The Heat Are Rising

The Miami Heat have officially righted the ship. The Heat won back-to-back games against the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers, beating both teams on the road. Miami is now 6-4 in their last ten games and stands at 30-25 right before the All-Star break, which was their exact record last year at this point. With Miami finding its footing, here are the major takeaways from the Heat’s turnaround:

The “Dame Package” Has Potential

On a day when Jimmy Butler was not playing, Nikola Jovic led all Heat players, scoring 24 points on 62% FG and grabbing seven boards. Tyler Herro added 19 points, while Jaime Jaquez Jr. chipped in with 12. Those three players were known as the “Dame Package,” as they were the central pieces in the Heat’s quest to trade for Damian Lillard. Lillard only scored 16 points, while the Dame Package collectively scored 55. It is important to note that Jovic is only 20 years old, Jaquez Jr. is a rookie, and Tyler Herro is only 24 and has still not hit his prime. The potential of the Dame Package is tantalizing, as all three have the potential to develop into All-Star caliber players. Both Jaquez Jr. and Herro are an integral part of the Heat’s rotation, and as Jovic gets more reps, he will continue to get better and have more impact games like the win against the Bucks.

Heat Defense is Back on Track

Miami’s defense had taken a huge toll during their seven-game losing streak. In the last three games, they have looked like their old selves, averaging 103 points per game against three of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Miami gave up 110 points to the league-leading Boston Celtics, losing the game by just four points without Jimmy Butler. The Heat then held the Bucks to 97 and the 76ers to 104 and racked up back-to-back wins on consecutive days on the road. Miami’s defense has come alive, and it is clear that the effort is there. Miami has outrebounded their last three opponents 136-119. This is a +17 rebounding advantage for Miami. As long as Miami exerts pressure on the defensive end, they can go toe-to-toe against anyone.

Miami Has Been Here Before

It has not looked pretty for much of this year, and I wish there would be more consistency and fewer injuries to key players, but Miami is at the exact same spot, record-wise, as last year. The Heat stand at 30-25 heading into the All-Star break and are in a tie for the 7th seed in the East. Miami survived one of its worst months ever and showed that Heat Culture is real. They could have given up and continued their disjointed play, but instead, they have started winning and playing some of their best basketball against the best teams in the East. This presents a golden opportunity for Miami to regroup and get ready for a second-half run where they can continue to gel together the younger players and Rozier with the established vets. Miami last year went to the Finals and was a team that everyone was afraid of playing. It seems that now, Miami is getting ready to scare the East once again. The Heat have found their mojo, and they are coming.

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