Finishing eighth in the Eastern Conference, the Heat clinched the eighth seed in the playoffs for the second straight year through the play-in tournament, losing to the 7th-seeded Philadelphia 76ers and defeating the 9th-seeded Chicago Bulls.
The team attempted to qualify for back-to-back Finals appearances for the first time since 2013 and 2014, but the Heat entered the playoffs without leading scorers Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier, who were sidelined due to injuries at the end of the season.
In the first round, the Heat were eliminated by the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics in five games.
[3] The team traded their second-round pick, along with Josh McRoberts, to the Dallas Mavericks in 2017 as part of a deal to acquire A. J.
[5][6] During the in-season tournament period, the Heat competed in Group B of the Eastern Conference, which included the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Washington Wizards, and Charlotte Hornets.