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2023-24 NBA Regular Season
Miami Heat v New Orleans Pelicans
Kaseya Center
Miami, Florida
Saturday 23 March 2024
Tip-off at 02:00 CAT
Miami Heat welcome New Orleans Pelicans to the Kaseya Center on the morning of Sunday, March 23, knowing they need to finish the regular season strongly to qualify automatically for the
NBA playoffs.
The Heat (8th) are locked in a battle with Philadelphia 76ers (6th) and Indiana Pacers (7th) for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, with just one game separating the three of them.
Erik Spoelstra's team have lost five of their last seven games and missed out on the chance to climb back into the top six after suffering a 98-91 defeat to the Sixers on March 19.
Bam Adebayo (20) and Terry Rozier (20) combined for 40 points against Philadelphia, who have struggled without reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, but still managed to come out on top.
Spoelstra has been forced to use a franchise-record 32 different starting line-ups in 2023-24 due to injuries and he's just looking to find some consistency in the run-in to book a playoff berth.
"We're not thinking about last year, not thinking about any of the narratives," Spoelstra said, referencing their unlikely run in the 2023 playoffs as they were crowned Eastern Conference champions after finishing seventh last season.
The Pelicans are looking to cement their place in the Western Conference top six and they've been impressive of late, winning seven of their last eight games.
That run has taken them 2.5 games clear of Sacramento Kings (6th) and Dallas Mavericks (7th) in fifth position and a half-game behind Los Angeles Clippers (4th).
Willie Green's team made it three wins on the spin after beating Brooklyn Nets 104-91 on March 20, with Zion Williamson scoring a game-high 28 points and shooting 11 of 16 from the field.
New Orleans have now gone 42-26 for the second consecutive season, a feat they had not achieved since 2009, and Green put it down to a winning culture in the team.
"We're trying to build starting with our foundation," Green said. "It starts with the people we bring in our building that contribute to having a healthy program, high character people that bring a ton of energy, hard workers, top to bottom.
"That's the program that we're trying to build - it's a sustainable winning culture and it feels like we're trending in a good way right now."
Miami Heat v New Orleans Pelicans - Head-to-head, Regular Season
Games played: 46
Heat wins: 26
Pelicans wins: 20
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