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GAME STORY
The Miami Heat (53-28) visit the Orlando Magic (21-60) on Sunday night in the season finale with the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference assured no matter what the result.
Although it appeared Erik Spoelstra would rest several players in their last game, a comeback victory in their home finale on Friday with the top seed already assured, the Heat had almost every player made available except for the injured PJ Tucker and Omer Yurtseven (non-Covid illness). Both players are also listed as being out tonight as well, though it remains to be seen whether or not the Heat choose to rest any players.
Four teams continue to battle it out for play-in tournament positioning: the Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets. All four will be playing their final games of the regular season today at 3:30 p.m. ET, so Miami will at least know how the two play-in tournament games will match-up before they play tonight.
- Pacers at Nets, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Wizards at Hornets, 3:30 p.m. ET
- Bucks at Cavaliers, 3:30 p.m. ET
- Hawks at Rockets, 3:30 p.m. ET
Miami can sweep the season series 4-0 with another win tonight against Orlando, and they are on a three-game road winning streak. Orlando is 3-7 in their last 10 are heading for another losing streak and a long offseason.
Eastern Conference Finals Schedule
| GAME | DATE | MATCHUP | TIME | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GAME | DATE | MATCHUP | TIME | TV |
| Game 1 | Tuesday, May 17 | Boston @ Miami | 8:30 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| Game 2 | Thursday, May 19 | Boston @ Miami | 8:30 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| Game 3 | Saturday, May 21 | Miami @ Boston | 8:30 p.m. ET | ABC |
| Game 4 | Monday, May 23 | Miami @ Boston | 8:30 p.m. ET | ABC |
| Game 5* | Wednesday, May 25 | Boston @ Miami | 8:30 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| Game 6* | Friday, May 27 | Miami @ Boston | 8:30 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| Game 7* | Sunday, May 29 | Boston @ Miami | 8:30 p.m. ET | ESPN |
INACTIVE/INJURIES
MIAMI:
- Omer Yurtseven: out (illness)
- P.J. Tucker: out (calf)
ORLANDO:
- Wendell Carter Jr.: day to day (wrist)
- Jonathan Isaac: out for season (knee)
- Bol Bol: out (foot)
- Cole Anthony: day to day (toe)
- Mo Bamba: day to day (ankle)
- Franz Wagner: day to day (ankle)
LINEUPS
Projected Starters
| Celtics | Position | Heat |
|---|---|---|
| Celtics | Position | Heat |
| Marcus Smart | PG | Kyle Lowry |
| Jaylen Brown | SG | Max Strus |
| Jayson Tatum | SF | Jimmy Butler |
| Al Horford | PF | PJ Tucker |
| Robert Williams III | C | Bam Adebayo |
ODDS
FiveThirtyEight gives the Heat an 80% chance to win the game.
BROADCAST INFO
TV: Bally Sports Sun, NBA League Pass
RADIO: The Ticket 790AM & The HEAT Radio Network (Jason Jackson, Ruth Riley Hunter)
SPANISH RADIO: WAQI 710AM & The HEAT Spanish Radio Network (José Pañeda, Joe Pujala)
Come back to Hot Hot Hoops at game time to join our GameThread and chat about the game live with other Heat fans!
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