A simple truth: The Heat isn't as good this season as in 2012 and 2013. Will it matter?

JOSEPH GOODMAN

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Here’s the simple truth as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem and Chris Bosh begin preparing for another run at the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The Heat isn’t as good this season as it was in 2012 and 2013.

The final regular-season record will be inferior.

The playoff seeding will not be as high.

The team isn’t as deep.

The chemistry isn’t as solid.

The options are not as dependable.

That point was driven home on Monday, but not at Verizon Center where the defending back-to-back champs conceded a No.1 seed to the Indiana Pacers in favor of a few more days of rest before the playoffs. No, it took a game in Phoenix to perfectly illustrate what the Heat is missing.

While James, Wade and Bosh watched Michael Beasley freelance his way to 18 points in a throwaway loss against the Washington Wizards, a former Heat family member was playing a far more important and meaningful role in one of the Western Conference’s more compelling games of the regular season. Mike Miller — the Heat’s two-time NBA champion Mike Miller — scored 21 points in 30 minutes for the Memphis Grizzlies in a must-win game against the Suns on Monday night. The Grizzlies needed a victory to earn the West’s eighth and final playoff spot, and Miller went out and shot 8 of 11 from the field and 5 of 6 from three-point range.

It’s that time of year again, but this time the magic of Miller is on a different team on the opposite side of the playoff bracket.

In the NBA, sometimes you get what you pay for, and sometimes you don’t. Or in this case, the Grizzlies got what the Heat paid for when the NBA’s new luxury tax compelled Heat owner Mickey Arison to make a difficult decision. The Heat is hoping that decision doesn’t come back to haunt the team.

Because here’s another simple truth: It might not matter. The Heat isn’t as good without Miller, and, it should noted, isn’t as good without Joel Anthony either, but the back-to-back champs could still be good enough to win it all.

It’s almost time to find out.

“Like everybody else that’s going to be one of the 16 teams, there’s a storm coming, and it’s time for us to really start preparing for that storm and getting ready for an incredible journey that’s going to test all of us,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

On Monday, the Heat locked itself into the No.2 seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs. That means if the Pacers and Heat meet in the Eastern Conference finals and the series goes the full seven (like last year), then Indiana will host the grand finale (unlike last year). Just like during its final road game, the Heat was unconcerned with the standings all season, and chose health for its players over home-court advantage and on-court rhythm. Entering Wednesday’s final game against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Heat has lost 13 of its last 24 games and featured the starting lineup it will use in the playoffs only once.

“Some years, you know, as a team you’re a way better home team than you are a road team, and sometimes, we’ve been a pretty good road team as well,” Wade said after Monday’s loss to the Wizards, which represented his second game back from a strained hamstring. “Seeding is always something that’s important. People love playing at home. So it’s never going to be anything where you say, ‘Aw, we don’t care at all.’ But it doesn’t necessarily guarantee you anything, either.”

The Heat will learn its first-round opponent on Wednesday, the final day of the season. It will be either the Charlotte Bobcats or the Washington Wizards. The Heat, which hasn’t lost to the Bobcats since James and Bosh joined Wade and Haslem in 2010, had plenty of good things to say about the Bobcats on Monday.

“They were a surprise early on, but they had a similar-type start last year, and they were able to sustain it this year,” Spoelstra said. “Steve [Clifford] has done a great job with the team, but the young players have really stepped up with more confidence this year with a system they believe in, and [Al] Jefferson was a big pick-up…he has been one of the better players in the league since All-Star break.”

One of the Heat’s big offseason pick-ups was brought in to counter players like Jefferson, but it’s unclear if Greg Oden will even play at all in the postseason. He hasn’t stepped on the court since the Heat lost to the Pacers on March 26, and didn’t travel with the team for its final road trip. The Heat’s other offseason addition was bringing in Beasley to replace Miller.

76ERS AT HEAT
When/Where: 8 p.m. Wednesday, AmericanAirlines Arena

TV/Radio: Sun Sports/FM 104.3, AM 790 and FM 98.3 (Spanish)

Series: 76ers lead 51-50.

