The Miami Heat are on a roll, and it's not just because they're beating up on some of the league's worst teams.
Yes, their five-game win streak has come against some less-than-stellar competition, but there's more to this turnaround than just a cupcake schedule.
Let's start at the top: Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro are balling out. Bam dropped 28 and 12 on the Wizards Monday night, looking unstoppable in the paint. Herro poured in 27 without hitting a single three-pointer. During this stretch, he's getting to the rim, drawing fouls and punishing defenses that overplay him on the perimeter. That's growth.
But the real story might be Pelle Larsson. The rookie second-rounder is looking like a steal, putting up 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists in back-to-back stat-stuffers against Washington. He's got that connective tissue every good team needs - always in the right spot, always making the smart play. Is he the next Josh Hart? Maybe. At the very least, he's earned his minutes.
The Heat are making the most of this final stretch.
No, the Heat aren't suddenly world-beaters because they stomped the Wizards. Washington's defense is softer than warm butter. But Miami did what good teams do - they got a lead early and never let up. No drama, no fourth-quarter collapse. Just a boring, methodical beatdown.
The real test comes Wednesday in Boston. If the Heat can hang with the Celtics, then this turnaround might be for real.
But here's the rub: even if Miami keeps this up, they've dug themselves a pretty deep hole. They're still looking at the play-in tournament, and climbing out of that 9-10 game is no easy task. The Hawks are 2 ½ games up in seventh, and the Magic are 1 ½ games up for eighth. That’s significant ground to cover with just seven games to go.
So what do we make of this Heat team? Well, they're better than they were a month ago. The rotation is tighter, the roles are clearer and guys like Larsson are stepping up. But is it too little, too late?
Or has coach Erik Spoelstra finally figured out how to maximize this group just in time to make a run through the play-in tournament?
The Heat might not be title contenders, but they're no longer the trainwreck they were during that 10-game skid. They're finding their identity, and it's built on defense, smart offensive basketball, and their All-Star duo’s leadership.
For an organization entering a new chapter, there’s value in knowing themselves.