Erik Spoelstra says pressure of avoiding play-in is a 'privilege'

"I hope so. That pressure is a privilege. I want our locker room to feel that pressure. We need to push our game to a higher level."

"Over half (12) of Miami's final 23 games will be against teams who own a top-6 seed, including two more against Philadelphia and one more against Orlando, a team that's bested the Heat already four times this season, including once in the In-Season Tournament quarterfinals."

"Miami is just 10-20 against teams .500 or better this season, the fifth-worst record in the East and 11th-worst in the NBA. It hasn't shown it can consistently beat good teams, and will have to build some consistency if it looks to avoid play-in territory once again."

The Miami Heat currently sit at 31-28, positioned to make the play-in tournament for a fourth straight year if the season ended today. With 23 games remaining, they trail the Philadelphia 76ers by 1.5 games and face them Thursday. Since the New Year, Miami holds a 13-13 record with the 10th-best NET Rating. Coach Erik Spoelstra views the pressure as a privilege, emphasizing the need to elevate their game. The Heat's critical weakness is their 10-20 record against teams .500 or better, the fifth-worst in the East. Over half their remaining 23 games feature top-6 seed opponents, including multiple matchups against Philadelphia and Orlando, who has beaten Miami four times this season.

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