With big wins over the Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons this past weekend, the Miami Heat's playoff outlook may have completely changed. Miami is now tied for the sixth seed and just one game back of the Toronto Raptors for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Just when it seemed as if the Play-In tournament was all but a lock for the Heat, that may have suddenly flipped in a matter of a couple of games.
The Heat's momentum is quickly building
Sure, the Heat still has plenty to prove heading into the final stretch of the season, but there's no question that this is a team that has certainly found its footing of late. And if they can keep this momentum going, the Heat could emerge as quite a dangerous team heading into the East playoffs.
Overall, the Heat has won five in a row and nine of their last 12. Most encouraging, the Heat's offense has truly taken off over that stretch. Miami has a top 2 offensive rating in their last 12 games and a top 6 defense. As you'd expect, the Heat also has one of the best net ratings in the league.
It may be tough to take this small sample size and use that as gospel for who this Heat team really is, but there's reason to "buy in" to what Miami has been building of late.
The return of Tyler Herro has jump-started the Heat
One of the biggest developments is the health of Tyler Herro. Since the All-Star break, Herro has looked completely healthy for probably the first time all season. It does seem like the extended time off really helped him get back into form.
Settling into a nice role in the Heat's new offense, Herro's emergence recently has played a big role in the team's success.
Since returning to the lineup, Herro is averaging 22 points, five assists, and four rebounds per game on 50 percent shooting from the field and 44 percent shooting from 3-point range. He's given this team a huge boost on offense and has helped make up for the absence of Norman Powell.
The true test for the Heat will arrive once Powell is back in the lineup and when they're finally truly healthy.
However, at least for now, it's hard to argue with the recent results. The Heat are right back in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and may be looming dangerously.