleveland Cavaliers or Miami Heat went to the NBA Finals every year, but it’s a meaningful game nonetheless when the Heat play host tonight.
The Heat have won three straight games and four of their last five, and they’ve climbed back into sole possession of the Eastern Conference’s eight seed. With five teams within 3.5 games of each other, separating the sixth through tenth seeds, every game from this point forward is a must-win.
The Cavaliers are in a clear rebuild mode as they sit at 16-49, the third worst record in the league, but they’ve been tough to beat in the last six games that Kevin Love has appeared in, going 4-2 in that stretch.