The Miami Heat’s Brand Of Team Defense Leading The Way Into 2022
Despite their recent postponement against the Spurs, the Miami Heat have been playing excellent basketball as of late. As the current fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, Miami is leading the Southeast Division by 3.5 games over the second-place Charlotte Hornets.
As the midway point of the season approaches, the Heat appear to be primed for another playoff run in 2022. Thanks to a protocol-riddled and under-performing Division, the Miami Heat have established themselves as one of the teams to beat in the East.
Miami, who has started the year 6-1 against Southeast rivals, has won 22 of their first 35 games to begin the 2021-22 season. All-Stars, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, have only played in 20 and 18 of those games, respectively.
How has Miami been able to maintain this level of success with its two best players missing substantial time? As usual for the Heat, defense is the key to success.
Miami’s elite defense has carried them this season. Holding the third-best scoring defense in the NBA at 103.4 points per game, the Heat force 15.6 turnovers per game, which is the sixth-most in the league.
The Miami Heat have incredible team defensive numbers across the board, so it shouldn’t be a shock to see them rise to the top of the East once again.
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This swarming defense contributes to the Heat’s rebounding numbers, where they rank second in opponent’s total rebounding, as the Heat surrender only 41.7 rebounds per game.
Miami’s killer defense also sees the fewest shots per game of any defense at 83.5 per game. Considering the Heat play at the slowest pace in the NBA, this stat makes the most sense.
With all of these stats coupled with their league-leading 105 offensive fouls drawn, Miami’s defense has a claim to be the best defense in the league. In total and while giving up the third-fewest points on the fewest shots per game, the Heat’s defense ranks inside the top-10 in defensive rating, opponent field goal percentage, opponent offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, and total rebounds per Basketball-Reference.
To say that Miami’s historical defensive culture has returned would be an understatement. In previous championship seasons, the Heat rode elite-level defenses to the NBA Finals.
This Heat defense is starting to look like those defenses of yester-year.
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With incredible defensive numbers across the board, it should not come as a surprise to see the Heat rising to the top of the Eastern Conference once again. If Miami can exercise last season’s playoff demons, they could be in store for another special year in 2022.