With LeBron James set to miss at least the next month due to injury, a portion of the Miami Heat's early-season schedule may have just gotten a little more manageable. Slated to face off against the Los Angeles Lakers on November 2, the Heat will likely avoid LeBron in that first early-season matchup.
The Heat will still largely have their hands with Luka Doncic leading the way, but their game against the Lakers should be considered a bit more winnable with LeBron likely out.
Any win the Heat can get will prove to be important during their early portion of the season. Not only will the first month of the season prove to be a difficult test for the new-look Heat, but they'll also have to survive without Tyler Herro, who will be out of the lineup due to injury.
Playing the Lakers on the road without LeBron should be considered a huge break for the Heat.
The Heat's gauntlet to start the season
In their first 16 regular-season games, the Heat are projected to play 12 teams who are expected to make the playoffs this year. Right off the bat, we're going to get an idea of how good or bad the Heat is going to be. The unfortunate part of all that is most of those games, if not all of them, will feature the Heat playing without Herro.
As arguably their best offensive player, the Heat will certainly have their work cut out for them during his early portion of the season.
For better or worse, Heat fans are going to get a quick idea of what this season this may be.
There's also a chance that Miami catches the Memphis Grizzlies without Ja Morant, who is currently battling an injury of his own.
Injuries can never be predicted, but the Heat's schedule is quite difficult to open the season. If they can get through those first 16 games over .500, it should put Miami in a pretty good spot once Herro returns. Make no mistake, they may need a few breaks here and there. The possibility that they may have avoided LeBron in their first matchup with the Lakers certainly qualifies as just that.