LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh return to the court today in Miami as they take on the Brooklyn Nets. It’s been a while since these three legends have seen action together with Joe Johnson sitting out due to injury. The Heat are at full strength now after winning their first two games of the season without losing any more players during training camp or preseason.
The “miami heat record” is a testament to the Miami Heat’s dominance in the Eastern Conference. The team has not lost since November, and they have won 10 games straight.
The Miami Heat are easy to ignore.
The reigning conference champions were swept in the first round by the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks, after a stunning run to the NBA “bubble” Finals. Then there’s the fact that clubs like the Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, and Philadelphia 76ers have gotten significantly more attention this season than the Miami Heat.
Despite the excitement surrounding teams like the Sixers, the Heat have quietly ascended to the top of the Eastern Conference. Despite a slew of injuries and battles with COVID-19, Miami has basically coasted through the season. The Heat are back at full power, causing havoc for their biggest opponents and the NBA as a whole.
The Heat’s recent triumph was spearheaded by Bam Adebayo.
Miami has won eight of its past nine games, bringing its conference-best record to 40-21. The most recent was a stunning 133-129 triumph against the San Antonio Spurs in a repeat of the NBA Finals from 2013 and 2014, but with drastically different personnel.
On the defensive end, the Heat had a rare off night. The 129 points allowed were the most by Miami this season, with the other five games with 120 points or more all ending in defeats. Despite this, the Heat were able to score a few more points, owing in large part to Bam Adebayo and a strong supporting cast.
Adebayo scored a season-high 36 points on 14-of-21 shooting after missing 25 of a possible 61 games. After going scoreless in the first quarter, the former All-Star went on to score 10, 10, and 16 points in the next three quarters. He also had three thefts and three blocks.
Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, and Kyle Lowry all had strong games for the Heat, in addition to Adebayo. Butler and Sixth Man of the Year candidate Herro both scored 27 points, with Butler making a team-high 15 free throw attempts. Lowry had a double-double for the 14th time in 48 games this season, scoring 13 points and dishing out 10 assists.
It’s almost hard to beat a full-strength Heat team.
#HEATwin final – Miami 133, San Antonio 129
🔥 Adebayo: season-high 36pts, 7rebs, 4asts, 3blks & 2stls 🔥 Butler: 27pts (7-11 FG) & 2stls 🔥 Herro: 27pts 🔥 Lowry: 13pts & 10asts 🔥 Vincent: 12pts 🔥 Dedmon: 10pts & 7rebs pic.twitter.com/g264rq4lTG
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) February 27, 2022
Every squad has endured some sort of difficulty, from injuries to the Omicron surge. Few teams, though, have dealt with adversity as graciously as the Miami Heat have.
None of the four players listed above have played in more than 48 games this season. Duncan Robinson, P.J. Tucker, Gabe Vincent, and Dewayne Dedmon are the only four players on the roster who have played in 50 or more games. Robinson and Tucker are the only players that have started the majority of their respective games.
Great things happen in the 305 when Vincent, Omer Yurtseven, and Max Strus are replaced with Butler, Adebayo, and Lowry.
Miami has a 17-6 record when Butler, Adebayo, and Lowry have all started the same game. The three has been together for the previous nine bouts, all of which have resulted in victories save for one. Prior to it, you’d have to go back to November 27 to discover the previous time the three All-Stars shared the floor.
The Heat have been praised for their depth as a result of their players missing significant time, especially Adebayo. However, if everyone stays healthy, they have a good chance of winning the East and adding a fourth Larry O’Brien Trophy shortly after.
Is the Miami Heat the greatest basketball team in the league?
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The Heat are the best team in the East, with a record of 40-21. Coach Erik Spoelstra’s club is in the argument for the most well-rounded team in the NBA, but falling short of West teams like the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors.
The Heat are eighth in offensive rating and sixth in defensive rating entering Sunday. Not only is it amazing considering their greatest players have been out for extended periods of time, but only the Suns rank higher in both metrics.
In 2021-22, 11 players have made at least nine starts, demonstrating Miami’s depth and next-man-up mindset. In general, a club like Golden State has had more players start (13), but only eight have made nine or more starts.
Despite receiving extensive playing time from deep backups, the Heat have put together a top-seven offense and defense. And the longer Butler, Adebayo, and Lowry play together, the better their aggregate numbers will be. Plus, according to ESPN, two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo may make his season debut as early as the third week of March.
The Heat have all the makings of a potential champion, with several All-Stars, a strong bench, and the conference’s longest-tenured head coach. Especially if they have some good luck with injuries for a change.
Basketball Reference provided all statistics.
RELATED: Jimmy Butler Slams the NBA For Being Soft, Perfectly Explaining Why He Is the Heat’s Ultimate Leader
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