Cote: Resurgent Miami Heat win again, make NBA playoffs. Wait, do you believe in miracles?
'Do you believe in miracles?'
Do you, Miami? Do you, Heat fans?
'No!' says America. 'No!' say the pragmatists, probably laughing at the notion. But these last two games by the Heat have made plausible at least asking the question.
Miami, after a 37-45 NBA regular season wrought with chaos and controversy, hijacked by the Jimmy Butler drama and trade, has fed its fans late cause to hope, at least, if not quite believe yet.
Friday night's 123-114 overtime play-in victory in Atlanta, on top of Wednesday's impressive must-win in Chicago, has saved a sinking season and sent Miami into the NBA playoffs proper, as a No. 8 seed facing No. 1 Cleveland in Game 1 Sunday in Ohio.
The mighty Cavaliers had by far the best record in the East, better even than reigning champion Boston. Not even fans wearing Heat face-paint might rationally bet on their team right now to advance past the Cavs.
But they have earned the shot, the chance. After this crazy season, that is something of a triumph in and of itself.
What a game Friday was! A must-win play-in is sort of a poor-man's Game 7, but this one had a playoff intensity and feel.
The Heat in this tough season lost 15 games it was leading entering the fourth quarter, a league-high. One would not associated the clutch-gene with this team, this season.
Friday, though, Miami was 5-for-5 on 3-point shots in OT to win a second straight must-win game on the road.
'Every single run they made, we answered,' said star Tyler Herro, after a 30-point night. 'This entire season up to this point is Heat Culture.'
Butler left to become a darling in Golden State. In that context, I found it interesting that two of the players who arrived in Miami in return absolutely were at the forefront of Friday's triumph elevating twhe Heat to the playoffs.
Andrew Wiggins popped 20 points. Davion Mitchell scored 15 of his 16 after halftime -- had three 3-pointers in OT -- and defended Hawks star Trae Young like a crazy person.
'He's a dog. He's a pitbull,' said Herro of Mitchell. 'He's been a tremendous pickup.'
Miami has owned Young, holding him to a 17-point average on 35 percent shooting this season. He scored 29 Friday, but it wasn't enough.
The Heat has sunk since the February Butler trade, including a 10-game losing streak, but that adversity has fed the team. Coach Erik Spoelstra has said so, preached it. Miami rallied, finished strong, believed, and these past two play-in games have nourished that belief.
Guaranteed: Cleveland could have thought of teams it would rather have faced in the first round.
'This team does not fold,' said Spoelstra.
Miami has become somewhat of a play-in legend, the first team to advance from that purgatory to win a first round series (in 2023) and now the first to advance from a No. 10 seed into the main playoffs.
That's a shaky accomplishment to be proud of.
The play-in tournament means you are certified to have had a mediocre season, like Miami's 37-45. It means you are only one of the seventh to 10th-best teams in a 15-team conference. It is something you want to avoid, be better than.
But if you are consigned to that -- make the most of it.
Miami did that in '23 in unexpectedly reaching the NBA Finals before falling.
Doing that again, well, who on Earth is believing that now?
Headed to Cleveland, maybe only the Heat themselves are.
That's not nothing.
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