Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Heat vs. Raptors
Tonight’s finale gives Heat chance to finish strong
Miami takes on Toronto tonight at home, 8 p.m.
MIAMI — Ask Wayne Ellington for perspective and the Miami Heat guard not only will insist that the sky is not falling, but that there will be better tomorrows. That’s because unlike last year’s final regular-season game, tomorrows already are assured.
“It definitely doesn’t feel like it did last season,” he said, as the Heat turned their attention to tonight’s regular-season finale against the Toronto Raptors at AmericanAirlines Arena. “It’s a little more relaxed, obviously, that we clinched. But, at the same time, understand that you want to go into the playoffs with some momentum.”
The Heat took care of business in last season’s finale, routing the Washington Wizards. But with the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls winning against disinterested opponents, the Heat failed to make the playoffs because of a tiebreaker, after going 30-11 over the second half of the schedule to close at 41-41.
This time, the postseason is assured, with only the seed and opponent to be determined. There was a bit of clarity added Tuesday
for the Heat: With the visiting 76ers defeating the Hawks, the Cavaliers no longer can be a first-round opponent for the Heat.
But there also is that pesky matter of the Heat looking awful in Friday’s road finale, a 122-98 debacle against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden and then being outscored 39-12 in the fourth quarter of Monday’s 115-93 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the lowest-scoring fourth quarter for the Heat in more than three years.
A loss tonight would give the Heat their first three-game losing streak since late February.
“We’re still trying to win every game,” forward Justise Winslow said. “We haven’t shifted our focus to the playoffs yet.”
But it also is hard not to look ahead, with something guaranteed to follow.
“Once it’s the playoffs,” forward James Johnson said, “we’re going to get a big old book on that team, a scouting report, and that’s where all the focus will go until further notice.”
With so many variables to play out over the final night of the season, Heat players said they will pick up wherever the regular season drops them off.
“I’ve been to 13 playoffs now coming up,” guard Dwyane Wade said. “I’ve seen so many different scenarios and so many things happen at the last minute you just never know. It doesn’t matter.
“We’re in the playoffs, whoever we play, we play.”
Even with the recent lapses, Johnson said the Heat still believe they will enter the postseason with confidence.
“I think where we’re at now is positive,” he said. “We’re trending in the right direction. Right now we’re sharpening and getting better in the little details, being able to run the show and not look at Coach and being in our responsibilities. We’re working on a lot of things to avoid those mistakes in the playoffs.”
Guard Tyler Johnson said there at least is health and continuity going into the playoffs.
“It’s taken half the year for us to land on what roles that we’re supposed to be playing and what roles we’re going to be playing in the playoffs moving forward,” he said. “So everybody is starting to feel really comfortable as to understand that you could have 20 [points] one night but you might not play 15, 16 minutes the next night. It’s all based off of matchups and it’s all based on who’s going that night.”
Rekindling motivation, forward Josh Richardson said, shouldn’t be a concern.
“We’re playing for the next season that’s about to start next weekend,” he said, with the Heat’s playoff opener either Saturday or Sunday. “We shouldn’t need any more motivation than that.”
Because there will be more this year — no matter how the regular season ends, no matter what happens tonight.
“That’s what we’re looking at and we’re looking forward to,” Ellington said. “You can’t really relax, but, at the same time, you do have a better feeling knowing that you do have the postseason to look forward to.”