CHICAGO – For their efforts Wednesday night at the United Center, the Miami Heat earned a likely return trip next Wednesday to the United Center.
No, it was not the outcome sought or desired, but one likely assured after Wednesday night’s 119-111 loss to the Chicago Bulls.
So play-in the hard way it will be for Erik Spoelstra’s team.
With the result making the Heat’s final two regular-season games all but moot, it appears 10th place in Eastern Conference it will be for a Heat team 20 months removed from the 2023 NBA Finals.
Presented the opportunity to move up in the play-in seedings and host a play-in game, the Heat likely instead will have to win consecutive play-in games – without a loss – to extend the team’s run of playoff appearances to six.