The Miami Heat made some critical additions to the team this offseason. Not only did they sign Kyle Lowry to a three-year deal, but they also managed to steal PJ Tucker away from the Bucks.
On top of that, they re-signed Victor Oladipo, gave Duncan Robinson a massive deal, and brought in Markieff Morris. The Heat are primed to be a contender next season.
With all the new additions, Erik Spoelstra has a ton of different lineups he can roll out next year. Once Oladipo is healthy, he could have seven players legitimately worthy of a starting spot.
Unfortunately for the Miami Heat, only five players can be on the floor at once. What are the three best lineups to close games next season?
Best Miami Heat lineups to close games next year: The fight night lineup
PG: Kyle Lowry
SG: Jimmy Butler
SF: PJ Tucker
PF: Markieff Morris
C: Bam Adebayo
If the Miami Heat need to make things messy, this is the lineup to do it. Nobody in their right mind would mess with them if this lineup was on the court.
Any one of the players, outside of maybe Bam Adebayo, would gladly get into a scuffle with anybody on the opposing team. A fight could break out as soon as they stepped on the court.
Tucker and Morris are two role players that love to do whatever it takes to win. That just happens to include pushing and shoving anyone who gets in their way.
As for Jimmy Butler, anyone who watches basketball knows what he’s willing to do for his team. Add in a scrappy point guard in Kyle Lowry, and the Miami Heat have a great bully ball lineup.
Best Miami Heat lineups to close games next year: The “need a bucket” lineup
PG: Kyle Lowry
SG: Tyler Herro
SF: Duncan Robinson
PF: Jimmy Butler
C: Bam Adebayo
If the Miami Heat are down at the end of the game, expect to see this lineup. They would be putting the perfect mix of offense and defense out on the court.
Miami would sacrifice the defensive abilities of Tucker in favor of Herro at the shooting guard position. Any one of the players on the court is a threat to score.
Herro and Robinson would be able to space the floor for the other three to work. One can create their own shot while the other is one of the best catch-and-shoot guys in the entire league.
Adebayo would be able to lock down the paint, while also providing a lob threat for Lowry and/or Butler to work with. He has to be in any and all lineups the Miami Heat close games with.
As for Lowry and Butler, they also have to be in at the end of games. Both are elite playmakers who have the ability to get a bucket in their own way.
Lowry is a deadly shooter who shot nearly 40% from deep last season. Meanwhile, Butler is a constant threat when driving to the rim and has shown that time and time again.
Best Miami Heat lineups to close games next year: The lockdown lineup
PG: Kyle Lowry
SG: Victor Oladipo
SF: Jimmy Butler
PF: PJ Tucker
C: Bam Adebayo
This lineup would be one of the best defensive lineups in the entire NBA. If the Heat can get everyone healthy, they could potentially be the best defense in the league.
Everybody, one through five, is one of the best defenders at their position when at their peak. They all play different styles of defense, but they are all great in their own right.
The one caveat to this is that Oladipo would have to be healthy. After missing the majority of his time in Miami, he is projected to be back in the early months of 2022.
If he can get back to full strength, he will be a force to be reckoned with. When he was healthy he was one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA.
As for the rest of the lineup, it’s fairly obvious how spectacular it is. Butler and Adebayo alone accounted for two of the NBA’s ten All-Defensive players last year.
Lowry is known to be a pest on the defensive side of the ball. Between his aggressiveness and ability to take charges, he’s a super great addition to the Heat from a defensive perspective.
That just leaves Tucker, who is as gritty as they come on defense. He’ll do whatever it takes to get under the skin of his opponents.
The Miami Heat have plenty of different combinations to choose from when it comes to closing out games. The hardest part is choosing who they want on the floor.