The Miami Heat lost their Play-In game against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Centre. Despite having a 12-point lead going into halftime, last year’s Eastern Conference champions fell short and lost the game 105-104. Tyler Herro led the scoring for the Heat as he had 25 points on the night. Jimmy Butler scored 19 points but struggled to get going in the second half as the 76ers played great defense on him.
The loss means that the Miami Heat will have to play the Chicago Bulls to seal the eighth spot. Even if they manage to win that game, waiting for them in the first round is a tough Boston Celtics team. The seventeen-time champions finished the regular season with a 64-18 record to clinch the top seed. They are one of the prime contenders to win it all and beating them will not be easy.
The Miami Heat go into the Play-In game against the Bulls with a major concern. Jimmy Butler seemed to be limping for most of the second half against the 76ers. He suffered an injury in the final minutes of the first half but played through it to keep his team in the game. Not only did that not help, but the six-time All-Star is now at the risk of missing out the season-defying game against the Bulls.
Miami Heat need to add a star player alongside Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler is one player that no team wants to matchup during the Playoffs. His ability to attack the basket and make tough shots has helped the Heat win many games. They have made it to two NBA Finals in the last four years and have also been in the Conference Finals with him as their leader. However, the 34-year-old now needs help and the franchise will have to do something about this in the offseason.
The Miami Heat were linked to players like Damian Lillard, Donovon Mitchell and Dejounte Murray in the offseason but the front office were not able to work a trade out. Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Caleb Martin are some of the players who would have to be involved in a trade for a star, but the Heat are reluctant to include these players in a deal.
Miami Heat has to think out of the box if they are to win a championship
Miami Heat are one of the most competitive teams in the league and put on a great show every postseason. Last season their run from being the eighth seed to the NBA Finals was special and they bulldozed their way through many good teams to make it there. However, the Heat can do that every season if they want. Erik Spoelstra is one of the best coaches in the game and his ability to make adjustments and improve players is what helps the franchise achieve success in the postseason.
Despite the deep runs in the playoffs, a constant pattern has been observed which seems to be the reason behind the Heat’s failure to win a championship. It is the lack of offensive minds on the roster and that is a problem that has not been solved for years now. Jimmy Butler is a stellar basketball player, but he needs someone to share the offensive burden. Tyler Herro is injury-prone and has limitations, while Bam Adebayo fails to show consistency. Although this Big 3 has potential, they lack the offensive firepower needed to win a championship.
