The Miami Heat, playing in the Southeast Division, are at a fortuitous crossroads. Just a game and a half back of the Eastern Conference sixth place Washington Wizards, the Heat aren’t yet blacklisted from closing the gap.
Seventh in the East, Miami owns a better division record than the Wizards, which could make for a late-season climb through the standings.
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According to the NBA’s playoff tiebreaker rules, in a two-team scenario, the head-to-head record and then division record are the first two benchmarks for determining seeding. Luckily, early season wins pay off, as Miami’s 9-5 record in the division would elevate them into sixth if they catch the Wizards.