The Miami Heat remain championship hungry after two NBA Finals appearances since 2020.
This playoff run has been led by Jimmy Butler, a veteran whose health appears to be declining. He is credited with not only the Heat’s playoff success, but also their favorable regular-season position at age 34.
Bleacher Report predicts the Heat will finish 45-37 this season, one game behind last year’s No. 8-ranked campaign.
“At this point, we can confidently expect Jimmy Butler to miss a portion of the Miami Heat season,” Andy Bailey of B/R wrote:. “That alone makes it hard to predict an easy over-under clearance. But there are enough positives here to expect Miami to reach the mid-40s.
Fans should expect to see Butler on the court for a fairly high number of games in the next year of his contract. Regardless of the six-time All-Star’s availability, team president Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra aren’t known for being players who let themselves go.
That means every matchup is viewed as a hopeful victory, but the major improvements made by the Eastern Conference this offseason put a good record even further out of reach than before.
“Over the last five years, when Butler plays, the Heat easily earn his minutes,” Bailey wrote. “He and Bam Adebayo give Miami one of the best defensive bases in the league. And there are a ton of positionless players around them.” [Jaime] “Jaquez, Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier.”
Butler’s health undoubtedly plays a role in Miami’s regular season outcome, but a successful playoff campaign should remain his top priority.
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Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer for Miami Heat On SI. You can contact him at [email protected] or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.
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