It is true that the Heat are in the noble zone of the NBA, that they put together a great game against the Celtics without their best man, who also gave a great show, but that cannot hide the reality.
This is the worst team in Miami in recent years and with this group of players they are not going to get very far in the playoffs.
Maybe with the best version of each player, but what most of them are showing this season is a scary inconsistency.
The only ones that are saved from burning are Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, who, like everything else, can have the odd bad game, especially if they have injuries, but the rest, including Tyler Herro, the third best player on the team, is commanding him. a message to Pat Riley: “it’s not enough for us to go for the title”.
The market closes this February 9, so there are only 15 days left to bring one or two reinforcements that raise the level of the team and above all the consistency.
Clearly in the starting five there are three positions that are well covered: the center with Adebayo, the small forward with Butler and the shooting guard with Herro, although when the triples don’t fit him he loses steam.
The latest performances by Kyle Lowry are worrying, except for the game against the Pelicans in which he finished with 17 points.
Against the Celtics he only scored 2 cards and in the games before New Orleans just 5, 7 and 4 points.
The biggest problem, however, remains that the Heat don’t have a true power forward.
Caleb Martin (9.9 points and 4.7 rebounds) has done a great job filling the position, but it’s really not his thing. He takes advantage of it by sending him to mark the best rival player, to fight for each ball and to fight taking advantage of his athletic qualities.
But he still needs to prevail in the paint, take more rebounds and score much more. It doesn’t have to be Anthony Davis, but someone who can stop Anthony Davis, and Martin doesn’t have the size or the weight.
Against the Celtics Martin (5 and 0) had to leave due to foul problems and in the absence of Nikola Jovic Haywood Highsmith jumped onto the pitch, who did the job and was key in the win with a double-double (15 and 10). .
The point is that in the next game Highsmith (4.7 cards and 3.9 rebounds) disappears, like others like Gabe Vincent (9.5), who has scored 5 and 7 points in the last two games, and Max Strus (12.6), who added two shutout games before scoring 13 points Tuesday against Boston.
They all belong to the second unit along with Victor Oladipo who has gradually been recovering his best version and is one of the few good news from the Heat.
Dewayne Dedmon has been displaced by two-way player Orlando Robinson since the incident with manager Erik Spoelstra, while Duncan Robinson and Omer Yurtseven are recovering from operations.
The power forward Miami is most interested in is Jae Crowder (Phoenix Suns), but Kelly Olynyk (Utah Jazz) could also arrive, who can also play center, or even Serge Ibaka (Milwaukee Bucks), to name a few. some who can fill the gap and bring greater consistency to Miami, but above all help Adebayo.
The Heat center seemed to have superpowers in a movie finale against the Celtic as he defended like a madman, stole, blocked, dunked balls and scored, including the game-winner.
With this performance he sent a clear message that he should be in the All-Star Game, despite the fact that he was not chosen in the popular vote.
This Friday against the Orlando Magic again at home, the Miami team will look for its third consecutive win, but they will have to do their best because these young teams with a balance below .500 usually play very well.