When the Miami Heat play host to the Orlando Magic on Sunday afternoon, they are unlikely to bring out their five most prominent players.
In a 114-108 loss to the Washington Wizards on Friday, Miami (43-38) rested all five of those players: Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Kevin Love, and Kyle Lowry.
Miami will play in the play-in round for the first time since the Heat are guaranteed the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. Tuesday’s play-in game against the Atlanta Hawks will be hosted by the Heat.
The play-in round, according to Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, is not what his team intended for the start of the season.
However, Sunday’s 34-47 victory over the uncompetitive Magic will have little impact.
Udonis Haslem’s 20-year Heat career coming to an end will be the game’s most significant aspect for Miami. Haslem, who was born and raised in Miami, has never played for another NBA team. He has been with the Heat for the longest time.
Beside the Haslem festivity, the Heat – – less their “Enormous Five” – – will depend on players like Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller.
On Friday, Oladipo had a season-high 30 points, and Zeller had 17 points and 5 rebounds.
In the meantime, the Magic will enter Sunday having lost three consecutive games.
Orlando will miss the playoffs for the third season in a row. However, the Magic have gained 12 victories since the previous season.
In addition, the Magic were competitive down the stretch, winning both games against playoff teams—the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets—and going 5-4 in their previous nine games.
The power forward Paolo Banchero, who stands at 6 feet 10 inches and weighs 250 pounds, is the leading contender for NBA Rookie of the Year on most nights. He drives the Sorcery in scoring (20.0 focuses per game) and has arrived at the midpoint of 6.9 bounce back.
Indeed, even opponent mentor Dwane Casey of the Detroit Cylinders has turned into a Banchero advocate.
Notwithstanding, Banchero has been refreshed the beyond two games because of a back physical issue. He may not participate in the game on Sunday.
Wendell Carter Jr., who plays every game and averages 15.5 points and 8.8 rebounds, also missed Friday’s 101-84 loss to the Brooklyn Nets because of a hip injury.
Gary Harris, who has begun 42 games this season and is averaging 8.3 focuses, sat out because of an abductor injury.
The Magic are mostly relying on young forward Franz Wagner and young guards Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony, and Jalen Suggs because of all the injuries.
The conclusion of the regular season has value, according to Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley.
In the season series, Miami has won 2-1, but two of the games have gone to overtime. In fact, Orlando prevailed 126-114 in overtime on March 11 to win the most recent contest.
