Ten-place Miami Heat break new ground, emerging victorious from the NBA's play-in tournament, securing their spot in the postseason playoff lineup.
The NBA playoff scene heated up on Friday night, concluding the play-in tournament with two enthralling matches.
In the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat, the 10th seed entering the play-in bracket due to their 10th-best record in the regular season, delivered an overtime victory against the Atlanta Hawks, securing the No. 8 seed in the East. On the other hand, in the Western Conference, the Memphis Grizzlies dominated the Dallas Mavericks to take the 8th spot in the West.
To start the evening, the Heat found the Hawks off-balance, racing ahead by 17 points in the first half before Atlanta rallied to take the lead in the fourth quarter. The game was tied at 106 before Heat reserve guard Davion Mitchell took over in overtime, pouring in three 3-pointers and outscoring the Hawks single-handedly. In the end, Tyler Herro led all scorers with 30 points, while Young had 29 for Atlanta.
With the win, Miami moved into the 8th seed in the East, making them the first 10th-seeded team ever to advance from the play-in tournament. They'll face off against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round, starting Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies didn't want the Mavericks to repeat the 10th-seeded advancement feat, pummeling them with a decisive defeat in the night's second game. Memphis stormed ahead from the opening tip, taking a lead of as many as 25 points. Despite star guard Ja Morant's injury, an all-around team effort was key to their victory. All starters scored in double digits, with Jaren Jackson Jr. leading the charge with 24 points.
Anthony Davis dominated the Mavericks with a game-high 40 points, but Dallas struggled with injuries and inconsistencies, culminating in their disappointing season end. With their win, the Grizzlies secured the final playoff spot in the West and face off against the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder starting Sunday.
First round playoff action kicks off on Saturday, with the NBA Finals scheduled to begin on June 5.
Historically, the NBA play-in tournament began in the 2020 season, and since then, a few 10th seed teams have managed to win their play-in games and enter the playoffs, typically with sub-.500 regular season records. In 2024, the Dallas Mavericks (38-44) became the first 10th seed to advance from the tournament. However, it's important to note that the play-in format involves seeds 7 through 10 competing to earn the final playoff spots, making advancement by a 10th seed an impressive upset.
- The Dallas Mavericks faced a challenging night as they encountered the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference of the NBA play-in tournament.
- In contrast to the Dallas Mavericks' struggle, the Memphis Grizzlies put up a dominating performance, winning with a decisive defeat.
- Despite the loss, Anthony Davis of the Dallas Mavericks displayed an impressive showing with a game-high 40 points.
- Historically, the Dallas Mavericks (2024) were the first 10th seed to advance from the play-in tournament, bringing additional significance to the Memphis Grizzlies' victory.
