NBA Play-In Tournament: Heat And Grizzlies Earn 8th Seeds With Victories Over Hawks And Mavericks

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Tyler Herro's impressive 30-point performance, including two crucial 3-pointers in overtime, helped the Miami Heat secure a 123-114 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. This win marked a historic moment for the NBA Play-In Tournament. Miami will face Cleveland on Sunday night in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Heat became the first No. 10 seed to reach the playoffs since the play-in format began in 2020-21.

Davion Mitchell contributed significantly during overtime, adding three 3-pointers after scoring just seven points in regulation. Miami also made history as the first play-in team to advance with two road victories. Trae Young tied the game at 106 with a driving layup with only 1.3 seconds left in regulation, forcing overtime. Young finished with 29 points and 11 assists, while Onyeka Okongwu added 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

The Heat started strong, scoring the game's first ten points and building a substantial lead of 45-28 in the second quarter. However, Atlanta fought back, tying the game at 88 with a layup by Terance Mann. Young's three-pointer gave Atlanta its first lead at 91-88 with just over seven minutes remaining. Atlanta briefly led again at 93-92 before Okongwu hit a three-pointer and extended their advantage to six points following Dyson Daniels' steal.

In another thrilling match-up, Ja Morant overcame an ankle sprain to score 22 points and provide nine assists as the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Dallas Mavericks 120-106. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 24 points while Desmond Bane contributed another 22 for Memphis. The Grizzlies secured the eighth seed in the Western Conference and will face top-seeded Oklahoma City in a best-of-seven series starting Sunday.

Anthony Davis led Dallas with an impressive performance of his own, scoring 40 points and collecting nine rebounds. Klay Thompson supported him with an additional 18 points. Davis suffered what appeared to be a right calf injury but returned briefly before leaving again without finishing the game.

Memphis initially built a commanding lead of up to 25 points in the first half but saw it dwindle during a strong Dallas run that spanned halftime. The Mavericks reduced their deficit to single digits midway through the third quarter before Memphis regained control, extending their lead to 96-80 entering the final quarter.

Both Miami and Memphis showcased resilience and determination as they advanced through challenging play-in scenarios to secure their spots in this year's NBA playoffs.