Miami Heat: There’s still light at the end of the tunnel

The Miami Heat’s 2018-19 season certainly isn’t going as planned so far, but that doesn’t mean all hope is lost for the organization.

One could say it’s hard being a Miami Heat fan lately.

Between a quiet offseason mainly marked by bringing back Wayne Ellington and Dwyane Wade announcing he’s sticking around for #OneLastDance, and a 6-10 start to 2018-19 play, being a part of Heat Nation currently can best be described as one giant headshake.

Even things that should be cause for celebration (like say the team’s magnificent Vice Nights campaign), end up being worthy of concern (they’re currently 0-4 since unveiling their new court and jerseys).

The truth is, supporters do in fact have many reasons to be pessimistic over the Heat this year.

Still, there are ways yet to view Miami’s glass as half full.

An injury here, an injury there

Let’s go ahead and get the obvious out of the way: injuries are never a good thing. Not for the players themselves. And not for the squad as a unit.

However, they do sometimes give an explanation for why things aren’t exactly going as planned.

Needless to say, in the Heat’s case, they absolutely serve as a reason why the start of this season has been so rocky.

Take Goran Dragic‘s absence, for example.

The point guard has already missed five games (with unfortunately more to come), four of which resulted in losses.

Coincidence? Probably not, given that he’s averaging 16.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists a contest, in 30.8 minutes of play.

Nevermind that the veteran is generally counted on to set the offensive tempo, and help keep the young guys on their toes.

Justise Winslow also missed four games of his own to start the year off, which may not seem like much in the larger scope of things, but certainly added enough rust that the forward is still trying to shake off.

While he’s had strong showings, like his 16-point performance in a win over the San Antonio Spurs on November 7, he’s also struggled, scoring just eight points in 32 minutes against the Washington Wizards on November 10.

And Miami just welcome back James Johnson this past Sunday, after undergoing surgery for a sports hernia during the summer. Having averaged 10.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.0 steals per matchup in 2017-18, he’s been obviously missed on both ends of the floor.

Injuries may be a part of every NBA season, but it’s not hard to see just how much the Heat’s current rash of health problems, are hampering their success. Which in turn should mean that once the team is healthy, they’ll be able to flourish.

Shining bright amidst the darkness

Sitting tenth in an especially weakened Eastern Conference, is hard to swallow.

So is watching Miami lose period, much less to teams like the Wizards.

There’s no denying that as a group, this roster has struggled.

However, there have still been standouts game after game, a fact that becomes especially important considering the improvements have mainly been from guys that are poised to shape the future of the franchise.

The most obvious of which is Josh Richardson.

The fourth-year, who made it a point this offseason to step up as the team’s go-to guy, has been nothing short of spectacular.

Currently averaging 20.4 points on 44.5 percent shooting (and 44.8 percent from downtown), alongside 4.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists a game in 34.8 minutes of play, Richardson alone should be giving fans enough of a reason to keep the faith.

Offensively, he’s stepped his game up to a new level, recently recording a career-high 32 points on November 3 versus the Atlanta Hawks. Defensively, he’s continuing to thrive on the same elite, lockdown mentality that he’s always had.

And his attitude?

Well, that might be the best part.

While the swingman will forever be regarded as a humble hard-worker with a sweet grin, another, more emotional side has come out recently. One that caused Richardson to be ejected on Sunday, after throwing a shoe into the stands.

Was it helpful to the squad in the end? No. But it definitely proved just how seriously he takes the Heat’s success.

Then there’s Hassan Whiteside, who evidently had enough of the naysayers coming after him for his lackluster 2017-18 campaign.

He has by no means unlocked his full potential yet, but his much-improved behavior both on and off the court, should instill plenty of hope in Heat Nation.

As should the fact that after sitting out the November 5 game against the Detroit Pistons due to a bothersome knee, he came back strong, recording a double-double for the next six contests. Including totaling 29 points (on 10-of-18 shooting no less), 20 rebounds and nine blocks in 32 minutes, versus the Spurs.

Individual success may not guarantee wins, but when enough players hone their own crafts, eventually things fall into place.

While things aren’t exactly looking great for the Miami Heat right now, with them still being only 16 games into their 2018-19 run, it’s not time for fans to give up just yet.