Miami Heat ranked No. 8 in ESPN’s pre-corona power rankings. Here’s where they rank now
Much has been made about the Miami Heat’s competitive advantage coming into the NBA restart.
Many believe their culture, depth and leadership all give the Heat a leg up once competition resumes in late July. This belief, however, appears to be confined solely to the Heat locker room.
ESPN released its 22-team power rankings late Sunday evening which slotted the Heat in at No. 9. It ranked just behind the Denver Nuggets (No. 8) and directly ahead of the Dallas Mavericks (No. 10). The Milwaukee Bucks secured the No. 1 spot followed by the Los Angeles Clippers, the Lakers, the Toronto Raptors and the Houston Rockets, respectively.
The Heat fell one spot from the previous rankings and, according to Caesars sportsbook, currently has the 10th-best title odds. A little blurb under the Heat’s ranking proposes whether the bubble atmosphere will be perfect for the team that held the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference prior to the NBA’s hiatus.
“Jimmy Butler has always believed that he could be the face of a championship-caliber team, despite some doubts across the league that his game is better suited for a secondary role,” wrote ESPN’s Nick Friedell. “ He has his chance now, as the Heat — who have cultivated a basketball-centric culture for years — believe they come into the bubble with a competitive advantage, given how business-like their mind-set is.”
That mind-set should serve them well since the NBA didn’t do them any favors scheduling-wise. As Sports Illustrated’s Shandel Richardson noted, the Heat has the toughest eight-game schedule of all 22 teams, according to www.winsadded.com.
Although the schedule is a bit discouraging, the Heat do have depth on their side. Coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters that all 17 players will be available for the bubble restart meaning they will be at full strength for the first time this season following the addition of Andre Igoudala, Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill at the trade deadline.
The Heat’s first chance to outplay ESPN’s rankings will be against the Sacramento Kings on July 22.
This story was originally published July 6, 2020 at 2:47 PM.
