Another AllUCanHeat Miami Heat 1-on-1 is here, with 2018-19 regular season play right around the corner.
So what have you felt most disappointed by in the Miami Heat’s preseason run so far?
Imran Ebrahim (@iebrahim81): Tyler Johnson has to be one of the more disappointing stories for the Miami Heat this preseason. In four games, he averaged only 6.8 points per game, in roughly 25 minutes of playing time. To put this in perspective, he averaged 11.7 points in 28.5 minutes of playing time in the 2017-18 season. Be ready to close your eyes… Because his shooting numbers are even worse. He’s shot 9-for-35 from the field, which is just a smidge over 25 percent. Not only is he now getting approximately $18 million, but it’s not a great thing that every time I log onto Twitter during a Heat game, there’s a tweet about him fumbling away a possession as the ball-handler or bricking yet another shot. (Also, does anyone actually play defense in the preseason? I think it’s a little concerning that opponents are scoring 112.8 points per game against this Heat team. And yes, players are in and out… But there’s gotta be some semblance of defense, and with just one game in the preseason left, I don’t know if it’ll magically appear against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday or the Orlando Magic on opening night.)
Rahmeaun Rahming (@Boneman9000): The injuries. My gut reaction to this question had me feeling some type of way about the amount of loses the Heat have in the preseason, but I had to think of the root, to figure out why I feel let down these past two weeks. When I really think about it, the word jealous comes to mind. As a fan, the preseason is supposed to be a time of joy and optimism. There are only a couple of teams this year (Hawks, New York Knicks, Magic), that should have no hope to start the year. These teams would be fortunate enough to win 30 games, and if they find themselves in a position where they could fight for the last playoff seed, they should turn the other way and focus on the draft. As a fan of a mid-small market team, you endure all the long days and nights online, where the national media focuses on what’s happening for the heavy hitting teams/players, so that when preseason comes, you can catch a glimpse of your team’s starting lineup and make your own analysis. The Miami Heat fans have been robbed of that opportunity with many injuries to those that may have started. With Josh Richardson, Bam Adebayo, Goran Dragic, and Dion Waiters all missing preseason action, it’s hard to feel excited about the upcoming season. Don’t even get me started on the Jimmy Butler rumors. I, like other fans, wanted to buy a jersey of a player that I believe in, but I can’t even do that because I fear that as the jersey arrives, Woj will drop a bomb saying that player has been traded.