Of note: The Heat can even its all-time series against the Sixers. With the Heat locked into the No.2 position in the Eastern Conference standings, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade are all questionable. James and Bosh did not play on Monday in Washington and Wade played 19 minutes. Games involving the Charlotte Bobcats and Atlanta Hawks will be closely monitored on Wednesday night. The Bobcats will be seeded seventh with a loss to the Bulls or a Wizards victory against the Celtics. The Wizards will be seeded seventh if the Wizards lose and Bobcats win.

Spoelstra on why the Heat chose rest tonight with the No.1 seed potentially still on the table

SPOELSTRA: "It was out of our control at some point, and those guys have put a lot of mileage, like I said. Our schedule was fairly extreme down the stretch. I have never been a part of a group that have played that many games in that few of days down the stretch run. It’s not an excuse. We just want to make sure our guys are feeling right, that they’re sharp, that they’re feeling healthy and they have minor ailments that a couple days will do wonders for them.”

FINAL GAMER: Heat locked into No.2 seed in Eastern Conference with loss to Wizards

WASHINGTON — LeBron James and Chris Bosh watched the entire game from the bench and it didn’t take long for Dwyane Wade to join them.

Preparation for the playoffs began in earnest on Monday for the defending back-to-back champion Miami Heat, which is to say the Heat cared little and less about its final road game of the regular season, and, for that matter, the No.1 seed that was still potentially at stake when the NBA’s set of games began on Monday night.

Before the tip, there were several playoff scenarios on the table with almost every position in the standings undetermined. But the suspense didn’t last long, and the Heat’s penultimate game of the regular season was anything but compelling. For the Heat, the fluid standings quickly came into focus during the first quarter at Verizon Center.

In other words, the Heat’s main goal was getting back to Miami as quickly as possible and without any more injuries to its veteran roster. The final, forgettable score: Wizards 114, Heat 93.

The more important outcome from Monday night: The Heat (54-27) locked itself into the No.2 spot in the Eastern Conference standings, officially losing home-court advantage to the Indiana Pacers if both teams reach the Eastern Conference finals. Miami’s first-round opponent will be determined on Wednesday, the final day of the season.

“It will be no disappointment when the playoffs start,” Wade said of losing the No.1 seed. “It will be a new season and we will be looking forward to it.”

Why did the Heat rest players with the No.1 seed potentially still on the table?

“It was out of our control at some point, and those guys have put a lot of mileage, like I said,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Our schedule was fairly extreme down the stretch. I have never been a part of a group that have played that many games in that few of days down the stretch run. It’s not an excuse. We just want to make sure our guys are feeling right, that they’re sharp, that they’re feeling healthy and they have minor ailments that a couple days will do wonders for them.”

The Heat will play the Bobcats in the first round unless the Bobcats defeat the Bulls on Wednesday and the Wizards lose to the Celtics. The Pacers, which defeated Oklahoma City on Sunday, needed only to defeat the Magic on Wednesday to clinch the No.1 seed. That game now no longer matters.

Wade said the Heat would not start thinking about the playoffs until Thursday, despite all on Monday to the contrary. The team finishes the regular season on Wednesday with a meaningless home game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

James and Bosh were both inactive against the Wizards after playing sluggish basketball in a blowout loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. Both players — and perhaps Wade as well — are expected to sit out Wednesday’s game.

“I know neither one of them asked for the time, but this last stretch that we’ve had — 27 games in 47 days — is remarkable,” Spoelstra said.

Shane Battier and Toney Douglas started in place of LeBron James and Chris Bosh, which made for an unconventional lineup. Wade started at small forward against Wizards forward Trevor Ariza.

It wasn’t a good match-up for the Heat.

Ariza led the Wizards (43-38) with 25 points, going 10 of 13 from the field and 5 of 8 from three-point range. Five players scored in double figures for Washington, which, depending on outcomes Tuesday and Wednesday, could finish fifth, sixth or seventh in the East. Whatever happens, Washington is in the playoffs for the first time in six years.

