Miami Heat pinpointed as safe bet to over-perform this season

Over the last decade, roughly since LeBron James’s 2014 free agency departure, the media has been reluctant to give praise of the Miami Heat. In their defense, it is understandable to step away from the spotlight as a marquee team to cover with James out of the picture. But even so, this Heat franchise has respectfully always remained competitive ever since. 

From 2014-2019, Miami was a team that really started to establish that infamous “Heat Culture”. They always played hard, were well coached and played defensive minded. Although, outside of the 2015-16 season, they were never able to make it further than the first round of the playoffs.

That all changed upon Jimmy Butler’s South Beach arrival. As soon as he was signed, the Heat instantly proved the media wrong by reaching the NBA Finals in his first season here. They would eventually go on to reach another and even were seconds away from the third appearance on that stage.

With all this undeniable success in the Butler era, Bleacher Report recently noted the Heat could be a safe bet to shock the NBA world once again heading into the new season: 

“These guys have a history of figuring out how to defy odds and beat absolutely anyone in a playoff series. Picking them to over-perform has historically been a wise move.”

There is plenty of truth to back up a statement like this regarding this Heat build around Butler and Bam Adebayo. Over the years, they have been able to take down the Boston Celtics (twice), Milwaukee Bucks (twice), New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers. They even took a James led LA Lakers squad to six games in the bubble Finals back in 2020; without the services of a then injured Adebayo and Goran Dragic. 

Some of these playoff upsets and incredible performances came with Miami being a fifth and eighth seed. The way that Butler can turn it on and get his teammates to completely buy in has been an unusual, yet impressive, way of providing leadership. At the end of the day, as noted with that Lakers series, health has been the real true test standing in the Heat’s way over the years.

Another over performing run wasn’t in the cards this past season after season ending injuries to Butler and Terry Rozier. Now this core will get another run at it, hoping health finally goes their way to break the hearts once again of their biggest rivals.