All U Can Heat
Fansided

Miami Heat 1-on-1: Seven games in and already plenty to discuss

By Allana Tachauer

MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 29: Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on October 29, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 29: Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on October 29, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 4
Next
MIAMI, FL – OCTOBER 29: Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on October 29, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL – OCTOBER 29: Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on October 29, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Another week, another edition of AllUCanHeat Miami Heat 1-on-1…

Let’s get right to it: what do you think it’s going to take for this Miami Heat group to find their groove?

Allana Tachauer (@allanatachauer): Well, for starters, time. The NBA season is a marathon, not a sprint, and with only seven games to their name so far, the Miami Heat need a bit more time to figure things out. Which is made all the more understandable, given how many injuries they’re still nursing. Between James Johnson still not having been given a timetable for his return, Wayne Ellington patiently waiting out his debut and Justise Winslow just having made his way back recently… rotations are a mess. Plus, let’s not forget that head coach Erik Spoelstra loves to run positionless basketball; something that certainly has its pros but also comes with added complications. In his system, guys aren’t assuming the same roles night in and night out, and that’s also something certain players clearly aren’t used to yet.

Imran Ebrahim (@iebrahim81): The excuses are there… ‘The full team isn’t there.’ ‘Just wait until Johnson comes back.’ ‘Ellington is clearly a larger part of our offense that we can’t unleash without him.’ While I would love to say ‘Jimmy Butler,’ the answer is probably just as drastic as that option. Something big has to happen to this team right now, because it seems like the franchise is running in place for the last two seasons. It’s literally been a roller coaster ride, but every up is literally matched with an exact same-sloped down. Bam Adebayo starts to shine, yet he’s being played less than last year as opposed to more. Was this team going to be a top seed in the Eastern Conference? Probably not. But with a head coach like Erik Spoelstra, and Josh Richardson, Goran Dragic, Hassan Whiteside and a seemingly solid supporting cast, the Heat shouldn’t be struggling to string along a few wins. Looking at the upcoming schedule, it’s not plausible to think that the Heat will only win three (Atlanta, then Brooklyn twice) of the next 10 games. That’s scary.

Home/Heat News