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.
What was the best moment of the year for you? The worst?
Tachauer: The best moment was hands down THE R3TURN. Although I had always hoped Wade would make his way back to South Florida, I never thought it’d be so soon. I’ll forever cherish that memory, as I’m sure will the rest of Heat Nation. As for the worst, not being able to grab that No. 3 spot from the Cleveland Cavaliers stung pretty badly.
Sims: The best moment of the year was the return of my favorite player: Father Prim, otherwise known as Wade. The worst was probably losing Dion Waiters for the year.
Johnson: The worst moment of the year was when Waiters decided to have ankle surgery. It was the most rampant elephant in the room. Waiters was big for Miami last season, and trying to rework himself into the rotation, especially with Wade back, could be difficult.
Nurse: The best moment of the year, for me, was easily the return of Wade (he should have never left). The worst moment of the year was locking up the salary cap by giving a man who needed ankle surgery, a four-year, $52 million contract over the summer.
Ramos: There were some really awesome moments this season, but I have to go with the Heat beating the Boston Celtics back in November, to snap their 16-game winning streak. The Heat were big underdogs in that game but still managed to pull off the upset. And come on, who doesn’t love clutch Waiters?
Who is your MVP?
Tachauer: This is cheating but I have to say both Goran Dragic and Josh Richardson. Dragic, because he’s been a steady constant, amidst a turbulent year. And Richardson, because of his incredible development. Both guys have been major contributors to the Heat’s success this year, and I expect big things from each of them in the playoffs too.
Sims: The Dragon, who made the only All-Star appearance for the Heat and averaged just a shade over 17.0 points per game, which led the team.
Johnson: My MVP is the “Man with the Golden Arm”, Ellington. When Miami failed to get its offense going, Ellington’s chaotic sprinting around screens and through traffic provided a burst of energy. And considering he had a historic shooting season by team and league standards, few could hold a candle to Ellington’s contributions.
Nurse: My MVP of the team would be Richardson. Not only did his stats and position within the team elevate, but Richardson was also one of the few players who competed almost every night on the offensive and defensive end; even eclipsing Justise Winslow in his role of being the better defender against the opponent’s best wing scorers in the clutch.
Ramos: I think Dragic was the Heat’s MVP of this season. Injury replacement or not, he made the All-Star game for the first time in his career and led the Heat in points and assists per game.
How do you feel about finishing as the Eastern Conference’s six seed?
Tachauer: Let’s just say I really didn’t want to take on the Philadelphia 76ers. But there’s no turning back now. Culture versus Process, let’s go.
Sims: Although, I would have loved to see a Cavaliers versus Heat match up, becoming the six seed is a big accomplishment given all our injuries, Hassan Whiteside drama, etc.
Johnson: When Miami secured the tiebreakers with the Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks, it proved one thing: the Heat are better than them both. Finishing sixth, though it was in jeopardy until the final buzzer of the season, is a solid boost for a team that just missed the playoffs last year. The sixth seed also means Miami’s goals have to be higher next season. Cleveland, Philadelphia, Toronto Raptors and the Celtics will have something to say about where Miami finishes, but the Heat can, and have, beat every one of those teams.
Nurse: I feel pretty good about finishing as the East’s No. 6 seed. Aiming for the Celtics would have been a bad idea, because it would have dropped the team’s guard against an injured, but well coached team. And we all know that the Heat have played down to the competition. So why not take a crack at the 76ers? Especially since the Heat were confident enough to win their way into the position, when they could have easily dodged them in their finale.
Ramos: I thought the Heat would finish in fourth or fifth place in the East, and they very well could have. But with injuries and inconsistencies, I think sixth place is still a respectable accomplishment for the Heat.
What is your prediction for this upcoming first round series?
Tachauer: Heat in 7. You heard it here first.
Sims: To be continued… Coming soon…
Johnson: There are so many variables in this series! Does Whiteside play a lot? How’s Ellington’s shooting? How many triple-doubles does Ben Simmons rack up? Assuming the season series holds true, I’m expecting at least six, if not seven games. As for the winner? Well it has to be Heat Nation right?
Nurse: I believe that it will be a tight six or seven game series won by Philadelphia—due to Miami’s inconsistency and poor outings on the road.
Ramos: The Heat/76ers first round matchup will be a tough, physical, and competitive series. I have the Heat winning games 1, 3, 6 and 7, and advancing to the second round.
Next: Miami Heat: First round success lies within the Embiid-Whiteside rivalry
Here we go.