IN THE LANE

SPEAKING OF: So why another round of Damian Lillard speculation, including speculation regarding the Heat, in the wake of late-season comments insisting his goal is to make his NBA career a single-city, Portland commitment? Because appearing on ESPN, Lillard said the desire is to see “significant” win-now moves from the Trail Blazers. “It’s not a threat,” Lillard said. “I’m not gonna say I’m putting them on a clock. I’m just saying, if those things can’t be done, if we can’t do something significant like that, then we won’t have a chance to compete on that level. And then not only will I have a decision to make, but I think the organization will, too. Because at that point it’s like, ‘Are you going to go young or are we going to get something done?’“Lillard, 32, has two more seasons, the second a player option, on a contract that pays $45.6 million next season. He cannot be traded until July 9.

...ANDOF: Then there’s Bradley Beal, who also has been nothing but adamant about a preference to go out as he came in, as a member of the Washington Wizards. But there also was a decided regression this season by the Wizards. So what next? “I can’t foresee the future, but yeah. God willing,” Beal told the Washington Post of being back with the Wizards. Unlike most in the NBA, Beal has the added leverage of a no-trade clause.“Well, one, we’ve all got to be better. We have to be better. I have to be better. Everybody has to develop, get better. I don’t think we’re good enough right now.” Beal, 29, has four more seasons, the last a player option, on a contract that pays $46.7 million next season.

TALK IS CHEAP: The Atlanta Hawks not only stole into the Miami night with Tuesday’s play-in victory at Kaseya Center, but also with considerable chip on shoulder after the Heat entered as a decided betting favorite and predicted as winner by 17 of 17 ESPN analysts. “We are the actors here. We are making it happen. Anybody who’s not on the court can say anything, but you would not be right 100 percent. You can only guess,” Hawks center

Clint Capela said to The Athletic of the doubters as fuel. “So, when I see people out there saying stuff, I’m just laughing, because they’re just guessing. It doesn’t matter how articulate you’re saying it, it doesn’t matter what stats you’ve got, because every game is different.”

MONEY TALKS: For as much as the play-in tournament tormented the Heat, Heat guard Kyle Lowry said the extra postseason round checks the NBA’s most important box. “Revenue,” he said. “Revenue is always good for our league. It’s a business. But I think it keeps it competitive in all senses of it. You’ve got 10 teams, you got 20 teams total that got the opportunity to make the playoffs no matter what.”

GETTING CLOSER: As the Heat continue to operate with their G League affiliate 1,800 miles away in Sioux Falls, S.D., the Orlando Magic apparently believe close is not always close enough. The Magic’s G League affiliate will relocate next season from Lakeland, which is 55 miles from Orlando, to Kissimmee, which is 22 miles away. Thus, the Lakeland Magic next will be the Osceola Magic. The Lakeland Magic won the 2021 G League championship.

NUMBER

1 Times in the franchise’s 35 seasons the Heat have had three players average at least 20 points in the same season, which happened this season with Jimmy Butler (22.9), Bam Adebayo (20.4) and Tyler Herro (20.1). The closest the Heat came during their Big Three era was in 2010-11, when LeBron James averaged 26.7 points, Dwyane Wade 25.5 and Chris Bosh 18.7.