The Miami Heat are a far cry from being the consistent unit that they were last season. At the time of writing, they’re 7-8 and placed 10th in the East, giving rise to an opinion by an NBA analyst who felt the side was too old to make a Championship dash.
Last year, Miami finished as the first seed with a 53-29 record and went on to make the Eastern Conference Finals before the Boston Celtics beat them 4-3. This season has seen a decline in production, prompting a different opinion.
According to ClutchPoints, the analyst felt the Heat’s championship window may have just passed despite their big names being in good touch, and some of the names on the roster have been underperforming for the side.
“The Heat are the third oldest team in the league with an average age of 28,3. For a squad lacking youth and utilizing most of their top guys in a plethora of minutes, this is a very risky approach for Miami as the season progresses.”
The analyst added that while the likes of Tyler Herro and Jimmy Butler have been stacking up points, the remainder of the names who the side relies on giving big minutes haven’t been up to the mark.
The Heat’s Most Promising Names Haven’t Stepped Up
Kyle Lowry’s form has been a concern. The point guard has been averaging 13.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists this season. Adding to it is Bam Adebayo’s decline in production, although his 19.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists might serve as a counter-argument along with his solid defense.
The analyst added that Adebayo has only been consistent in patches and that his offense has taken a bit of a hit.
Adebayo has had his flashes of brilliance this season, but his production has plummeted from the past two seasons. The stats have been similar, but it is the impact that has been the vast difference of Adebayo. His defense continues to be stellar as he is 13th in defensive win shares in the NBA, but there cannot be games wherein he is not a threat offensively.
He also dissected Lowry’s form:
Kyle Lowry is way past his prime, and the Heat cannot expect him to tally the same numbers as he did in the 2019 championship run.
The analysis aside, all isn’t lost for the Heat just yet. With a good 60+ games to go in the season, they will look to make a climb and make a postseason and beyond bid, as they have over the past three seasons. On the game front, they face the Washington Wizards next, followed by a skirmish against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
