Jimmy Butler scored 21 points and the Miami Heat took a big early lead and never looked back in a 106-94 win over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night.
The result kept Philadelphia (47-23) from clinching the top playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. The Sixers, who took their second loss in a row, would clinch first place with a win over the visiting Orlando Magic on Friday night.
The Heat (39-31) earned their fourth consecutive win and prevailed for the seventh time in eight games. Miami, which is tied for fifth in the East with the New York Knicks (39-31), has two games left as it tries to climb past the fourth-place Atlanta Hawks.
Miami ends the regular season with…
Keep on reading: Heat never challenged, keep 76ers from clinching top seed