Miami Heat locked into play-in tournament after crushing 121-95 loss to Toronto Raptors
Apr 7, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) drives to the basket as Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) defends during the third quarter at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
The Miami Heat‘s playoff hopes took another significant blow Tuesday night, as a crushing 121-95 loss to the Toronto Raptors officially sealed their fate for the postseason. With this defeat, Miami cannot finish in the top six of the Eastern Conference, guaranteeing their fourth consecutive trip to the play-in tournament.
« We’re disappointed, for sure, that we weren’t able to bring another level of competitive spirit to this, » Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after his team’s third loss to Toronto this season. « That’s what’s disappointing. We’re not thinking about the next step right now. »
Fourth play-in appearance ties NBA record
The play-in tournament may only be six years old, but Miami has already become one of its most frequent participants. The Heat now tie for the most play-in appearances with four, joining Atlanta and Golden State as the only teams to reach the tournament in four different seasons.
Despite captain Bam Adebayo‘s recent declaration that « we’re better than being in the play-in, » Miami finds itself in familiar territory. The star center struggled mightily against Toronto, managing just seven points on 2-for-14 shooting after his spectacular 83-point performance against Washington last month.
Toronto dominated from early in the contest, using a devastating 19-2 run in the first half to transform a two-point deficit into a commanding 13-point advantage. Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 25 points, while Brandon Ingram added 23 in the victory that moved Toronto within one game of Atlanta for the fifth seed.
Heat face uphill battle for seeding
At 41-38, Miami now likely needs to win all three remaining games to avoid entering the play-in tournament as the 10th seed for a second consecutive year. The Heat have struggled significantly against playoff-bound Eastern Conference teams, posting a disappointing 13-20 record against the other nine postseason contenders.
Andrew Wiggins provided the lone bright spot for Miami with 24 points, while Tyler Herro and Norman Powell each contributed 14. However, the Heat’s overall performance reflected their recent struggles, as they’ve now lost nine of their last 12 games.
If there’s any consolation for Miami, it’s their perfect play-in tournament track record. The Heat have successfully navigated the elimination format in each of their three previous appearances, ultimately securing the eighth playoff seed every time. Most memorably, their 2023 play-in success launched an improbable run to the NBA Finals.
« We have a spirit. Our guys bounce back, » Spoelstra said. « But we have to rise to the level of the competition. That’s the bottom line right now. We have these opportunities to meet our competition and we come up short. »
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