It Is Play-In Time, That Means We Bet The Heat

Heat vs. Hornets, 7:30 ET

We have reached the meaningful games for the NBA. Everyone likes to crap on the product, but when the players care, the games are awesome. Now is the time when players actually seem to care. Getting the best in the world to show their talent and have games with meaning is a blessing for us, and we now have 10 teams in each conference with a chance at the championship. It starts with the Play-In Game where the Heat take on the Hornets with both teams needing to win two games to make the NBA Playoffs.

The Heat are the 10th-place team in the league. It seems to be a recurring thing with this Miami franchise over the past few seasons. Interestingly enough, it doesn't seem to bother them. They made it to the NBA Finals against Denver as an eight seed. However, that team was led by Jimmy Butler. Despite one huge scoring game from Bam Adebayo, he is no Butler. Same can be said about Tyler Herro. They are both good players, and they are well coached. You also really can't count the Heat out of a Play-In. They are the first team to ever win as a 10th seed with two Play-In Games, if I am not mistaken, when they beat the Bulls last season. The Heat had the Hornets' number for the most part this year, winning three of four games.

Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

The Hornets have to look at this year and game as a stepping stone. I'm not trying to say they should just be happy to be here, but the team just had its first winning season since 2021-22. This is just the second winning year in the past decade for the Hornets. In other words, this team has been really bad in the past. I'm not quite sure what has turned the team around this season - is it LaMelo Ball's health? Is it the addition of Kon Knueppel? Maybe it is Brandon Miller filling his role admirably. Whatever it is, this season it worked as the team was competitive, but still won't technically make the postseason if they don't win the next two games.

With almost any team, and probably every team, you need to go through some adversity before you win. There is no question that the Hornets have gone through some adversity. All of that losing, though, is not the same as a playoff series. The Hornets still have to grow as a team. There is a clip of Ball getting a steal, going down the court, and taking a corner three instead of a mildly contested layup. For the record, Ball hit the three, but that's not the point. The Hornets still have work to be done, and it is plays like that which make me think the Heat are the right side. The Heat are the better-coached team and will be more prepared for this one. Give me them with the points, and let's sprinkle the moneyline here. 

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