Heat 98 - 90 Hawks
Final
  for this game

Heat closing in on No. 2 seed in East; take on rival Hawks

Apr 11, 2011 - 3:04 PM (Sports Network) - Miami's big win over conference rival Boston on Sunday will mean little unless the Heat can follow it up with a pair of road wins to lock up the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Heat, who visit Southeast Division rival Atlanta tonight, snapped an eight-game skid to the Celtics with a 100-77 rout yesterday in South Beach.

LeBron James led the way with 27 points and seven assists while Dwyane Wade had 14 and eight for the Heat, who have won 13 of their last 16 games and moved one game ahead of Boston with just two games left in the regular season.

"It was a playoff atmosphere type of game. It had that feel," Wade said. "For one game we got over the hump. We were able to do some of the things we wanted to do."

The Celtics, however, won the season series with the Heat 3-1 and can still gain the second seed and home-court advantage for a possible conference semifinals rematch if it finishes tied with Miami.

The Heat control their own destiny, however, and will earn the second slot with a win tonight in Atlanta and another triumph in Toronto on Wednesday. Boston plays at Washington tonight and will finish at home versus the Knicks on Wednesday.

The Hawks, who hold the fifth seed in the East, are stumbling badly down the stretch and lost for the first time in more than three years to the Wizards on Saturday.

Andray Blatche finished with a game-high 23 points and seven rebounds while John Wall posted 19 points, seven assists and five boards in that one as Washington topped Atlanta, 115-83. It was the Wizards' first win over the Hawks since January 11, 2008, ending a drought spanning 12 games.

Al Horford paced the playoff-bound Hawks with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Joe Johnson added 16 points while Jamal Crawford scored 13 in a reserve role as Atlanta dropped its fourth straight.

"You just can't flip the switch," Hawks coach Larry Drew said of his team's skid. "You want to carry momentum as you finish the regular the season and move on into the playoffs."

Atlanta, which has lost two of three to Miami this season, will be trying to avoid losing five straight contests for the first time since a six-game hiccup from Feb. 8-20, 2008.






Related News