Miami Heat: What to know before NBA restarts pandemic-shortened season
How far can the Miami Heat go in the NBA playoffs?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Miami Heat are a sleeper team capable of making a postseason run in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Miami, the No. 4 seed in the East, will be led by All-Star Jimmy Butler, who is averaging a team-high 20.2 points with 6.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Power forward Bam Adebayo is the second-leading scorer on the team (16.2 PPG), and he leads the Heat in rebounding (10.5 RPG) as well as blocks (1.3 BPG).
Players like Goran Dragic (16.1 PPG, 5.1 APG), Kendrick Nunn (15.6 PPG), and Duncan Robinson (13.3 PPG) will be key pieces for the Heat, if they want to take down the premier teams in the East like the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors or Boston Celtics.
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QUICK LOOK
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Division: Southeast Division
Record: 41-24
Coach: Erik Spoelstra
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Odds to win 2020 NBA Finals: +3000
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ROSTER
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bam Adebayo, PF
Kyle Alexander, F
Jimmy Butler, SF
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jae Crowder, SF
Goran Dragic, PG
Udonis Haslem, PF
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tyler Herro, SG
Solomon Hill, SF
Andre Iguodala, SG
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Derrick Jones Jr., SF
Meyers Leonard, C
Kendrick Nunn, SG (+10000 to win 2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}KZ Okpala, SF
Kelly Olynyk, PF
Duncan Robinson, SG
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Chris Silva, PF
Gabe Vincent, PG
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}WHAT’S NEXT
The Heat will open up against the Denver Nuggets on Aug. 1 at 1 p.m. ET.
Jimmy Butler has often claimed to be an elite basketball player in the NBA. Now, that he has a solid foundation built around him on the Heat, he has a legitimate chance to lead the team deep into the playoffs.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}If the Heat lock up the No. 4 seed in the East, they would play the fifth seed, which is currently the Indiana Pacers. A win would advance them to a potential date with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. If Miami is capable of taking down the East's best team, an NBA Finals appearance quickly becomes realistic.