“It’s going to be special,” Washington coach Randy Wittman said. “No matter what the outcome is guys that haven’t been in the playoffs will remember that first game forever because it is so distinct and different.”

Michael Beasley led the Heat with 18 points off the bench. Douglas had 14 points, going 5 of 8 from the field. Wade had nine points in less than 19 minutes.

Heat’s commitment to preserving Dwyane Wade’s health for the playoffs appears to have paid off.

WASHINGTON — The Heat’s commitment to preserving Dwyane Wade’s health for the playoffs appears to have paid off.

After watching Wade suffer through the 2013 postseason with severe pain his knees, the Heat’s training staff and coach Erik Spoelstra were overly cautious with it’s starting shooting guard this season in an effort to protect and save his knees for the playoffs. The approach has worked, says Wade, who reported before Monday’s game against the Wizards that he feels noticeably better right now than he did this time last season.

“The only worse it could get is I wouldn’t be playing,” said Wade, making light of his injury situation last year. “That’s the only worse it could get.”

Wade has missed 28 games this season, and the majority of those games were scheduled days of rest to reduce the wear and tear on his legs. Most recently Wade sat out nine games due to a hamstring injury. Wade has also missed time with a sore Achilles tendon.

“Time off always helps, but you still got to focus on it,” Wade said of his many hurting parts. “So by the time the playoffs come, I can feel as good as I want to feel … right now I’m in a good place, and I just want to continue to move forward.”

That’s a positive sign for the Heat, considering Wade sat out the Heat’s second to last game of the 2012-13 season with a sore right knee. That soreness became a chronic problem in the playoffs with Wade sitting out a first-round game against the Milwaukee Bucks and then willing himself to a third championship.

Wade started against the Wizards but played with a restriction in minutes for the second game in a row. He was limited to 23 minutes on Saturday against the Hawks.

Wade is expected to play again on Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers at AmericanAirlines Arena in the Heat’s final game of the regular season. LeBron James and Chris Bosh, who both sat out Monday’s game, are questionable. In addition to playing in the Heat’s final two games of the regular season, Wade has been working behind the scenes to improve his conditioning before the playoffs.

“I’ve been going pretty strong,” Wade said. “My game-day workouts are pretty intense. When we get to the playoffs, I’ll take it down a notch… More so than anything, I want to be able to have enough conditioning to be able to do the things on the floor I need offensively and defensively to give this team the player that they need.”

SECOND UNIT
It wasn’t a completely wasted 48 minutes for the Heat. The team’s final road game of the season served as important court time for Wade, who recently missed nine-straight games with a hamstring injury. In addition to reestablishing his rhythm and conditioning, Wade also was able to log minutes with the Heat’s second unit.

“That’s going to be a very important unit for us in the playoffs,” Wade said. “Obviously our starters are going to win for us, but at the end of the day what our second unit brings is going to be key in how much success we can have.”

In starting Toney Douglas and Shane Battier for James and Bosh, Spoelstra was able to keep his second-unit together and pair those players with Wade. Over the past two weeks, Spoelstra has made a point to keep his second unit intact in an attempt to preserve continuity off the bench.

“Hopefully we get some [rhythm] with our units as we continue to play together and play off each other,” Wade said before the game. “Even though it’s game 81, we have an opportunity for certain units that haven’t played a lot of minutes together.”

ETC
Greg Oden was not with the team for the second game in a row. Spoelstra said Oden was suffering from a stomach illness.

With his running buddy back, LeBron James was all smiles after a loss

WASHINGTON — LeBron James has spoken at his post-game locker 52 times after victories this season, but never was he happier than on Saturday night after losing by 13 points to the Atlanta Hawks.

The loss was all but meaningless despite the Eastern Conference standings. The 20 turnovers for 29 points didn’t matter either. What was important — all that was important — was also a cause for celebration. James’ running buddy, Dwyane Wade, retuned to the starting lineup with three games remaining in the regular season, and he didn’t reinjure himself.

And, so, the back-to-back MVP was all smiles after the 98-85 defeat.

