Miami Heat
Record: 32-24, 3rd Seed
Remaining Schedule: 26 games remaining; 11 vs teams over .500
The Miami Heat have 15 games remaining against teams that don’t have winning records this season. Which means, they’ll probably be favored in at least, probably more, 15 of their remaining 26 games. Miami, even assuming that Chris Bosh will not return at all this season, seems like a good bet to make the playoffs.
Without Dwyane Wade, Bosh and Hassan Whiteside, the Heat won two-straight games out of the NBA All-Star break by changing their lineup, going with one big and Luol Deng at the power forward position. Overall, they’ve won three in a row, including games against three East teams also battling for a playoff spot – the Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards and Indiana Pacers. Those are three key wins to open their stretch run.
Assuming that the Heat win at least 12 of those games against inferior teams, and four of the 11 against teams over .500, that has the Heat finishing the regular season with 48 wins.
(Prediction): 48-34
Next: Boston Celtics