Saying that the Miami Heat don’t care about the regular season is a little misleading. They simply have higher priorities than winning enough games to be among the top seeds in the conference, which is not to say that they disregard the 82 games that remain before the playoffs.
The Heat are sixth in the East with a record of 32–25. To be clear, that is insufficient. They do have a couple more games to win. Thankfully, they are exhibiting their finest basketball performance of the year. The Heat, who have won eight of their previous ten games, are currently leading the Indiana Pacers by a percentage point and must maintain that lead to avoid the play-in round.
However, growth is Miami’s top priority during the season. Players advance. coaches moving forward. The group and plans are moving forward. All in an effort to make sure the Heat are at their best when the playoffs roll around.
Now is a good time to check in with each player on the Heat roster to see how they are doing, especially with the All-Star break behind us.
We’re going to work rapidly to avoid wasting anyone’s time. Here is all the information you require about each Heat player as of this writing.
End-of-bench guys
- Thomas Bryant: Because of his patchy defensive play, Bryant—who began the season as Miami’s main backup center—has subsequently dropped out of the starting lineup.
Jamal Cain: The most productive player on a two-way contract in Miami is mostly utilised when the team is hurt, but he is laying the groundwork to be included on the roster as a 15-man next season.
Orlando Robinson: Bryant and Robinson have alternated in the Heat’s backup centre rotation, but Robinson, like Bryant, is primarily utilised for spot minutes in specific games.
Dru Smith: Since suffering a knee injury in the Heat’s 15th game of the season in Cleveland, he has missed the whole campaign.
Cole Swider: A standout player for Miami’s G League team, Swider hasn’t played much in the NBA but averages around 25 points on 46.4% three-point shooting.
Alondes Williams: After averaging 21.8 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.6 rebounds for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Williams was recently called up from the G League and signed a two-way contract with the Heat.
sporadic participants
Haywood Highsmith: Has shown himself to be among the Heat’s finest defenders in general, but he needs to be a more potent offensive player to break into a healthy rotation.
Nikola Jovic: Depending on injuries and matchups, he alternates between starting and DNP-CDs frequently, but he has taken advantage of his opportunities.
Delon Wright: The Heat signed him during the All-Star break, and as a backup point guard, he should provide reliable ball handling, defence, and 3-point shooting.
rotational pillars
Jaime Jaquez Jr.: Considered the steal of the 2023 draft, Jaquez has surprised many by becoming as one of the league’s best rookies and fitting in perfectly with Heat Culture.
Initially started the season as Miami’s starting power forward, Kevin Love has subsequently moved into the starting lineup as Bam Adebayo’s main backup. has established a strong rapport in the second unit with Jimmy Butler.
Caleb Martin Martin’s season was disrupted by injuries in the first half, but he has since established himself as Miami’s go-to wingman.
Josh Richardson: Richardson has played in 22 games with fewer than ten points and 21 games with ten or more points during his comeback to the team.
The most improved player in Miami is Duncan Robinson, who averages a career-high in assists and points in the paint while shooting.
Legitimate initiators
Bam Adebayo: Adebayo is one of just four players, along with Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, to average 20 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 stocks (steals plus blocks) a game. Adebayo is also poised to have another season worthy of winning defensive player of the year.
Jimmy Butler: In his past eight games, Butler is shooting 56.5% overall and averaging 24.1 points, 8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 2.1 steals.
Tyler Herro: Herro ranks second on the team in scoring and averages a career-high in assists while playing the best team defence of his career in what may be a make-or-break season for his future in Miami.
Terry Rozier: Since the Heat traded for him in January, he hasn’t seen his shot come from Charlotte (shooting 35.9% in 10 games), but he is still giving the point of attack much-needed defensive fight and rim pressure.
Leave a Reply