The Miami Heat always have a will, so it shouldn't be too surprising that the NBA's best coach, Erik Spoelstra, found a way to win big with this roster. They're slaying dragons in the Eastern Conference, bringing old building blocks back from the abyss, and redefining what it means to play Heat basketball.
The one thing the Heat aren't doing, though, is filling their superstar void. Credit them for masking this absence as well as they have, obviously, but they can't hide the lack of a go-to option forever.
The offense is good, but there's a barrier between this bunch and greatness.
No one piles up points quite like Miami. In fact, few teams even close.
The average Heat output is a blistering 125.5 points. Only them and the Denver Nuggets (124), Miami's championship-round foe in the 2023 NBA Finals, are clearing 123 per night. Just nine teams are hovering above 120, in case you needed further context.
Obviously, a lot of things are working with this attack. Still, the scoring surge is most directly tied to Miami's shocking climb atop the rankings in pace. This team is clearly making a lot of shots, but it's generating a ton of offensive possessions to do so.
Shift the conversation into the analytics department, and the Heat's offense no longer looks unstoppable. In terms of offensive efficiency, the Heat rank a rather forgettable 15th overall, per NBA.com. That's a solid mark, sure, but it's a better encapsulation of how consistently potent this group actually is.
The growth alone is a huge testament to Spo's vision and the players' execution of it. Remember, they're still awaiting the season debuts of All-Star guard Tyler Herro and first-round rookie Kasparas Jakucionis. They're also missing Bam Adebayo at the moment and previously played a few games without Norman Powell.
This almost feels less like great coaching and more like basketball sorcery.
Still, there's a cap on how far Spo can take this team as currently constructed. He is squeezing every possible drop out of what he has, but there's only so much juice without a star on the roster. Does that mean Miami should be scrambling to add one? Honestly, probably yes, as even this injury-riddled version of the East can't be conquered by a star-less squad.
If the trade market doesn't offer up the right solution, though, the Heat have to hope they can somehow solve this in-house. Maybe that means another breakout for Herro, a next step in Adebayo's evolution, or even the light bulb clicking for a young player like Kel'el Ware or Nikola Jovic. Those things aren't impossible.
They aren't easily accomplished, though, and the fact none has happened yet is a big reason why this offense is what it is: surprisingly productive, but not one of the Association's best.