Brooklyn Nets: Way-too-early Eastern Conference standings predictions
By Nolan Jensen
#7) Miami Heat
The Miami Heat were a weird team in the 2018/19 season. They were better on the road than at home, and just gave up a plethora of large leads in ball games last year.
They won 39 games, had they gone .500 at home we would’ve seen four more Dwyane Wade playoff games—it’s a shame.
However, they now have their closer entering next season, his name is Jimmy Butler. In 62 attempts last year with the game officially in “clutch time”, according to nbaminer.com, Butler connected on 28 field goals, good for 45.2 percent.
Dragic and Butler prove a dynamic backcourt, Abedayo could be up for a breakout season with Whiteside no longer on the roster, and prospects Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, and Duncan Robinson all had themselves a nice Summer League.
Then there are players like Meyers Leonard, Dion Waiters, Justice Winslow, James Johnson, and resident big, Udonis Haslem who round out the rotation.
Under the direction of Erik Spoelstra—who’s going to have to scheme to compensate for lack of perimeter shooting—the Heat should be amongst the better teams in the Eastern Conference.