The Miami Heat are about to embark on the most important week of the season thus far. While their first opponent isn’t the strongest in the league, a visit from the Sacramento Kings, the Miami Heat are also coming off, arguably, their worst week of play in possibly a few seasons or more.
That’s so for a few reasons.
While there may be equal or closer showings and results in the past few years over a four-game period of play or so, there are none that have gone this bad in accordance or relative to the expectations that had been set based on their play throughout the surrounding season.
Basically, it’s made that way by the fact that this team was a surefire contender, in anyone’s eyes, before last week and though that hasn’t really changed because of one week, what has been witnessed is still nothing short of jarring.
With a matchup against the, now, conference-leading Boston Celtics (depending on how Monday’s Kins matchup goes) on tap for Wednesday, that will be a chance to directly impact the standings. There is, at least, that opportunity.
Miami Heat: Most Important Week Of The Season Thus Far
However, is a matchup with the Boston Celtics something to be excited about right now based on how, both, the Miami Heat and Celtics have been playing? They have been one of, if not the best, teams in the league over the last month or so, while the Miami Heat might be a bottom three team over the past week.
There’s a bit more to the equation too though and it speaks to that level of play of both teams.
With the playoff seeding not really being the most important thing right now, it’s also a chance for the Miami Heat to see themselves get right over a high-quality opponent.
It’s all as much mental as it is physical, “it all”, as in everything that anyone ever does. That’s no different for these Heat and their ability to turn this thing around after a quick yet elongated bump in the road.
Closing out the week, they’ll face a Chicago Bulls team on Saturday that they have gotten the best of all year. On top of that, the Bulls haven’t beaten the good teams much all year long, so that is almost a barometer-type game for where this Heat team actually stands after the past week of calamity.
Miami Heat: It’s Not Over But They Must Show Up In This Week
It’s not over for the Miami Heat—by a long shot. The past week wasn’t the greatest either and by a long way.
However, this Heat team has more to give. If nothing else, then because they’ve shown you a ton more over the course of the first 70 or so games that should allow you to believe that they will play a lot better over the next week of games.
The opportunities will present themselves. Throwing the Toronto Raptors into the mix as the second part of a back-to-back on the Sunday following the Bulls contest, that is an opportunity to do some real rehabilitation as well, in example.
The Heat have struggled with Toronto all year long and not only might see them in the postseason, by some weird and twisted set of circumstances, but it would provide them an opportunity to send the type of message to themselves, the league, and everyone else observing that needs to be sent.
Hopefully, it just isn’t anything of that multiple overtime variety like a previous Toronto game this year. But all in all, the point still remains.
The Miami Heat need to get back to playing fluid high-level team basketball. Ball and man movement is still the way.
It will have to be, while it has to guide them to success over the next week. Why?
It’s a chance to reset, begin to try to peak, and it just has to. Because coming off of last week and needing to show some “guts”, it’s the most important week of the season for them thus far.