Despite reaching the NBA Finals twice and the Eastern Conference Finals three times in the past four seasons, doubters still exist regarding the Miami Heat’s success.
“I think it is closed for Philly,” one NBA front office source told CBS Sports. “So there should be that fear. And I’m not a Miami believer, either. So I think they’re cooked. But I don’t think they have that fear because I’m not sure they’re honest about themselves.”
It’s easy to see why some people might not think the Heat are one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. They didn’t make any big moves this summer.
They had to, since two of their main rivals, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics made big changes. The Bucks, of course, got great guard Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers. Lillard had asked to be traded to Miami in early July.
That was a big blow, but things got even worse when the Celtics traded for Jrue Holiday. Holiday was sent from Milwaukee to Portland in the Lindroin trade. Holiday was tied to the Heat before he was sent to the Celtics.
If they want to make a splash this season, the Heat will need to make some changes on the inside. Tyler Herro is still very sure of himself and recently sent an angry message to people who don’t believe he’s good enough to make the playoffs. Herro broke his hand in Game 1 of the 2023 playoffs and missed most games.
Also back are Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, who should be their normal selves and make a big difference on both sides of the ball. Players like Josh Richardson and Thomas Bryant, who were added in the off-season, look like they will have regular parts for the team.
There were trade whispers about rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Lillard. He looks like he’ll be ready for big minutes right away. He played well in his first preseason game on Tuesday against the Charlotte Hornets, but he got hurt during practice on Wednesday.
As it stands, Erik Spoelstra, the head coach of the Heat, is still very sure of his team. The Heat had to fight their way into the playoffs through the play-in game last year. The Chicago Bulls came very close to beating them and sending them home.
The Heat got their act together and beat the Bucks, the Knicks, and the Celtics on their way to the NBA Finals. There, they lost to the Nuggets in five games.
That series loss will keep the team motivated through the 2023–24 season. This Wednesday, October 25, Miami will host the Detroit Pistons for their first regular season home game.
