Turning Up the Heat: Is Miami a Playoff Relevant Team?

As the season began to unfold and teams started to develop and progress, there was one team that never quite seemed to reach fruition. They were hampered by injury throughout much of the season prior to the All-Star Break, the Miami Heat have surged as of late, winning 19 of their last 23 games with a hefty double digit game win streak stashed right in the middle of that run. How have the Miami Heat managed to climb back into a, surprisingly interesting Eastern Conference playoff race? More importantly, once in the playoffs, do they have any shot of making any noise. The answer in short, by playing Miami Heat basketball, and they sure do. The long answers are a lot more fun though, check them out.

Why have the Heat been able to climb back into the Eastern Conference Race?

There are a plethora of reasons why the Miami Heat have been able to do this, however the main reason is because they are a young team. One that no one knows about, or pays attention to. The point guard is Goran “the Dragon” Dragic, who although is somewhat well known, isn’t a household name. He is a huge part of why the Heat have been able to get where they are. He leads the Heat as their point guard of course but he is a master of dictating pace, speeding up to gash the defense when available and being patient enough to let his big man roll down the lane for a power slam when the opportunity presents itself. Speaking of the big man, Hassan Whiteside is of course a reason for this recent surge as well. Although inconsistent on a few occasions, and mainly due to a little immaturity, he is simply a beast when engaged. However it is definitely worth noting that when Miami wasn’t playing well in the beginning of the season and looked as though they wouldn’t make the postseason, Whiteside checked out all too often and wasn’t the player worth a hundred million plus. He can finish, rebound, block shots, catch, communicate, he is super long, and can keep the defense honest by hitting the 15 footer occasionally, although you want him dunking whenever he can.

Along with Whiteside and Dragic, there are two other X-Factors that have made their presences felt, have been vital to the Heat’s success, and must be rewarded this offseason with at least two year deals each, in Dion Waiters and James Johnson.

To begin, I have never been a Waiters fan, even dating back to Syracuse. Unlike others, who perceived his “cockiness” as confidence, I have always believed he was a bit too “me first”. He is proving me wrong, although he still displays the demeanor that makes him who he is, he is selling out on a nightly basis for his team. He is hitting big shots, and he is also hitting a lot of them, playing some of, if not THE best basketball of his pro career.

James Johnson, who actually had to wait for the league to catch up to his skill set, is an absolute beast. He was drafted in 2009 as a small forward/power forward, but he is the perfect stretch-4, in the perfect mold of a Draymond Green type, perhaps even better. Some will look at me like I am crazy for saying that, but he is bigger, substantially more athletic, and can defend/rebound just as well. The key for Johnson is that until last year with Toronto, he had never played on/received minutes for a contending or relevant team. Along with the aforementioned, the Heat have a plethora of young veterans and young talent overall that has helped them along the way such as Willie Reed, Rodney McGruder, Tyler Johnson the 40 million dollar man, and 2nd year combo guard out of Tennessee, Josh Richardson.

Can the Heat Make Any Noise In The Playoffs?

This is a very fascinating question, and one that can’t be answered in March. Looking at the Eastern Conference, and projecting the Heat to be no higher than the 7th seed, they would face either the Cavaliers or the Celtics at this point. Initially, some might say they don’t stand a chance, but though there is no way for certain to say that they can, and I won’t be the one to predict that they will, the Heat could upset anyone in the playoffs because they have a great coach, variety, and they play great defense.

Erik Spoelstra has coached teams with LeBron James, D-Wade, and Chris Bosh but “coach Spo” has also had to work with a bare cupboard. This year wasn’t quite “bare”, but the deck wasn’t quite stacked either. With a 399–241 career record as of the end of last season, Spoelstra is a master at maximizing the talent he is afforded and getting the best out of people. He will be a key reason why they could definitely make noise in the playoffs.

When thinking about the array of weaponry the Heat possess, you really have to consider their personnel. The Heat can go straight up tempo, where “the Dragon” runs wild like a madman, and although that doesn’t work in the playoffs, he can still use it to his advantage to jolt the game. They can also go with James Johnson as their main ball handler, which automatically forces someone to defend the top where they may feel out of their comfort zone. This usually allows Johnson to have his way, playmaking for a teammate or going to get his own. Of course they could find Whiteside on the roll, or toss it to him on the block, and lastly they could hit one of their “shooters” in Tyler Johnson, Richardson, or Waiters. The Heat have a few more options up their sleeves as well, but the point is that they really do have multiple ways to attack you. Lastly, a staple of Pat Riley/Erick Spoelstra teams, tenacious defense. The Miami Heat are known for being tough, outworking opponents, and playing really strong defense, an often overlooked yet invaluable trait of competitive teams.

No one is saying the Heat will win the NBA championship. No one is even saying that they will make it out of the first round. What I am saying however, is that I won’t be surprised at whatever happens, because they have tons of potential with their players and coaching staff. One thing for certain is that they will be a tough out in whatever series they find themselves in, and two things for sure is that the Cavaliers probably would rather it not initially be against them, as they have lost twice to Miami in the last 4 days.