The Miami Heat dropped their season-ending regular season game to a feisty and young Orlando Magic team, but for the first time in a while, a loss for them doesn’t feel that disappointing.
Such is the privilege of finishing as the first seed in the Eastern Conference with homecourt clinched up to at least the Conference Finals. Any Game 7 leading up to the NBA Finals will be played at the FTX Arena in sunny South Florida, where the 53-29 Heat went a conference best 29-12 this season.
Erik Spoelstra and his staff rested Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, PJ Tucker, Tyler Herro, and the rest of Miami’s main core in Orlando, with the exception of Duncan Robinson and Victor Oladipo, who for only the second time since his return in March played more than 30 minutes in a contest.