The Miami Heat, as of right now, are 19-13 and had many injuries to start the year. They have their heads well above water, at the moment and are going into the new year soon.
What are some things that Miami fans can be hopeful for going into the new year? Well, for starters and of the utmost importance, Miami is still in a good position to have a good regular season.
That’s, even, with all the injuries and protocol scenarios they’ve had to endure.
All Miami has to do is get past the play-in game and Miami will be fine.
That isn’t even a question right now, with some experts even considering them the favorites of the East, but it’s something you have to mention with all they’ve endured. However and when looking from a top-down perspective, there are 3 things that Miami fans should be hopeful for as their favorite team heads into a new year.
Too often, you look at the negatives during the long NBA season. But, going into the New Year, here are three specific reasons to be more optimistic about this Miami Heat team.
Miami Heat: 3 Reasons To Be Even More Hopeful Heading Into 2022
When Bam Adebayo went out due to a thumb injury that required surgery, Miami fans were crushed to find out the news that their All-Star center would miss time.
Bam Adebayo Will Be Back In 2022
To compound things, Jimmy Butler has been missing for quite a bit of time as well. It’s that same tailbone issue that was initially sustained in the first Chicago matchup but reaggravated against Memphis.
Adebayo is so important for Miami because of what he does on both ends of the floor. Defensively, Adebayo is Miami’s eraser.
He covers so much space on that end of the floor. Plus, Adebayo can defend anyone on the court.
Offensively, he provides Miami with the ability to put the ball on the floor and to set up their offense as a big. Hopefully, he will still have his touch to his mid-range jumper as he arrives back, something that he had been starting to almost use to perfection before going out.
Adebayo will be back before you know it though. In fact, it’s already been a few weeks since he went down, meaning it’s still only a few weeks until he returns based on the original 4-6 week timeline.
With him being down for so long, you hope that it has helped Miami Heat fans have more appreciation for all that it is he brings when he’s on the floor.
Miami Heat: Victor Oladipo’s Return Could Give Them A Huge Boost
One of the biggest X-factors in the league will slowly look to make his way onto the court in 2022.
Victor Oladipo’s Return Is Looming
Not a lot of people are talking about Victor Oladipo returning to Miami. I would bet you that the casual NBA fan has forgotten that he was even in Miami, to begin with.
If Oladipo can be 80-85 percent of the player that he was before his injuries caught up to him as they did, then Miami’s ceiling will begin to rise tremendously. Miami would get another guy who can create his own shot and attack the rim too.
Also, Oladipo provides another shooter on the floor when he’s right, which any team could always use. The thing to be most excited about seeing from Oladipo though is how he looks as an athlete at this point.
If he still has a decent first step, then he will be a much-needed attacker and on-ball defender. Miami needs another guy on the ball and he’s always been good as a point-of-attack defender.
Even in his short time in Miami playing on a bad leg last season, Oladipo showed signs of defending the perimeter. If Oladipo can stay healthy and make an impact, even if a small one for the time being, then their depth dramatically gets that much better.
Miami Heat: With All The Progress Through Turmoil, The Best Is Yet To Come
Yes, the Miami Heat have dropped, at least, five games this year that they probably should have won. But, throughout the season, the good teams find a way to even things out.
We Should Be Proud Of This Team So Far, Which Provides More Hope For The Future
Once Miami gets healthy and though that may not be the case in 2021, they have a chance to make a deep playoff run.
It won’t be easy, but when are the playoffs ever easy? Miami has been an organization that just wants to get into the playoffs and they believe they will be fine after that.
But, first how about the jobs that Caleb Martin, Gabe Vincent, Dewayne Dedmon, Max Strus, and Omer Yurtseven are doing? With all those guys being undrafted, it shows that Miami’s front office and coaching staff know what there doing after all these years.
You give credit to everyone involved. Every one of those players mentioned has stepped up when Miami has lost players left and right.
For undrafted guys to make an impact like that, it’s an easy way to pave an opportunity for themselves. Even KZ Okpala has shown some signs of development this year.
Because their bench has stepped up, Miami’s roster will be one of the deepest teams in the league as the season progresses. They have almost weathered the storm up to this point.
It was, sort of, known that this would be a challenging year while navigating COVID again. To make matters worse, Miami caught the injury bug to start the season as well.
It’s better to get that out of the way earlier in the season though if you had to choose. What you should take from it all is this one thing though.
When they were fully healthy, they were one of the teams and among the few, that no team in the league wanted to see. That’s a fact.
Hopefully and as they head into the New Year, Miami gets healthy and starts to peak at the right time. As if the Miami Heat haven’t already given the gift of fighting every night with all they have— things should only look up from here.
Happy Holidays out there to everyone.