Will the HEAT finish the season above .500?

[Alan Ogg]

The HEAT are currently sitting at 14-18 (with an embarrassing 6-12 at home record, including a loss to the 76ers). Yes, they have been battling injuries all season long, but they have still been underachieving in the East.

Bosh just come back. And Granger is working himself into the lineup and has followed up a season high 9 points against the Cavs with 18 and 21 points. So that's promising. But the loss today against Orlando was deflating.

Will the HEAT get it together and finish above .500 or are they destined for a complete failure of a season?

[Mass Debator]

It really depends on health, but I believe they will...barely.

They need their entire unit playing cohesively together. A healthy Wade, Bosh, Deng, Granger, and Birdman/Hassan is a very solid core. Chalmers and Cole have to be more consistent with their shot and they'll be competing into the second round this year. Too bad McBob is out.

I'm hopeful but doubtful about being ECF competitive this year. They need some kind of fire...it'll probably have to come from the man above. A trade has to happen too. I'll be shocked if they end up with less than 40 losses.

[plowking]

I said we wouldn't make .500 before the season, and I was laughed at and told my team was a 55 win team. I'm guessing these were the hopefuls that wanted us to succeed with the current roster just to prove Lebron ain't shit.

Turns out he is, and we had a really flawed team, which is something I was saying just about every championship run outside of 2012...This team is too small to rebound, and too old to play scrambling defense, and doesn't have the legs to run. It is literally a team thrown together with no direction.

[Ariza4three]

Orlando is only 1.5 games back from stealing the 8th seed from them.

[HylianNightmare]

They will if bosh can stay healthy

[Alan Ogg]

I said we wouldn't make .500 before the season, and I was laughed at and told my team was a 55 win team. I'm guessing these were the hopefuls that wanted us to succeed with the current roster just to prove Lebron ain't shit.

Turns out he is, and we had a really flawed team, which is something I was saying just about every championship run outside of 2012...This team is too small to rebound, and too old to play scrambling defense, and doesn't have the legs to run. It is literally a team thrown together with no direction.

LeBron's impact on this team was bigger than I thought. And we're definitely a flawed team / too small. I was one of the hopefuls. Not 55 wins hopeful, but I thought a core of Wade / Bosh / Deng and crew would have the HEAT competing for the 3rd or 4th seed. That clearly isn't happening. Now I'm just hoping get into the playoffs playing good basketball. I still think this team finishes above .500.

[Papaya Petee]

43-39 Record and if we can avoid the Wizards or Bulls in the first round a very competitive first round will happen for the Heat.

[toneloc103]

Meh.. everyone was all heat crazy when they started off the season with a few wins. Just wait until later in the season when Wade has to sit out and miss even MORE game due to injury/rest....

[Roundball_Rock]

43-39 Record and if we can avoid the Wizards or Bulls in the first round a very competitive first round will happen for the Heat.

Do you think they can compete with Toronto in a series? Toronto likely will be the 2 seed behind Chicago. Washington and Atlanta will fade a bit imo and finish a cut below CHI and TOR.

LeBron's impact on this team was bigger than I thought. And we're definitely a flawed team / too small. I was one of the hopefuls. Not 55 wins hopeful, but I thought a core of Wade / Bosh / Deng and crew would have the HEAT competing for the 3rd or 4th seed. That clearly isn't happening. Now I'm just hoping get into the playoffs playing good basketball. I still think this team finishes above .500.

The Celtics without Bird, Lakers without Magic, Magic without Shaq, Lakers without Shaq, Cavs without LeBron, and Celtics without Russell all collapsed without their GOAT-caliber player. The Heat are fitting this pattern, although this does confirm that LeBron's impact was underrated while Bosh and Wade had their impacts overrated. If Bosh and Wade were as good as people claimed they were just a few months ago there is no excuse for the Heat not to be 3rd or 4th in the East right now.

I suspect the Heat will rebound a bit to finish with 42-43 wins and the 7th seed and will promptly be defeated in the first round.

[MichaelCheazley]

We didnt have bosh and wade for extended periods of time...And considering this team isnt deep at all, it makes a difference. There have been alot of games we could have won if we had everyone healthy. We missed mcbob, granger, andersen, wade, and bosh for multiple games and with them were easily above .500.

[Dresta]

Depends if Spo stops playing Cole and Chalmers together. Can't carry that much trash along and expect to win games:

https://twitter.com/EthanJSkolnick/s...54524551090176

Losing McRoberts for the whole season was a pretty big blow as well. He was just starting to get acclimated, and the ball-movement was looking good. He's a big impact player (look at Charlotte this year)

[stalkerforlife]

Yes.

Bosh being out hurt them tremendously.

[aj1987]

Depends if Spo stops playing Cole and Chalmers together. Can't carry that much trash along and expect to win games:

https://twitter.com/EthanJSkolnick/s...54524551090176

Losing McRoberts for the whole season was a pretty big blow as well. He was just starting to get acclimated, and the ball-movement was looking good. He's a big impact player (look at Charlotte this year)

Spo is a ****ing retard with his rotations.

[Papaya Petee]

Do you think they can compete with Toronto in a series? Toronto likely will be the 2 seed behind Chicago. Washington and Atlanta will fade a bit imo and finish a cut below CHI and TOR.

Yes, they can compete with Toronto. I know it was only one matchup between those two teams so far but they were both healthy and Miami was in control all game long. They match up well against them and people need to remember that the Miami Heat still have the most playoff experience in the Eastern Conference. Toronto relies too heavily on their guard play, so the Heat can exploit that.

It all depends on health, Bosh missed a lot of time and due to injuries the Heat haven't been able to gel together. I think with a bit of time, and with the way Wade and especially now Granger has been playing, the Heat can make a run and become competetive. Wade, Granger, Deng, Birdman and Bosh all healthy can win games.

Spo needs to fix the rotations as they are horrible. Cole and Chalmers shouldn't each be getting over 20 MPG, never mind 30. They are awful. With Grangers shooting and Dengs attacking form, if healthy the Heat should start Wade at point guard, with Granger, Deng as his 2 and 3, and Bosh and Birdman at the 4 and 5. That would be ideal for the Heat, as they lack scoring, and Wade can run the offense without Cole and Chalmers, who can't do anything but turn the ball over and miss open shots anyways. If they can pickup Blatche or any other big for the playoffs, that would be ideal. Or if Hassan can stay on the floor without getting in foul trouble and missing every free throw.

Now I'm not saying the Heat would beat the Raptors or Hawks or Cavs in the first round, but I think those could very well be 7 game series with a chance of Miami winning. Verses the Wizards or Bulls they would maybe last 5-6 games.

[JT123]

I said we wouldn't make .500 before the season, and I was laughed at and told my team was a 55 win team. I'm guessing these were the hopefuls that wanted us to succeed with the current roster just to prove Lebron ain't shit.

Turns out he is, and we had a really flawed team, which is something I was saying just about every championship run outside of 2012...This team is too small to rebound, and too old to play scrambling defense, and doesn't have the legs to run. It is literally a team thrown together with no direction.

One of the only logical Heat fans on this board. Bravo. I too was laughed at and called a "dumb Bron stan" for suggesting the Heat would be bad this year. I really don't know how anyone expected them to win 55 games, considering they not only lost Bron, but also did NOTHING to address their several weaknesses from last season.
Going back to last season the Heat are 25-32 over their last 57 regular season games, so the team's issues go well beyond the injuries they have had this season.