The Miami Heat host the Atlanta Hawks at the Kaseya Center on Sunday, April 12, at 6:00 PM ET.
The Heat are 42-39 and tenth in the East with a 25-15 home record, while the Hawks are 45-35 and fifth in the East with a 22-18 road record.
The Heat are coming off a 140-117 win over the Washington Wizards on Friday, while the Hawks picked up a convincing 124-102 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday as well. This will be the fourth and final matchup between the teams, with the Heat leading the series 2-1 after picking up a 128-97 win in their last encounter on February 20, 2026.
The Heat are led by Bam Adebayo, who is averaging 20.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists this season. Tyler Herro has had an injury-riddled season, but the young guard is averaging 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 32 games this season.
The Hawks have most of their core players listed as questionable for this clash, having already secured a top-six seed in the East. This might lead to a big opportunity for former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, who’s averaging 9.5 points and 3.8 rebounds this season.
Both teams could see a minor shakeup in seedings based on this result and the results of teams around them, so it’ll be an interesting clash, especially with the Heat looking to play their core players to potentially secure the No. 9 seed instead of No. 10.
Injury Report
Heat
Dru Smith: Out (foot)
Norman Powell: Questionable (groin)
Simone Fontecchio: Probable (ankle)
Nikola Jovic: Out (ankle)
Hawks
Jalen Johnson: Questionable (rest)
Nickeil Alexander-Walker: Questionable (toe)
Dyson Daniels: Questionable (toe)
Jonathan Kuminga: Questionable (knee)
CJ McCollum: Questionable (rest)
Onyeka Okongwu: Questionable (finger)
Jock Landale: Out (ankle)
Why The Heat Have The Advantage
The Heat might have the advantage in this clash overall since they’ve already confirmed the status of their key players. Herro and Andrew Wiggins were upgraded to available even when there were questions around their health, so the Heat are coming out with the intention to win this game and hopefully secure home-court advantage as the No. 9 seed in the Play-In Tournament’s first game.
The Heat have been a mixed bag defensively all season, averaging a 113.7 defensive rating. However, they do have the personnel to lock in and ensure that the team can stifle the Hawks’ offense, especially if their stars are out. The Heat make 8.6 steals per game while the Hawks turn the ball over 14.1 times a game, so this could be an area where they can gain an advantage.
The Heat have had most of their success this season as an offensive unit. They’re the second-highest scoring team in the NBA with 120.6 points per game, but have a middling 115.5 offensive rating. This is largely because the Heat are playing at a fast pace this season, which is generating more possessions per game and giving them more scoring opportunities.
If the Heat can attack the Hawks defensively, regardless of the available personnel, it might be too difficult for Atlanta to find their way back into this game. Coach Erik Spoelstra is still a tactical mastermind, and the Heat are a formidable team at home.
Why The Hawks Have The Advantage
It might not be possible to quantify Atlanta’s advantages if they wind up ruling most of their rotation out. Since they’re part of the opening games on Sunday night, they can’t wait to see what the Magic do against the Celtics before deciding on their roster. All the advantages they need come from their really skilled core rotation, all of whom are questionable right now.
Even if the team enters this game shorthanded, they’ll have an incredibly robust offensive system to rely on. Coach Quin Snyder has managed to lead the Hawks to being No. 1 in assists this season (30.3 APG). They complete 294.5 passes per game, showing that they’re passing with intent to create scoring opportunities. That can lead to success for whoever is on the court and maximizes scoring open opportunities.
The Hawks are shooting 37.1% on threes this season (sixth in the NBA) while taking 39.4 attempts. If they can catch fire on the court, it’s not hard to imagine them overwhelming Miami’s proud perimeter defense with three-pointers that they can’t match up with.
Atlanta has been one of the hottest teams in the NBA over the last few months, posting a 121.4 offensive and 107.7 defensive rating since February 22, 2026. They’ve almost secured a top-six seed, but need to make sure that results around them go their way before they can treat this game against Miami as unimportant.
X-Factors
Andrew Wiggins has been made available for this game against the Hawks, with the Heat hoping he can be competitive against the intimidating Hawks’ frontcourt. He’s averaging 15.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists this season, proving he can be a high-level two-way contributor. If the Heat wants to have success in this clash, Wiggins’ production will be key.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. has been stepping up all season as the team’s sixth man, averaging 15.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists. While Jaquez might struggle with inconsistent production, he’s a hard-working two-way option for the Heat who helps them win on the margins. If he has a big night, it’s hard for any team in the NBA to keep up with the Heat.
Jonathan Kuminga is also listed as questionable, but given the limited time he’s had on the court with the Hawks, this could be a great opportunity to give the former Warriors forward some minutes. He’s averaged 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 16 games since joining the Hawks in February, proving to be a valuable two-way wing. If given the green light in this game, Kuminga could have a big individual night as he continues to get into the right rhythm for the NBA Playoffs.
Corey Kispert is another midseason addition for the Hawks, as the former Wizards swingman is averaging 8.9 points since joining Atlanta. He’s one of the many three-point specialists in the NBA and could play a huge role in this game if most of the rotation is ruled out. The Hawks will want Kispert in a good rhythm before they head into the Playoffs because of the importance of floor-spacing options like him.
Prediction
It’s hard to pick which team can win this one, given that most of the Hawks’ rotation is a game-time decision. Nonetheless, we’re going with the Heat for a variety of reasons. The Heat have been one of the best home teams in the East outside the top three seeds, which shows how much they can overperform when playing in the Kaseya Center. As a result, their motivation to win what could be their final game of the season in front of their home crowd will be enormous.
Prediction: Heat 119, Hawks 111
