Miami Heat Roundtable: And just like that, 2017-18 comes to an end
With the 2018 NBA Playoffs tipping off tonight, the AllUCanHeat staff got together to discuss the Miami Heat’s run this year.
Just like that, regular season play has come to an end… how do you feel the Miami Heat’s 2017-18 campaign went?
Allana Tachauer (@AllanaTachauer): It was a rollercoaster ride, that’s for sure. Between never-ending injuries, the return of Dwyane Wade and seemingly nothing but clutch games, it’s been an unpredictable journey. But at the end of the day, I’m proud of the team. They showed grit. They never gave excuses. They lived and breathed the culture. What more could I really ask for?
Sequoia Sims (@Qsims39): The 2017-18 campaign was a success; the Heat hadn’t made the playoffs since the 2015-2016 season, and we were expected to be in a longer playoff drought. So I say that’s validation.
Brandon Johnson (@bjtripleot): Given all the injuries, this season has been a success for Miami. This squad is still far from title contention, but as far as development is concerned, everyone had the chance to gel a bit more. Justise Winslow came into his own as a ball handler, and Wayne Ellington cemented himself as one of the league’s best snipers. Bam Adebayo quite literally played above his rookie expectations. I’d imagine Miami tries to add another piece to this group, but the current young core has the potential to be good for a long time.
Rich Nurse (@followthepen): To be honest, I’ve wavered on how I feel about the 2017-18 season. At the beginning, I thought the team wasn’t any good. During the middle, I thought they underachieved because of thrown away games against the likes of the Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings. But they somehow ended with a better record than last year. So I guess I’m slightly impressed.
Dario Ramos (@RamosHeat305): Overall I think 2017-18 went well for the Heat. Yes, the season was mostly up and down, and I’m sure the Heat were hoping for more than a three game improvement from last season, after essentially deciding to “run it back.” However, the Heat finishing as the sixth seed and winning their division feels like a big enough improvement, to where this season can be deemed a successful one.