Hawks vs Heat Preview: Trae Young vs Herro in Win-or-Go-Home Clash

The Hawks vs Heat fixture in the Play-In tournament will determine who gets the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat have the last chance to save their respective NBA season. But only one team will make through the Play-In while the other will be sent back packing. The winner of the Hawks vs Heat Play-In game will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

The Atlanta Hawks had a terrible first Play-In tournament game against the Orlando Magic. The Magic took full advantage of their home turf to dominate against the Hawks. Orlando set the tone from the first quarter itself, leading it by 32-17. Atlanta made short comebacks in the next two quarters, bringing the game much closer.

But in the fourth quarter, the Hawks were caught sleeping once again. Orlando Magic brought their A game and led the final quarter by 41-22, resulting in a 120-95 win. As a result of that, the Hawks slipped to face the Miami Heat. Miami turned up the heat in their Play-In tie against the Chicago Bulls.

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The visiting side dominated the full game, barring only the third quarter, where they trailed the Bulls by 17-27. The Chicago Bulls’ defense had no answer for Tyler Herro and Andrew Wiggins’ attack. The Miami Heat won the knockout match 109-90.

Heat vs Hawks: Complete Fixture Information

Venue: State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia
Date: 18th April (Friday)
Time: 7 PM ET
TV: MAX, TNT, and truTV
Live Streaming: MAX
Head to Head: 2-2 (2024-25 season)

Key Players To Watch Out For:

Miami Heat: Tyler Herro and Andrew Wiggins

Tyler Herro was the hero of the last game for the Miami Heat. He went on to score 38 points, 5 rebounds and four assists. The guard not only created play for himself but also for Andrew Wiggins, Adebayo and Davion Mitchell. New signing Andrew Wiggins also slammed 20 points, 9 rebounds against the Bulls. The duo will seek to recreate the attacking display against Hawks.

Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young and Georges Niang

The Hawks, in their previous game against the Orlando Magic, suffered a loss due to their offense. For any chance against the Miami Heat, the Hawks’ attack has to come alive, and both Trae Young and Georges Niang are key to that. Trae Young, despite getting ejected from the game on Tuesday, kept his head held high, dropping 28 points.

Trae Young’s three-point shooting could act as a dagger for the Miami Heat. The guard has been shooting at 34% from 3-point range. He is averaging 24.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 11.6 assists this season. While Niang has been averaging 9.9 points with an FG percent of 46.1. Though his figures are not very appealing, his current form can turn the tide for Hawks.