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Wizards face Heat looking to improve playoff position

Mar 21, 2008 - 2:03 PM Washington (34-33) at Miami (12-55) 7:30 pm EDT

MIAMI (Ticker) - The Washington Wizards are gearing up for the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Miami Heat will likely finish with the league's worst record.

The Wizards have won four of their last five games and seven out of 10, including Wednesday's 87-86 victory at Orlando. The loss temporarily stopped the Magic's run to the Southeast Division title.

Six of Washington's next seven games are on the road before the Wizards head home on April 2. Washington is 14-18 on the road, having won four of its last five games away from home.

The Heat, already mired in a disastrous season, hit a new low with Wednesday's 96-54 loss at Toronto.

The 54 points is the third-lowest in the shot-clock era. Miami was just five points off the NBA record-low since the shot clock was introduced in the 1954-55 season.

Chicago's 49-point effort against the Heat in April 1999 is the all-time low.

Miami set franchise lows for points in a game and in a half (26), and shot a franchise-worst 20-for-78 (.256).

The Wizards have won the first two games of the four-game season series, which concludes April 4 in Washington. The Heat are 3-21 in their last 24 games.