Do you still think this team will make the playoffs?
Banker: I strongly believe the Heat will still make their way into the playoffs. We’re still just around 25 percent through the season, and there’s been a lot of moving parts so far which has made it tough for the team to truly get on a roll. Dion Waiters (eventually) will come back and provide a nice spark offensively, and James Johnson is still getting his feet wet in his return. Plus, teams like the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons, who currently would be in the playoffs, are unlikely to keep up this level of play. Each year we see a select few teams get off to hot starts and then crash back to Earth, and that should be the case with both teams, which would open up a spot for the Heat.
Nurse: I actually expect the Heat to miss the playoffs, if the team stays as constructed. Killing the myth that Heat Culture alone leads to winning, will be the only way to push the thoughts of management in a different direction.
Campbell: Sigh. Unfortunately, not right now. We still haven’t seen this team completely healthy and there still isn’t a full time back up point guard on the roster. Will Waiters even play this season? How long will it take for him to get his game going again? So many questions, so little answers…
Rahming: I’m going to channel my inner Rick Flair for this one and say, “Wooooo” Maybe? There’s a chance that president Pat Riley decides to blow the roster up, which would ensure the team misses the playoffs. But on the other hand, there’s a chance that Waiters comes back from injury before the trade deadline, thus making our starting five Goran Dragic, Waiters, Richardson, Johnson/Kelly Olynyk, and Hassan Whiteside. I’m basically giving the Heat two months to show they have what it takes, because if they look bad at the deadline, the dynamite will come out.