The historic challenge that Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks face in the NBA 2025 play-in

Winning two must-win games on the road in the same week is an epic challenge that, since the play-in format was introduced in the NBA, has been seen as a nearly impossible mission. After the first four editions, it is clear that securing a playoff spot as the tenth seed in a Conference is highly complex, but Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks will attempt to achieve it in 2025.

While there have been surprises over the four years the play-in has taken place, we have yet to witness a tenth seed securing a playoff berth. In 2023, both the Thunder and the Bulls managed to win a road game but fell short in the decisive match against the Timberwolves and the Heat, respectively. These have been the only two victories by a tenth seed, whereas we have seen two ninth seeds from the regular season make it to the playoffs from the play-in: the Hawks and the Pelicans in 2022, and the Grizzlies in 2021.

Looking ahead to this play-in NBA 2025, there isn't much confidence that this trend will change, although making predictions in the Eastern Conference is challenging. The general feeling is that Miami Heat have better chances than Dallas Mavericks to become the first tenth seed to reach the playoffs, although the Florida team will face a tough challenge to defeat the Bulls on the road and then potentially meet either the Magic or the Hawks away as well. The task is even more daunting for the Mavs, who will rely on Anthony Davis' competitive spirit.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El reto histórico al que se enfrentan Miami Heat y Dallas Mavericks en el play-in NBA 2025