The schedule just dropped for all of the NBA, and the Miami Heat enter the 2025-26 season with an opportunity ahead of them. While the Heat didn't make any splashy offseason moves, they do have a young core of talent that could surprise people, especially in a weakened Eastern Conference, if they take any kind of step forward as a group.
What the schedule reveals is the 12-game stretch during the 2025-26 season where the Heat must make their move in order to safely make the playoffs this season.
The run into the All-Star Game will be massive for the Miami Heat
The front end of Miami's schedule is going to have some challenging stretches to it, including a four-game run where they have to play Cleveland in back-to-back games, followed by the New York Knicks in back-to-back games (one of those Knicks games being an NBA Cup game).
But if Miami can just tread water through January, there is a stretch heading into the All-Star Break where the Heat will have a golden opportunity to go on a run.
The twelve games Miami has between January 20 and February 11, which is the last game before the All-Star Break, are:
- Heat @ Kings
- Heat @ Trail Blazers
- Heat @ Jazz
- Heat @ Suns
- Heat vs. Magic
- Heat vs. Bulls
- Heat vs. Bulls
- Heat vs. Hawks
- Heat @ Celtics
- Heat @ Wizards
- Heat vs. Jazz
- Heat vs. Pelicans
Being on the road out west does create challenges, but those four teams are all among the weaker teams in the Western Conference. The Magic is a betting darling in 2025-26, but they still have to prove they are actually taking a step forward.
Then, three games against the two teams Miami beat in the play-in round this past April are followed by a wounded Celtics squad.
We wrap up this stretch with the Wizards, Jazz, and Pelicans, all of whom Miami should expect to beat.
This stretch is so soft in the grand scheme of things that if Miami can be anywhere near .500 on January 20, they will be in a prime position to make a run and move up the standings.
Frankly, anything worse than 8-4 or even 9-3 during this stretch would signal a massive red flag heading into the stretch run coming out of the All-Star Break.