Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Heat stumble into play-in for fourth straight season

By Sean Keane | Last updated Apr 8, 2026 12:16 AM ET

Not only did the Miami Heat lose Tuesday for the ninth time in their last dozen games, but the defeat sent them into the play-in tournament for the fourth season in a row.

The Toronto Raptors blew out the Heat, 121-95, dominating in every facet of the game. Miami's once-solid defense has collapsed in the last month and left them sitting in 10th place in the season's final week.

Miami Heat are on a treadmill of mediocrity

The Heat were one of the NBA's elite teams at the beginning of the decade, making trips to the Finals in 2020 and 2023 and losing in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022. They fought their way out of the play-in tournament to reach the Finals in 2023, but lost in the first round the last two years, winning only a single playoff game.

Last year, their season was derailed by their refusal to extend Jimmy Butler and his subsequent feud with his team. They traded Butler at the deadline last season for Andrew Wiggins, then added another veteran in Norman Powell over the summer.

This season, Tyler Herro missed 48 games, while Powell sat out 23 with injuries. Now the team is healthy, but they've been the NBA's second-worst defense during their 3-9 slide. They've given up 130 points or more seven times in the last 12 games. Tuesday, they let the Raptors shoot 49 percent and 43 percent on threes, and grab 15 offensive rebounds.

JA’KOBEEEEE https://t.co/48AZqFiMHR pic.twitter.com/jSJkYEQp4I
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) April 8, 2026

Miami Heat's pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo could have ruined team chemistry

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Heat were close to trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier this season, in a package that included Herro and second-year center Kel'el Ware. Perhaps coincidentally, Herro's been one of the team's worst defensive players since the All-Star break.

It simply might be tough to create the usual teamwide buy-in for Miami's famous "Heat Culture" when so many players have an uncertain future with the team. Ware and Herro were in trade rumors. Powell's contract expires after the season. Only Bam Adebayo can be confident about his long-term future in Miami.

At the same time, the Heat have shown that starting from the play-in doesn't necessarily doom their playoff hopes. The team has four current and former All-Stars and made it out of the play-in each of the last three years. If they do emerge, they'd draw a Detroit Pistons team whose best player, Cade Cunningham, is recovering from a collapsed lung.

Things aren't trending in the right direction, however. The Heat have a week to right the ship and rediscover their Culture — and how to guard the three-point line.

Sean Keane

Sean Keane is a sportswriter and a comedian based in Oakland, California, with experience covering the NBA, MLB, NFL and Ice Cube’s three-on-three basketball league, The Big 3. He’s written for Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” ESPN the Magazine, and Audible. com

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