Jimmy Butler, Heat Ripped by NBA Fans for Play-In Loss as 76ers Clinch Playoff Berth

If last year is any indication, the Miami Heat are exactly where they want to be.

The reigning Eastern Conference champions dropped an NBA Play-In Tournament game for the second successive season, falling 105-104 to the Philadelphia 76ers on the road at Wells Fargo Center.

Miami, which led by as many as 14 points, looked to be on solid footing when it carried a 51-39 advantage into halftime. But the air steadily went out of the balloon in the second half.

Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro combined for 44 points on 14-of-45 shooting. Bam Adebayo's 10 points were well below his season average (19.3). The absences of Duncan Robinson and Terry Rozier were certainly felt as the Heat became far too dependent on Herro down the stretch.

We've been in this situation before, writing obituaries for the Heat following a play-in defeat. This does feel a little different, though, with Butler a year older and the injuries piling up for head coach Erik Spoelstra. There's only so much he can do to scheme around the squad's obvious flaws.

The Heat await the winner of the other play-in matchup, which features the Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls. You'd favor Miami in a must-win situation against either opponent, and the franchise's 2023 Finals run was a reminder of how this team historically performs its best with its back against the wall.

In a few weeks, we could all be marveling at how Spoelstra once again orchestrated an upset of the Eastern Conference's top seed. The Heat are one of the few teams that earn some benefit of the doubt amid the situation they're facing.

But a different team from the one that played Wednesday night will need to show up against the Boston Celtics in the first round, assuming Miami even gets that far.