 “For him to come out of this game and not have a setback, that’s the best part,” James said.

Wade, who had missed nine straight games with a hamstring injury, played 23 minutes against the Hawks at Philips Arena, but could have continued. Originally, he was scheduled for 20 minutes, but Spoelstra spoke with the Heat trainers and Wade during the game and all said Wade could play through that threshold. More than two weeks after checking himself out of the Heat’s loss in Indianapolis, Wade appears ready for the playoffs.

All in all, that makes this season a successful one despite it being the Heat’s worst since James and Chris Bosh joined Wade in 2010.

“Obviously, we were very encouraged,” Spoelstra said of Wade. “We’ll proceed with a very careful eye and see how he feels [Sunday]. He’s been doing a lot of work behind the scenes. He probably felt like he should have been cleared a week ago, but we wanted to be very patient with him.”

Before the game, James said he expected Wade’s cardiovascular stamina to be below his normal standard, but Wade’s legs never weakened and the Heat’s shooting guard never asked to come out of the game. Wade didn’t play in any games over the last two weeks, but he worked out several times a day on the court in addition to training with weights and conditioning on the treadmill and stationary bike.

“I’ve just been a workout fiend,” Wade said. “It has been good to go from where you can’t do much, and then when you start feeling it turn a little bit and then you start feel yourself getting a little better, then you feel yourself getting much better.

“Now, you’re able to start working and trying, as much as possible, to get some kind of flow, some kind of rhythm, some kind of confidence back in it. Being this close to the playoffs, I didn’t want to come back too soon. So it’s just trying to be as smart as I can be.”

Wade scored on his first seven attempts and finished with 23 points, going 10 of 14 from the field. He didn’t miss a shot until the third quarter, and he grew stronger with each shift on the court.

“We were able to get him out on the floor, get him into a good rhythm,” James said.

The Heat will continue to be cautious, but if Wade’s body checks out on Sunday, then he will probably play on Monday against the Wizards. Washington is still competing for playoff position with the Bobcats, and Wade squaring off against Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal would be a good warm-up for the postseason. Beal, who played at the University of Florida, is highly active (if not accurate) and averaging 17 points per game on 15.9 attempts.

Saturday was the Heat’s first game to feature Wade, James, Bosh, Mario Chalmers and Udonis Haslem in the starting lineup together since early November, and might be the last until the first game of the playoffs. That’s less than ideal, but Wade said he isn’t worried about cohesion.

“We didn’t have rhythm our first year together, and we went to the Finals,” Wade said. “That’s not really a big worry of mine. The best rhythm for us is all of us out there together on the floor, giving ourselves an opportunity every night. I just wanted to be back on the floor with them — the rhythm, it will take care of itself.”
While Wade’s goal is to work his way back into shape before next week, quite the opposite is true for James and Bosh. Wade has missed 28 games this season, which means James and Bosh have carried the team. Both forwards could use off days, or, better yet, several off days in a row.

“It has been a helluva grind this year and it hasn’t stopped,” Bosh said. “It’d be nice to get some days between games. March and April have been relentless and brutal.”

Bosh has averaged 13.2 points since March 19 while shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 24.1 percent from three-point range. Considering he averaged nearly 18 points per game while shooting 52.6 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three-point range in the first two months of the new year, he could probably benefit from some rest.

James, meanwhile, could take both Monday and Wednesday off despite the Heat being locked in the standings with the Pacers.

“I’ll be smart about it and go into the postseason as healthy as I can be,” James said. “The last three years, I’ve kind of done that, and I felt pretty good going into the postseason. Even after this seven-, eight-month grind, there’s nothing like the two months of the postseason.

“It’s harder than the eight months of the regular season. So I’ve got to be smart about it.”
HEAT AT WIZARDS

When/Where: 7 p.m. Monday, Verizon Center, Washington

TV/Radio: Sun Sports and ESPN/FM 104.3, AM 790 and FM 98.3 (Spanish)

Series: Heat leads 72-32.

