Though the Miami Heat weren’t that involved, virtually standing pat as the day came and went, the NBA saw significant swings at their trade deadline. That goes specifically for many of the Eastern Conference playoff teams.
As the All-Star break gets behind us though, squads around the league are prepping for the final sprint to the season’s close. At the time of this article, 4.5 games separate the first and second seeds from the sixth seed.
Five games are the difference between home-court and the play-in tournament. With just over 20 games remaining, 23 for your Miami Heat, each victory could prove crucial as the playoff picture falls into place.
Unfortunately for the Heat, trying to stay on top of the Eastern Conference will be nothing short of a challenge. Not only is the conference chocked full of talent-laden rosters but a few teams could be getting healthy at the right time.
Here are a few reasons why the East will be challenging to clinch for the boys along South Beach.
Miami Heat: Path Through Eastern Conference Won’t Be An Easy One
The Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers entered the season as serious title contenders with top 15 players on both rosters.
Several Teams Got Facelifts
Before his injury, Kevin Durant was averaging over 29 points per game. If the season ended today, Joel Embiid would likely be the MVP.
Both teams are pushing to improve their playoff position, while each is also in the process of remaking themselves. A James Harden and Embiid tandem could be potentially disastrous for Miami— nuclear even.
Besides, Harden has proven he can win with another high-usage player in the past and now he is with a seven-foot Chris Paul.
Think about it.
Brooklyn, too, stands on a razor’s edge difference between success and failure. The bet on Ben Simmons, a player who has not seen game minutes in nine months, is either desperation or genius.
There is, literally, no in-between. There is always this part though.
Seth Curry and Andre Drummond added some much-needed veteran depth that also drastically helps a Nets roster seemingly withering as the season continues. Both could potentially make runs at the top of the conference if the cards fall right.
The cards must fall right though. However, that’s not the end of the Miami Heat’s potential troubles.
Miami Heat: To Put It Mildly, The NBA’s Eastern Conference Is A Loaded One
The Chicago Bulls are neck-in-neck with the Heat for the top spot in the East (with Chicago now having a half-game lead on Miami, as the Heat didn’t play on Thursday night). They have battled injuries throughout the season and still maintained a top position in the conference.
Chicago Getting Healthy At The Right Time
But Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso will return by mid-March, while Patrick Williams should return at the end of the year. During the All-Star break, Zach LaVine said his knee is feeling better after missing three games before the break.
The injuries also allowed players like rookie guard, Ayo Dosunmu, to play critical minutes and become a reliable threat off the bench. Surviving injuries and stumbling across gems on the roster makes the Bulls a real danger.
Veteran Teams Waiting To Pounce
The Toronto Raptors are sitting in the play-in tournament and loaded with talent from multiple playoff runs. The roster holds Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, and OG Anunoby, all players who were a part of a championship run and pushed the team to the postseason two years ago.
The Boston Celtics, too, have multiple players that have been key to several postseason runs, including a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals back during the NBA Bubble. Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Marcus Smart can lead the Celtics back into a fighting position.
Both rosters are getting hot for a push to close out the year, which is always the right time. The Raptors are 8-2 over their last 10 and the Celtics are 9-1.
So, everything is still before the Miami Heat to go out and achieve but they have to do it. It won’t be easy as the rest of the conference is loaded too.
And by the way, Milwaukee wasn’t even mentioned that much here. That should say a ton in itself.
They are certainly still lurking and a top contender to, not only, win the East but the whole thing again.
It might just be brutal as brutal can get. But, if anyone is up for it, it’s a Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, and P.J. Tucker-built Miami Heat team.