ESPN predicts Miami Heat will finish 6th in Eastern Conference

MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 23: Hassan Whiteside . (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 23: Hassan Whiteside . (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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After an offseason that saw All-Stars move West and the Miami Heat stay mostly in tact, ESPN has the Heat moving up three spots in the Eastern Conference.

A few weeks ago, ESPN projected that the Miami Heat will finish seventh in the Eastern Conference, calculating that they would win 42.5 games. That, however, was based on overall plus-minus and other math things.

On the heels of the NBA releasing the 2017-18 schedule, ESPN’s forecast panel took another look at each team and predicted the win totals for each team, and they now have the Heat finishing sixth in the conference.

As a conference, nothing much has changed at the top. Like last season, ESPN has the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers finishing first and second in the conference. Then they have the Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors finishing three through five.

They are predicting that the Heat finish the season with a record of 44-38.

"The Heat were two teams last season — one that started 11-30 and one that finished 30-11. They’re neither that bad nor that good, but they should be back in the playoffs in 2018. In fact, Miami hasn’t missed the postseason in consecutive years since 2002 and 2003, and their longest playoff drought in franchise history is only three seasons."

There are many reasons why the Heat managed to turn their season around, but the question is: Which version of last season’s team will the 2017-18 team reflect more? The one that started 11-30, or the one that finished 30-11?

At the start of the season, the Heat weren’t healthy and were incorporating several new players to the roster. By the second half, the team was healthier and head coach Erik Spoelstra settled onto a a drive-and-kick offense centered around the penetrating ability of Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters.

Next: 5 Heat games to circle on your calendar for the 2017-18 season

The 44 wins is a more generous projection than the previous 42.5, but overall it’s only a three-game improvement over last season’s 41-41 record. The important thing is, though, that the Heat make the playoffs. Both projections so far have Miami playing in the postseason.