Of note: The Heat is tied with the Pacers atop the Eastern Conference standings, but Indiana holds the tiebreaker. The Wizards are currently sixth in the Eastern Conference standings, which means the Heat would matchup with the Charlotte Bobcats in the first round if the season ended on Sunday. Dwyane Wade returned to action on Saturday after missing nine-straight games. He is expected to play on Monday. LeBron James is doubtful against the Wizards and Chris Bosh is questionable. Greg Oden is not with the team.

FINAL GAMER: Wade is back, LeBron is exhausted and the top spot in the East is gone

ATLANTA — It’s almost like it never happened.

No, really. Think about it. This entire regular season is almost in the books, the playoffs are almost here and consider where the Heat is physically, strategically and mentally after Saturday’s 98-85 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

For the first time since early November, the Heat featured a starting lineup of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Udonis Haslem and Mario Chalmers. That’s the lineup the Heat ran out at the beginning of the season, and that’s the lineup the Heat will use to begin the playoffs.

The Greg Oden experiment appears to have ended before it ever began. He wasn’t even with the team at Philips Arena to begin this final two-game road trip of the regular season. The Heat gave Michael Beasley a chance, and he couldn’t figure out the team’s defense.

So, there was the foundation of the Heat’s championship core, back out on the court together after all that time and all that failed experimentation, and, like the beginning of the season, the guys lacked rhythm and stamina.

Like the beginning of the season, Dwyane Wade played coming off an injury.

Like the beginning of the season, LeBron James looked exhausted.

For that matter, everyone looked tired — everyone except Wade, of course. He played like he had been resting for over two weeks, and not like his teammates, who were playing in their fourth game in five nights. After missing nine-straight games with a hamstring injury, Wade scored 24 points in 23 minutes and went 10 of 14 from the line. Wade played well, but his minutes were limited by design, and the precaution threw off any idea of cohesion to the Heat’s rotation.

Simply put, the Hawks (37-43) played like a team fighting for their playoff lives, and the Heat (54-26) played like a team just going through the motions until the postseason begins. With the victory, the Hawks secured the No.8 seed in the Eastern Conference and officially knocked the New York Knicks out of postseason contention.

For the Heat, the loss erased its half-game lead against the Pacers for top spot in the conference. The Heat and Pacers are now tied for No.1 in the East with Indiana playing the tough Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.

James led the Heat with 27 points in 37 minutes, but looked sluggish doing it. He was 10 of 22 from the field and 4 of 8 from the free-throw line. As a team, the Heat went 9 of 19 from the foul line. Chris Bosh had 11 points in 28 minutes.
“It’s been a helluva grind this year,” Bosh said.

Hawks reserve Lou Williams hit a three-pointer with a 41 seconds left to give Atlanta a 15-point lead. Williams had 23 points off the bench and the Hawks outscored the Heat 49-36 in the second half. The game was tied 49-49 at halftime.

“Needless to say, that was a tough second half,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We couldn’t get it going on either side of the court.”

Jeff Teague led the Hawks with 25 points, carving lanes through the Heat’s defense from beginning to end. Meanwhile, the Heat committed 20 turnovers, which the Hawks converted into 29 points.

Despite the close race atop the Eastern Conference standings, it doesn’t sound like the Heat will really be gunning for the No.1 seed in the final few days of the regular season. James indicated after the game that he is strongly considering sitting out the Heat’s final road game of the season in Washington.

“It’s something I need to talk about with [Spoelstra],” James said. “Some of my teammates, obviously they looked at it and said, ‘You need to get a couple games,’ so I’ll be smart about it and try to get into the playoffs as healthy as I can be.”
The loss was a blow to securing the No.1 seed, but overall it was a success considering Wade’s return from injury. He made his first seven shots and scored the Heat’s first nine points of the second quarter. Wade’s running 12-foot jumper cut the Hawks’ lead to four points with 8:49 left in the first half, and Ray Allen tied the game with a corner three-pointer a few possessions later. The Heat surged to a seven-point lead in the second quarter before giving it all back by halftime.

