Heat Wrap Up Home Schedule Against Surging Magic
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/SportsDirect) – It's no secret that the Miami Heat are focusing on getting home court in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Heat have been a much better team on their home court this season, but could be forced to start the postseason on the road without help and a three-game winning streak to end the regular season.
The Heat finish their home slate Sunday when they attempt to avoid a home-and-home sweep by the rejuvenated Orlando Magic.
Miami is 27-13 at home and dropped six of its last nine on the road after a 112-109 defeat at Orlando on Friday to drop into a tie for fifth in the Eastern Conference with Charlotte.
"Defensively, we made a lot of mistakes," Heat guard Dwyane Wade told reporters. "Some of those mistakes came from mental fatigue. But you score 109 points, you should win the ballgame."
Miami will enter the contest one-half game out of fourth place in the East, which would provide home-court advantage in the first round, and Orlando is finishing a disappointing season strong with five wins in the last seven games.
"We're not folding this season," Magic reserve center Jason Smith told reporters after his team's second win over the last 16 encounters with the Heat. "We're continuing to play hard."
TV: 6 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), FSN Sun (Miami)
ABOUT THE MAGIC (34-45): Orlando will most likely be without second-leading scorer Victor Oladipo (16.0) and versatile forward Aaron Gordon, who both have been diagnosed with concussions.
Center Nikola Vucevic is averaging 23 points over the last five contests since returning from a groin injury and swingman Evan Fournier is scoring 21.6 per game over the same span.
Point guard Elfrid Payton averaged 16.5 points the last two outings and nine assists over a four-game stretch.
ABOUT THE HEAT (46-33): Miami has dropped to fifth in the league in scoring defense (98.5), giving up at least 110 in two of the last four contests, and will need better against a quick Magic team.
"We weren't able to control them off the dribble," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters after Friday's loss. "Most of the night, they were beating us off the bounce."
Miami has plenty options offensively with Wade (19.2), center Hassan Whiteside (14.1) and guard Goran Dragic (14.0), among others.
BUZZER BEATERS
- Miami's rookie G Josh Richardson has scored in double figures in a season-best four straight games.
- Orlando's 34 wins are its most since accumulating 37 in 2011-12, when it last made the postseason, but the Magic is 12-27 on the road.
- Heat G-F Joe Johnson is averaging 17.1 points in his career against Orlando after scoring 13 on Friday.
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