Miami Heat will face the Washington Wizards. WATCH FREE LIVE STREAMING ONLINE LeBron James. NBA Game from Verizon Center on Monday night at 7:00 PM ET
Miami (54-26) moved a half-game ahead of Indiana for the East's best record with a 98-86 victory over the Pacers on Friday despite missing Dwyane Wade for a ninth straight game due to a sore hamstring. He returned the next day and scored 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting, but the Heat committed 20 turnovers and lost 98-85 in Atlanta.
That left them tied atop the East, but Indiana owns the tiebreaker due to a better conference record and regained a half-game lead on Miami by beating Oklahoma City on Sunday. That means the Heat can only gain the No. 1 seed if they win Monday and against Philadelphia on Wednesday while the Pacers lose at Orlando.
"It's not finished. I see the standings," LeBron James said Saturday. "... There's a couple games still left and the seedings are changing every day."
The Heat have lost three of four to fall to 11-12 since March 4, including 3-8 on the road, but received a boost Saturday from Wade playing well in just his second game in three weeks.
"It was good, better than I can envision," Wade said. "When you're out so long, you're just thinking of getting your wind back."
This game would be a first-round preview if Miami finishes with the No. 2 seed and Washington drops to seventh.
The Wizards (42-38) are currently sixth with a one-game lead on Charlotte, but the Bobcats hold that season series tiebreaker. Each team has two games remaining.
Washington has bounced back from Wednesday's overtime loss to Charlotte by beating last-place teams Orlando and Milwaukee, clinching its first winning record since 2007-08.
Finishing sixth is critical because Washington would avoid the Heat or Pacers to begin the postseason. The Wizards have lost 12 straight visits to Indiana and 10 of 12 overall to the Pacers. They've lost by an average of 19.3 points in their last four at Miami and are 4-10 against the Heat since James' arrival.
The game will be live streamed online at www.nbalivestreamfree.net