Wade started the game with a dunk, which kick-started his impressive game. James spotted Wade on a fast break, and instead of finishing the play himself, the four-time MVP smartly dished it off to Wade for an easy score.
“My man understands that I needed that,” Wade said. “If I don’t get that, then I don’t know when my next shot is coming, and I’m out there four minutes and my first shot might be a pull-up or something.

“To see it go through on that first play, it lets you know you’re all right.”

Dwyane Wade back in the lineup after missing nine games

Dwyane Wade returned to the starting lineup on Saturday night in Atlanta for the Heat's penultimate road game of the regular season after missing nine-straight games with a hamstring injury.

Wade's on-court workout before the game included several dunks and drills that included hard cuts to the basket. Trainers evaluated him after the pregame practice and cleared him for action. Wade hasn't played since March 26 when he strained his hamstring in the final two minutes of the Heat's loss to Indiana.

“He’s going to be extremely winded, but we just hope he can come through the game and make strides and move forward and not have a setback,” LeBron James said.

The Heat plays the Washington Wizards on Monday at Verizon Center, but it's unclear whether or not Wade will play in the team's final road game. The Heat finishes its season with a home game on Wednesday against the 76ers.

Wade has missed 28 games this season while dealing with various injuries, including sore knees. During his pregame news conference in Atlanta, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Wade would play reduced minutes if activated.

White Hot Heat playoff festivities includes discounted booze at the Clevelander

So, the Heat's marketing team pretty much has this playoff thing figured out. White Hot Heat is back and the festivities begin this Monday.

Here's a rundown from the Heat's PR staff ...

Monday, April 14

White Hot HEAT Playoffs Car Decal Event Presented by Metro Signs, Inc.

Stop by the AmericanAirlines Arena during the morning commute from 6:00 to 10:00 a.m. to get a FREE White Hot HEAT window decal installed on your rear windshield courtesy of Metro Signs, Inc. The New FM 104.3 & AM 790 The Ticket will broadcast live during the event. Burnie, the HEAT Dancers, Banana Man, the Xtreme Team and the Fox Sports Florida Girls will be distributing free White Hot HEAT Fan Kits, Mountain Dew Kickstart, Café Bustelo coffee packs and other goodies. 

HEAT @ Wizards – White Hot HEAT Road Rally Presented by Bacardi

The Miami HEAT Road Rally presented by Bacardi is the official watch party for select Miami HEAT road games. This Road Rally is the last of the regular season road rallies celebrating the launch of the White Hot HEAT Playoffs with presenting sponsor Miccosukee Resort & Gaming. Join the HEAT Dancers, Burnie, the Xtreme Team, PA Announcer, Michael B., in-arena host Dale and other HEAT fans as they gather at Miccosukee Resort & Gaming’s Entertainment Dome located at 500 S.W. 177^th Avenue in Miami to watch the Sun Sports telecast of the HEAT taking on the Washington Wizards. The festivities begin at 6:00 p.m. The first 200 HEAT fans at the Road Rally will receive a White Hot HEAT Fan Kit. HEAT fans in attendance will also witness the official unveiling of White Hot Burnie. Two playoff tickets will be given to the craziest White Hot HEAT fans.

Tuesday, April 15

White Hot HEAT Metrorail Takeover Presented by McDonald’s

The Dadeland North Metrorail station will be HEAT Headquarters from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. as members of the HEAT Experience greet morning commuters with McDonald’s Petite Pastries. The ride to Government Station will be unusually festive as the Miami HEAT Dancers, Burnie, Banana Man and the Xtreme Team entertain passengers. The New FM 104.3 & AM 790 The Ticket’s promotional team will also be on hand distributing giveaways and other promotional items.

Wednesday, April 16

Philadelphia 76ers vs. HEAT – Fan Appreciation Night Presented by American Express

The HEAT take on the Philadelphia 76ers during the last game of the regular season. It’s Fan Appreciation Night presented by American Express and tipoff is at 8:00 p.m. Throughout the evening, fans will have a chance to win exclusive player autographed merchandise, player gear and much more. Limited game tickets are available for purchase online at HEAT.com.

