There is a certain level of uncertainty surrounding the Miami Heat heading into the first season of the Giannis Antetokounmpo era, and understandably so. But if there's one thing that the Heat will be able to hang their hat on, it's probably an elite defense.
If history tells us anything, especially with the addition of Giannis Antetokounmpo, one of the best defensive players in the league, Erik Spoelstra should be able to scheme up a top-10 defense, if not better. In that way, there's reason to believe that their defense will be the foundation of everything that the Heat builds this season.
Over the last 10 years, Spoelstra has helped lead the Heat to a top-10 defense eight times. The two times that the Heat didn't have a top-10 defense, they finished 12th and 14th. One was this past season, and the other was the pandemic year in which Miami, ironically, ended up making an unlikely run to the NBA Finals.
The Heat should have an elite defense with Giannis
This is what the Heat does. They roll out of bed with a top-10 defense.
Even when they haven't had the talent, they've still managed to prove it on the defensive end of the floor. Now that Miami does have the elite talent, there's no reason to believe that this trend won't continue.
After all, the Heat just didn't add a good defensive player. They added a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber player. That means that when the Heat open training camp in a few days, Miami will be installing the blueprint for a new defense with two strong Defensive Player of the Year candidates.
So, as many around the league still question whether the Heat will have enough playmaking, whether they can space the floor out enough around Giannis and Bam Adebayo, or if their depth will hold, Heat fans can sleep soundly knowing that, if nothing else, they're likely to have an elite defense.
But this theory isn't just based on Giannis and Bam, two great defensive players individually. Even aside from those two cornerstones, the Heat have other capable defenders to help solidify their status as one of the best defenses in the league.
Davion Mitchell may be one of the best point-of -attack defenders in the league. Andrew Wiggins is better, even at this stage of his career, than he gets credit for. Klay Thompson isn't in his prime, but he can hold his own with Bam and Giannis behind him.
Pelle Larsson is always going to bring effort, and Dru Smith, for all his limitations offensively, is going to be a pest defensively. Add in Spoelstra's ability to scheme his players up for success on that end of the floor, and it becomes that much clearer that the Heat will excel at least on one end of the floor.
If there's one guarantee for the Heat this season, it's likely to come on the defensive end of the floor.
Add us as a preferred source on Google