The Heat made a significant move by trading Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors, as covered in our previous article. This was a necessary move, especially considering the drama Jimmy Butler caused over the past few months. However, the Heat have struggled so far this season. The Heat sit at 25-26 at the time of writing and are seventh in the East. The new additions should help, of course. However, it is fair to ask this question: will the Heat make the playoffs? Without further ado, let’s discuss this topic.
Will the Heat Make the Playoffs? | The Positives
It is fair to point out the fact that the Heat have not played very well this season. That is why they have a losing record. Some players, particularly Terry Rozier, are playing poorly and the team’s defense is inconsistent, as well. The Heat have also blown multiple leads in the fourth quarter and lost games that they should have won.
However, despite all this, it is not all bad news for the Heat. Tyler Herro is playing incredibly well and earned his first All-Star appearance. Herro is averaging 24 points, five rebounds, and five assists per game this season. Herro has stepped up massively for the Heat this season amidst all the drama and issues that the team has dealt with.
Additionally, Bam Adebayo has started playing better lately. Adebayo has recovered from a slow start to the season and is now back to his usual self offensively. The combination of Ware and Adebayo in the Heat’s frontcourt is a promising one and should only continue to improve as time passes.
Kel’el Ware is another positive for the Heat. The rookie center is averaging eight points and six rebounds this season. He has averaged 11 points and 10 rebounds per game in his last 10 games. It is fair to say that the Heat have found another good player outside of the lottery.
The Eastern Conference Largely Isn’t That Strong
The Eastern Conference has often been the weaker conference in the NBA and that is certainly the case this season. The Cavaliers, Celtics, and Knicks are all quite good and the Celtics and Cavaliers are legitimate championship contenders. However, they are the exception to the rule this season.
As stated previously, the Heat currently have a losing record at 25-26. Despite this fact, the Heat are only a few games behind the Indiana Pacers, who are fourth in the Eastern Conference at the time of writing. This means that it will likely not prove too difficult for the Heat to qualify for the playoffs, even with a mediocre record.
The mediocre record means that they will likely lose in the first round of the playoffs. However, the relative lack of strength in the Eastern Conference means that a number of playoff teams will probably have mediocre records. The Heat may very well be one of them, based on how the season has gone so far.
Will the Heat Make the Playoffs? | The Negatives
One of the biggest negatives for the Heat is their mediocre offense. This has caused them to lose many games this season, even when they play well defensively. The Heat average only 110 points per game and this means that they are in the bottom third in terms of points per game. The Heat’s lack of offensive talent and Adebayo’s earlier offensive struggles contributed to this weak offense.
For context, the Heat average the same amount of points per game as the New Orleans Pelicans, who are far outside of the Western Conference playoff picture. As a result, it is easy to see the Heat missing the playoffs due to poor offensive performances.
The Heat Have to Integrate Several New Players
The Heat’s new acquisitions of Kyle Anderson, Andrew Wiggins, and Davion Mitchell should help the Heat long-term. However, there are always growing pains when trying to integrate new players into the team in the middle of the season. The players have to learn new gameplans, figure out how to play with new teammates, and fit into their role on their new team.
This often means that these new players struggle at first. This can lead to more losses for the team. Kyle Anderson, Andrew Wiggins, and Davion Mitchell are all good players and fill needs for the Heat. Naturally, trading Jimmy Butler was the right thing to do and the Heat deserve some credit for managing to do that before the trade deadline.
That being said, the first couple of games indicate that none of these players are comfortable yet. Wiggins had a poor offensive game in his first game with the Heat. This should improve in time. However, integrating new players into the team presents yet another challenge for a Heat team that already has a number of issues.
The Heat Have a Long Road Trip Ahead of Them
The long road trip comes at an inopportune time for the Heat. The Heat have lost two games in a row and now have to play their next five games on the road. This includes a game against the best team in the Western Conference, the Thunder, and a game against the Milwaukee Bucks, who are 18-9 at home.
There are some easier games on this road trip, such as games against the Hawks and Raptors. However, the Heat have lost some of these games against losing teams that they should win. As a result, it is likely that the Heat won’t perform too well on this road trip. One can hope the Heat have a winning record by the end of the road trip, but this may not be the case.
The Heat’s Offense Depends Too Much on Herro
Tyler Herro has played very well this season. That is part of why his jersey is so popular right now. However, the Heat’s offense relies on him a bit too much. It is easy to see the Heat miss the playoffs if Herro suffers a long-term injury. Relying too much on one player is often a recipe for disaster.
Will the Heat Make the Playoffs? | Conclusion
Predicting whether or not the Heat will make the playoffs is challenging. The team is mediocre and has played inconsistently this season. However, given the relative weakness of the Eastern Conference, the Heat will likely make the playoffs.
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