Thursday, April 17

White Hot HEAT Coffee Hour Presented by Café Bustelo

The White Hot HEAT party continues at the offices of Carnival Cruise Lines with a jolt of morning java during theWhite Hot HEAT Coffee Hour presented by Café Bustelo from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. This event is not open to the public.

Launch of WhiteHotHEAT.com

A special playoff website, www.WhiteHotHEAT.com, presented by Miccosukee Resort & Gaming, launches and will provide team news, promotional information, playoff wallpapers, photo galleries, video galleries and much more.

Friday, April 18

White Hot HEAT Dunkin’ Donuts Takeover

The HEAT Experience will descend upon the Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant located at 658 N.W. 103^rd Street in Miami from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Dunkin' Donuts' Mascot, Cuppy, along with the HEAT Dancers, Burnie, Banana Man and the Xtreme Team will serve free White Hot HEAT donuts and iced coffee, entertain and interact with customers, as well as give away HEAT tickets. The official White Hot HEAT Donut will be available at participating Dunkin’ Donuts locations throughout the Playoffs while supplies last.

White Hot HEAT Happy Hour presented by Bud Light

HEAT fans can start their playoff partying early by joining the HEAT Experience for a White Hot HEAT Happy Hour presented by Bud Light and hosted at The Clevelander from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Clevelander is located at 1020 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139.

Saturday, April 19

White Hot HEAT Digital Download Day

Be the first to download White Hot HEAT graphics on your phone, tablet or desktop. The HEAT will debut new White Hot graphics and their White Hot look for the 2014 Playoffs onwww.WhiteHotHEAT.com with new wallpapers, photos, and more.

FINAL GAMER: With a nod to last June, Heat handed rested Pacers another bitter loss when it mattered most

No matter the scenario or season, this much seems true whenever the Heat and Pacers get together for a big game in Miami.

The Heat has the ability to dial up a blowout on command.

It happened in Game 7 of the 2013 Eastern Conference finals and it happened on Friday at AmericanAirlines Arena with home-court advantage for a potential East finals rematch at stake. With Dwayne Wade watching from the sidelines in a suit and bowtie, the Heat defeated the Pacers 98-86 in the final and fourth game between the two teams this season. With three games remaining on its schedule, the Heat now leads the Pacers by half a game atop the Eastern Conference standings.

Putting the victory into perspective, LeBron James said it wasn’t “as big as everyone wants it to be or make it.”

“For us, it’s big because we wanted to play better than we did on that road trip,” James said. “It has been a while since we put together a 48-minute game, and I think tonight we were as close to 48 minutes as possible.”

Wade missed his ninth-straight game, but James compensated with 36 points, going 11 of 20 from the field, 2 of 4 from three-point range and 12 of 13 from the free-throw line. James scored 38 points in the Heat’s loss to the Pacers two weeks ago and he has scored at least 30 points in four of his last five games.

“He was just being aggressive,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I wasn’t calling any plays for him.”

It was aggressiveness on defense that allowed for the runaway score.

The Heat (54-25) out-rebounded the Pacers (54-26) 40-31 and outscored the Pacers 44-26 in the paint. Those numbers were a surprise, especially considering Pacers coach Frank Vogel rested all five of his starters on Wednesday to prepare for the Heat. At the vanguard of Miami's relentless effort was Udonis Haslem, the Heat’s center and co-captain who returned to action on Friday night after missing two games with a stomach illness. Haslem had 11 points and nine rebounds, but, more importantly, completely shut down his counterpart in Pacers blue.

Roy Hibbert, who at 7-2 towers over 6-8 Haslem, went most of the game without a rebound and was nearly shutout on the glass. He finished with one rebound and five points.

“When the shot goes up, you’ve got to find him and put a body on him,” Haslem said. “He’s 7-feet tall, so you got to turn and try to hit him early.”

Hibbert’s was a demoralizing stat line for a Pacers team that relies on its size to create mismatches against the Heat.

