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Miami HEAT Lightning Round Preview

Where Things Stood: Prior to the stoppage of play due to COVID-19, the Miami HEAT had the 4th spot in the Eastern Conference with a record of 41-24, a complete 360 compared to the season prior. The biggest revelation for the Heat wasn’t just how quickly they jelled behind Butler and Adebayo, it was the immediate impact of the younger players on their roster. Kendrick Nunn, Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and Derrick Jones Jr. all played important roles in the Heat’s success and depth. 

What’s Coming Up: The good news for Miami fans is that Miami can secure a spot in the playoffs. This will be the first time that they’ve had a full healthy team including players acquired before the trade deadline (Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder, and Solomon Hill). The bad news is that according to www.winsadded.com Miami has the toughest eight-game schedule of all 22 teams. The additions of Iguodala and Crowder give Miami the depth they needed to make a serious playoff run. On the bright side Miami has had months to get healthy and deal with injuries. Worst case scenario Miami faces either the Los Angeles Lakers or Clipper first round and is eliminated from the playoffs.

Game 1: Denver Nuggets – This is a team that has been viewed as a top contender and has shown why they are through their play. Nikola Jokic has carried this team this season, leading Denver in total points, rebounds, and assists. With Jamal Murray getting healthy the ceiling is high for Denver. Bam Adebayo will have to play his best game against Jokic if Miami plans to get a win from this team. 

Game 2: Toronto Raptors – With Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green departing in free agency, Toronto was not expected to remain in championship contention. Despite the mass amount of injuries and different roster rotations Toronto has managed to secure second place in the East, six games behind the Milwaukee Bucks and three games ahead of the Boston Celtics. 

Game 3: Boston Celtics – Boston was on pace for a 55-win season while seeing Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum take incredible leaps in their play on the court. Kemba Walker  has provided the type of leadership the franchise was looking for and desperately needed. Boston has enough talent and playmakers to have a deep playoff run and could potentially reach the NBA Finals for the first time in 12 years. The biggest question mark is whether or not Walker will be healthy after missing games due to a knee issue.  

Game 4: Milwaukee Bucks – Milwaukee’s plan for 70 wins ended well before COVID-19, but this is a team that still lead the NBA in wins this season. Giannis Antetokounmpo is to repeat as the league’s MVP leading his team to a 53-12 record. Their 101.6 defensive rating is the best in the league, while their 112.3 offensive rating is sixth best in the association. With that being said Miami has already defeated Milwaukee 105-89 in their only meeting this season, and they managed to hold the front runner for MVP to just 13 points in 31 minutes. Although Milwaukee has the potential to make it to the NBA Finals, Miami has already shown they can defeat Milwaukee.

Game 5: Phoenix Suns – This is a team that before COVID-19 was 2 ½ games back of ninth place in the West. The team compiled a record of 26-39 despite starting center Deandre Ayton only playing 30 games due to an early suspension. It is likely that Phoenix will not be in contention for a deep playoff run. The HEAT have already beaten the Suns in convincing fashion winning 124-108. 

Games 6 & 8: Indiana Pacers – Indiana has managed to find itself in fifth place in the East without Victor Oladipo, who did not play his first game until January 29. Malcolm Brogdon, who missed a total of 17 games due to injuries, averaged 16.3 points and 7.1 assists a game. The Pacers were largely under the radar despite the play of T.J. Warren, and first-time All-Stars Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner. With Oladipo opting out of the restart, this makee Indiana at best a middle of the pack playoff team.  

Game 7: Oklahoma City Thunder – After a rocky 6-11 start out of the gate, OKC was headed for trouble. It wasn’t until Thanksgiving that Chris Paul decided to become the team’s dominant crunchtime scorer, and a mix of the team’s chemistry flourishing around Paul, Dennis Schroder,Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari made the Thunder the surprise team of the Western Conference. The dynamic three-guard lineup has been a key component in how OKC has managed to turn around a 6-11 start to 40-24 and the fifth seed in the Western Conference. 

Predictions: This will be a difficult eight-game stretch to try and make predictions for. A lot depends on the chemistry of Miami and how quickly they can get into playing shape. Miami has the opportunity to go 5-3 or better during the lightning round in Orlando. Losses against Milwaukee, Toronto, and Boston are likely, as they are the three teams ahead of them in the East.  

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