The Miami Heat have grown used to fighting their way to a playoff spot. While the Jimmy Butler trade was necessary, it left coach Erik Spoelstra to figure out his new rotation. The Heat have dropped all four games since the trade, though they have been shorthanded, as only three players appeared in all four games.
Miami (25-28) sit ninth in the East, four games ahead of 10th-place Chicago, with 29 games left. The Heat are 4-8 in its last 12 contests and lost 14 of their last 22 games in 2025. The Heat, third in the Southeast division, have participated in the Play-In Tournament over the previous two seasons.
Erik Spoelstra Has Things To Figure Out as Heat Try To Stay In Top 8
Miami is 2-7 in February, as the Heat have struggled offensively. Over the last nine games, the Heat averaged 103.1 points, but they shot only 43.2% from the field and 32% from deep. The Heat topped 113 points — the league average — once during this nine-game stretch and failed to score more than 105 on four occassions.
Miami was a little better defensively than in January. However, the Heat struggled guarding the 3-point line.
There is the belief that the Heat can right the ship around, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel Ira Winderman. While the Heat have been really good at home since the beginning of 2019, the confines of the Kaseya Center have been less favorable of late. The Heat are 12-11 in Biscayne Bay this year, outscoring their opponents by a measly 0.3 points a contest and 34-30 over the last two seasons. They also have the sixth easier schedule in the future.
“We’re going to get better,” Spoelstra said following the Heat’s loss to Dallas before the all-star break. “Everybody understands the urgency right now. There’s not a man in that locker room who doesn’t understand it. We’re disappointed, we’re frustrated; this is humbling. But this is what the league is right now, where all the teams are on any given week. These games are, they have so much impact and so much meaning. You can go 0-3 like we did, or you can go 3-0. You can have these wild swings of emotions and games.
“But we just need to put it together; we need to get together next Thursday and start working on this continuity and putting this thing together to have a great stretch run.”
The Heat’s Rotation Is the first Thing Spoelstra Has To Figure Out
As mentioned above, Miami has been shorthanded since making the Butler deal. If the Heat are to make a bit of a run, Andrew Wiggins, Tyler Herro, and Bam Adebayo must be the catalyst.
Wiggins had a nice bounce-back campaign with Golden State after last year’s career-worst season. He was producing similar numbers this season as he did over his four seasons with the Warriors. However, the nearly 30-year-old struggled in his first two games with the Heat, tallying 12.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists while shooting 29.5% from the field and 23.1% from deep.
Herro is in the midst of a career year. A first-time all-star, Herro is producing nearly 24 points, 5.5 assists, and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 46.5/38/85.4.
Meanwhile, Adebayo is having his most inefficient season in years. Adebayo, who has been dealing with a knee injury, has played well since January 25, averaging 22.4 points on 53.4% shooting and 41.8% from three-point range. He also grabbed 11.4 rebounds and doled out 4.7 assists over his last nine contests.
Rookie Ke’lel Ware figures to remain in the starting lineup. Ware moved into the starting lineup 12 games prior to the all-star break, and while the 7-footer has been more productive, he has also been less efficient. In the 12 contests as a starter, Ware averages 11.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while shooting 48.7% from the field, 31.4% from the 3-point line, and 78.6% from the free throw line. He also produced five double-doubles and scored in double-figures on six occasions.
Davion Mitchell has started each of his three appearances since being acquired from Toronto. Mitchell has continued to struggle shooting the ball but has done a good job defensively and passing the ball.
Heat’s Starting Lineup and Rotation
PG – Davion Mitchell
SG – Tyler Herro
SF- Andrew Wiggins
PF – Bam Adebayo
C- Ke’el Ware
Heat’s Second Unit
6th Man: Terry Rozier: Rozier has been more productive on the bench for the Heat, compiling 12.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.7 dimes with a shooting split of 43.3/35.7/82.1.
First Big of Bench: Nikola Jović: Jovic averages 11.6 points, 4.1 boards, and 3.3 assists with splits of 45.9/37.9/83.3 off the bench this year.
Duncan Robinson, Kyle Anderson, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. figure to fill out the second unit, though that may be fluid. Duncan is likely to be the most secure as he is one of the Heat’s most dangerous 3-point shooters. Anderson is versatile, as the 31-year-old forward can play any frontcourt position, and Jaquez Jr. is also versatile.
But given the Heat’s offensive struggles, Spoelstra may decide to use Alec Burks or energy Pelle Larsson with the second unit. Haywood Highsmith could also see some time with the second unit.
Photo Courtesy:© Sam Navarro Imagn Images
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