The Miami Heat became the first 10th-seeded team to reach the NBA Play-off through the play-in tournament after a 123-114 victory against the Atlanta Hawks.
Entering the four-team Eastern Conference play-in needing two consecutive road wins to qualify, the Heat beat the Chicago Bulls before completing the task with a hard-fought win over the Hawks. Their reward is a first-round clash with the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.
In the Western Conference, the Memphis Grizzlies booked their play-off spot with a 120-106 win over the Dallas Mavericks and will now face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the opening round. Play-off games in both conferences tip-off on Saturday.
For the Mavericks, the loss capped off a turbulent season marked by major setbacks. Star guard Luka Dončić was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, while Kyrie Irving suffered a season-ending ACL injury.
Anthony Davis, acquired in the Dončić trade, battled through groin and lower back issues during Friday’s game but still led Dallas with 40 points and nine rebounds.
The Heat had to overcome a 10-game losing streak earlier this season to even reach the play-in tournament. They started strong against Atlanta, leading by as many as 17 points in the first half and going into halftime with a 62–53 lead.
The Hawks mounted a fierce comeback and led 98–92 with just over five minutes to play. Tyler Herro edged the Heat back in front 106–104 with 12 seconds left, but a clutch layup from Trae Young forced overtime.
In the extra period, the Heat caught fire from beyond the arc, with Davion Mitchell draining three three-pointers and Herro adding two more to seal the historic victory.
“I loved how my team fought,” said Herro, who led all scorers with 30 points. “Every single run that they made, we answered. And I feel like this entire season has really built us up for this point.”
