How Miami Heat Stack Up Against The Top Teams In East
By Noah Decker
How Miami Heat Stack Up Against The Top Teams In The East: Brooklyn Nets
Technically, the Nets are not one of the top teams in the East right now. After losing Kevin Durant to an injury, the Nets went on an 11-game losing streak, causing them to fall into eighth place in the East.
But no one would dare say that the Nets aren’t contenders this year. As long as Kevin Durant stays healthy, their record will climb.
Before his injury, Durant was in the middle of, perhaps, his best season in terms of having an impact on team success. When he plays, the Nets are a winning basketball team.
No one can guard him. He scores 30 points a game effortlessly.
Then, add Kyrie Irving into the mix. He is another player that can create his own shot.
He is a crafty finisher who makes the game look so easy with his pure skill and talent. The issue for the Nets with Irving is that he is currently a part-time player who is ineligible to play NBA games in New York.
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The Nets acquired Ben Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers in return for James Harden. The last time we saw Simmons in an NBA game, he was shooting 30 percent from the free-throw line and refusing to take shots in the fourth quarter of a must-win playoff series.
Though not his best performance, Simmons’ poor series against Atlanta last season is not an accurate reflection of what he brings to the table. Yes, he is a poor shooter, however, he is terrific in every other area.
His best skill is his passing. In fact, he is such a good passer that his skillset is often compared to former Miami Heat star, LeBron James, who, in case you haven’t heard of him, is a four-time NBA Champion and MVP.
He is also an incredible defender that can guard all positions, which is something that the Nets could use. His inability to shoot shouldn’t be too great of an issue for the Nets, since they have so many options on offense.
They will need him to score inside and lead fast breaks though. Since he is a good transition finisher, he should have no problem handling that.
So, how do the Miami Heat stop a team like this? At full strength, the Nets outmatch the Heat on paper.
However, the Heat have proven that they have better depth and coaching. Erik Spoelstra has helped this team mesh well together but of course, a top-15 coach of all time can do that for a team.
We don’t know what this Brooklyn team will look like in the playoffs. And it is pretty hard to gauge what that will look like, considering the lack of continuity this team continues to face.
The Heat will definitely have to face some tough matchups in the playoffs this year. As the NBA continues to become one the most popular leagues in the world, teams become more talented.
This year, the East is loaded with strong contenders. The Miami Heat have a good chance to beat any team in the East, but it will take a great degree of perseverance and mental toughness to make it out.
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Luckily, this Miami Heat franchise is built on that exact type foundation. It’s a Culture that lives by those values and for that reason, you can be sure they’ll be up for the task.