Heat to expand capacity to 3,000 for next four home games
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The Miami Heat plan to take their next step in spectator access amid the coronavirus pandemic when the team returns from its seven-game trip on Feb. 24, doubling the current capacity to around 3,000 total spectators in 19,600-seat AmericanAirlines Arena.
The Heat on Thursday announced the policy will pertain to the following games:
Feb. 24 vs. Toronto Raptors
Feb. 26 vs. Utah Jazz
Feb. 28 vs. Atlanta Hawks
March 2 vs. Atlanta Hawks
Those four games complete the Heat’s home schedule for the first half of the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season. The NBA has yet to release the second half of this season’s 72-game schedule.
Of the increase, the Heat reiterated, “seating will remain limited and physically distanced.”
Season-ticket holders have been provided the information required for ticket purchases for the four games with the new seating alignment, with purchase remaining optional.
Of the policy, the Heat notes:
— Scheduled opportunity to purchase tickets is based on tenure as season-ticket holder.
— All tickets purchased will be mobile-only entry and can be accessed via the Heat app.
— Because of reduced seating, assignment will not be made to usual seat location.
— Tickets are based on availability and inventory may sell out.
— If applicable, account credit can be utilized to purchase tickets.
— Prices are discounted from individual game rates.
— Tickets will be sold in pairs and groups of four, where available. There is a four-ticket-per-game purchase limit.
— Following purchase, tickets can transferred to guests or resold on TicketMaster’s Resale Marketplace.
— Parking passes for Arena’s P2 Garage available for purchase.
— Arena lounge areas remain closed.
On the outside
The latest release of NBA fan All-Star voting has Jimmy Butler fifth among Eastern Conference frontcourt players and Bam Adebayo sixth.
The top three finishers in combined fan-player-media voting receive starting berths.
Ahead of the Heat duo, in order, are Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum.
No Heat players rank among the Top 10 East backcourt players in the fan voting.
The second release of the voting comes with some players, including LeBron James, questioning the logic of staging an All-Star Game amid a pandemic and in the midst of a condensed regular season.
Adebayo said he would leave such debate to others.
“It’s up to the older players,” the 23-year-old center said. “I ain’t got no say-so. They’re not going to listen to me.
“I’m a one-time All-Star. They are going to listen to the Jimmy Butlers, the LeBrons. My opinion doesn’t matter on that. So let them have that.”
Positive projection
Considering where the Heat stand, with a losing record and in the midst of a grueling seven-game trip, at least one projection remains particularly positive when it comes to playoff prospects.
According to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, the Heat went into Thursday night’s game against the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center with a 93.9-percent chance of making the playoffs, with the formula projecting the Heat to finish 38-34, as the No. 6 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.
That seed is particularly significant, because only the top six seeds in each conference advance directly to the playoffs, with the Nos. 7-10 seeds required to participate in a play-in tournament.
The ESPN projections would have the Heat opening the playoffs against the Brooklyn Nets.
ESPN’s projections heading into Thursday stood in the East as: 1. Milwaukee, 2. Philadelphia, 3. Brooklyn, 4. Toronto, 5. Boston, 6. Miami, 7. Indiana, 8. Charlotte, 9. Atlanta, 10. Chicago.
