In the buildup to the 2025-26 NBA season, the Miami Heat were an afterthought. Or maybe just forgotten entirely. Since the campaign has tipped, though, folks can't say enough about this group or its new-look offense that might've changed everything.
But wait? How, exactly, are the Heat raising their bar with their offense while fielding one of basketball's worst point guard groups? Tyler Herro and Kasparas Jakucionis haven't played, leaving this hugely important position in the hands of Davion Mitchell (a player on his third team since the start of the 2023-24 season) and Dru Smith (a 27-year-old who's a rotation-regular for the first time).
And Miami is absolutely mashing teams at the offensive end. This shouldn't be possible, right? Well, it wouldn't be possible for most coaches, but this is the latest reminder that Heat skipper Erik Spoelstra is the very best at his position.
Miami's new offensive approach has perfectly masked its lack of point-guard talent.
Entering this season, Miami's offense was in such rough shape that even reaching mediocrity would've counted as a huge step in the right direction. Well, if the early performances are any indication, the Heat just rocketed past that mark.
Even after stalling out in San Antonio on Thursday, the Heat are prominently perched at the No. 9 spot in offensive efficiency, per NBA.com. They are fifth overall in scoring, third in three-point percentage, and—wait for it—fifth in assists.
So, was everyone just wrong about what Miami had (or, rather, didn't have) at point guard? No, not really. Instead, Spo worked around that weakness by building an offensive system that strips primary-creation duties away from the playmaking spot and instead emphasizes an egalitarian approach with a lot of movement, plenty of pace, and fewer pick-and-roll plays than anyone else.
"It's so different than everybody else," one scout told ESPN's Tim Bontemps. "You don't need to have a point guard, you need ball-handling wings. It's nonstop, and it's refreshing to see. It vibes with Miami's principles, which is to play hard on defense and push the tempo."
This offensive approach has allowed Norman Powell to engineer a late-career breakout for the second time in as many seasons. It has fueled every bit of Jaime Jaquez Jr.'s resurgence. And it has allowed this attack to rank among the Association's most potent despite having that entirely forgettable group atop the point guard pecking order.
This is genius-level coaching, which we should all probably expect from Spoelstra at this point. Elite coaches cater their approach to the strengths and weaknesses of their teams, and you'll rarely find an example of anyone acing that tough-as-heck assignment to such a stellar degree.
It's why Miami really hasn't missed Herro yet, and it's why if this group ever goes out and gets a star, it might not have to focus on the lead guard it seemingly so desperately needed.