“That old warrior,” Spoelstra said of Haslem, before correcting himself. “That young warrior. He’s my personal inspiration as a coach. I love looking at his photo in my office. He just has the look of intensity.”

Carelessness, more than anything, doomed the Heat in its last meeting against the Pacers on March 26. The defending back-to-back champs had 19 turnovers in that loss but committed just nine turnovers on Friday. Meanwhile, the Heat forced 16 turnovers, which it converted into 20 points.

“Guys were in a great rhythm and the best thing about tonight is we didn’t force passes to where we turned the ball over, and that was the key,” James said.

Another key, the Heat went 22 of 28 from the free-throw line, which offset eight three pointers by Indiana. The Heat was 6 of 16 from distance.

Heat guard Mario Chalmers began the second half with one of those three-pointers to give the Heat a 48-42 lead and free throws by James and a fast-break layup by Toney Douglas put the Heat ahead by 10 points. Miami went on to run off 16-straight points to begin the third quarter.

“That was a residual of how we were playing in the first half,” Spoelstra said. “Our defense was on point with the deflections and rotations…It was about as consistent to our identity as we have had for a while for 48 minutes.”

The Heat led by as man as 23 points in the third quarter, but relaxed a little too early. A 12-0 run by the Pacers spanning the third and fourth quarters cut the Heat’s lead to nine points, but a silly technical foul by Pacers reserve Evan Turner, a midseason addition from the Philadelphia 76ers, put Ray Allen at the line, and the Heat turned the mental lapse into a three-point swing. Following Allen’s free throw, Chalmers found Haslem inside for a dunk.

It was a brilliant game by Chalmers just when the Heat needed it. He finished with 13 points, going 6 of 14 from the field, to go along with five rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Following the Chalmers’ assist to Haslem and two more free throws by Allen, Chalmers scored on a running bank shot to put the Heat back ahead by 16 points. He then stole a pass in transition moments later and finished the sequence with a cutting assist to Rashard Lewis, who finished with a dunk.

In less than two minutes of game time, the Heat doubled the score and effectively put the Pacers to bed.

Of course, there was still time for a little extracurricular fun in the paint. Haslem went chest-to-chest with Pacers forward David West before officials separated the two. The confrontation brought the crowd to its feet, with most of the patrons in the lower bowl pointing at West to back off the Heat’s emotional leader.

With 3:21 left, James took care of it when he isolated West one-on-one and, knowing West had five fouls, drove hard on the Pacers’ forward to force West over the foul limit. The strategy worked and James forcefully gave the universal sign for ejection after West committed his sixth foul.

With the arena at full throat, James screamed, “Get him out of here,” and the decibel level roared louder. West sprinted off the court and took a seat on the end of the bench near the same spot his teammates watched Game 7 of the East finals last June.

West finished with 18 points and Paul George led the Pacers with 22 points.

ETC
Haslem set the Heat’s all-time record for offensive rebounds in the first half. Haslem is already the team’s all-time leader in defensive rebounds and total rebounds. Alonzo Mourning held the previous team record for offensive rebounds (1,505).

Out against the Pacers, Dwyane Wade has now missed more than one-third of the regular season

As expected, Dwyane Wade will not play tonight against the Indiana Pacers as he rests his injured hamstring for the playoffs, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said at Friday's shootaround.

The Heat plays the Pacers on Friday night with a chance to retake the top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers currently lead the Heat by half a game in the standings.

Wade has now missed more than one-third of the regular season (28 games) due to either injuries or needed rest for his balky knees. His latest setback, a strained hamstring, occurred during the final two minutes of the Heat's loss to the Pacers two weeks ago in Indianapolis. This will be Wade's ninth-straight game to miss due to his hamstring injury.

Guard Toney Douglas is expected to start in place of Wade.

While Wade remains sidelined, Heat starting center Udonis Haslem will return to the court Friday after missing the Heat's recent back-to-back due to a stomach illness. The Heat will need Haslem's size inside against the Pacers, which rested all five of its starters on Wednesday in a victory against the Bucks.