PLAYOFF PUSH IN MIAMI

With 8 games to go in the regular NBA season, the Miami Heat are in a dogfight to secure a place in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Heat are tied with the Brooklyn Nets for 7th place with identical 34-40 records and the Boston Celtics are 34-41, a 1/2 game behind. Three teams fighting for 2 spots.  Miami has occupied the 7th position most of the year, but a late push by the Nets and Celtics have complicated things for the Heat.  

Hassan Whiteside setting a pick for "The Dragon" Goran Dragic

The Nets are on a 5 game winning streak and Boston has won their last 2.  Miami, since the acquisition of Goran Dragic in late February to run the point, are 1 game over .500, but have lost 4 of their last 6.   Miami is pretty beat up with Dwayne Wade (knee), Loul Deng (knee) and Hassan Whiteside (hand laceration) going through assorted injuries. Udonis Haslem is unavailable and Shabazz Napier, the rookie PG, is finished for the season.  Chris Bosh, their 2nd best player is out for the season with blood clots in the lungs.  Miami is trying to crawl into the playoffs where they would play Cleveland or Atlanta in the 1st round.

Brook Lopez, Nets center, scoring on Indiana  (4h-entertainment .com)

The only thing going for Miami is the remaining strength of schedule.  They play away at Cleveland tonight and then visit Detroit and Indiana.  They return home to play Charlotte, Chicago, Toronto and Orlando and finish the season in Philadelphia.  The schedule favors Miami, so they can limp into the playoffs.  Though the chances are very slim, they are more likely to pull off an upset against Atlanta than a Lebron James led Cleveland Cavaliers.

REMAINING GAMES AND STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
NAME	W-L	SOS	>.500 TEAMS	<.500 TEAMS
Miami Heat	34-40	0.460	3	5
Brooklyn Nets	34-40	0.552	6	2
Boston Celtics	34-41	0.564	4	3
SOS Strength of Schedule remaining games.