NBA: 5 x-factors heading into the final 20 games of the regular season

Tyler Herro, Miami Heat

The Miami Heat have been one of the better feel-good stories of the season, certainly in the Eastern Conference. They’ve already won 40 games with 19 games to play. Barring an unforeseen change of events, the Heat will enter the playoffs as a top 4 seed and will host a first-round playoff series.

Although, for the team, the three seed is very much in play. They’re 2.5 games back of the Celtics and have a more favorable schedule than Boston in the final stretch of the season. One factor that could give the Heat a final push over the finish line is Tyler Herro, who has been out since the NBA’s All-Star break.

It’s unclear when he’ll return, but the expectation is that it will happen before the playoffs begin. If so, he could not only be the key to the Heat making a real push for the three seed in the conference but also give them a huge boost of confidence heading into a potential first-round playoff series against the Pacers or Sixers.