Serbian power forward Nemanja Bjelica scored 17 of his 21 points in the first half, and the Miami Heat defeated the Detroit Pistons 120-107 despite containing several key players in a relatively uninteresting game, the last of the regular season.
Another tall man, the Nigerian rookie power forward Precious Achiuwa scored 23 points, his career high, and guard Max Strus added 20 with the Heat.
Miami, sixth in the Eastern Conference, with no chance to improve, gave break to the pivot Bam Adebayo (rest), to the forward of Dominican origin Trevor Ariza (break), forward Jimmy Butler (lower back), Slovenian guard Goran Dragic (lower back, right knee), to guard Andre Iguodala (left hip) and base Kendrick Nunn (left calf).
All those players except Butler played the day before in a loss in Milwaukee to the Bucks, third in the Eastern Conference, who will be opponents in the first round of the playoffs.
The Heat still had no problems with Detroit, which also did not have a number of key players. The defeat ensured that the Pistons would finish alone with the second worst record in the league. Detroit will now have a college draft pick no worse than sixth.
The Pistons were left without Sekou Doumbouya (personal reasons), Wayne Ellington (calf), Jerami grant (right knee), Frank Jackson (right ankle) and Isaiah Stewart (personal reasons).
The rookie forward Saddiq Bey led the Pistons with 22 points and guard Josh Jackson added 17 points.
Detroit ended the season with five consecutive defeats. The Pistons have not chosen in the top six in the draw since negatively drafting Serbian former player Darko Milicic at number two in 2003.