It’s not that confusing: The Miami Heat are consistently inconsistent

Opening the Miami Heat mailbag…

“You said this stretch run before Thanksgiving would tell us a lot about the Heat this season, so where are we? 8-8, with 4 losses being coin flip games in final 10 seconds.”

I did say that. Specifically, I said we’ll know if the Heat are good enough to compete in the Eastern Confernece by turkey day. Well, the Heat are 8-8 after an up-and-down start.

The inconsistsed start is less confusing than you think. What if this is who the Heat are? Inconsistent. Jimmy Butler, at 35, will be in and out of the lineup. Tyler Herro is finding success in Miami’s new offense, but Bam Adebayo is having a harder time. Sometimes the Heat’s depth – built largely on unproven youth – is a strength. Sometimes it’s not.

The Heat are consistently inconsistent. That’s not rare for a .500 team. The Heat, through the first 16 games, feel like a .500 team.

Sure, they lost some games in the final minutes. They also gave up a 20-point lead in Charlotte after coming back from 22 points vs the Bucks. The Heat can make games interesting both ways.

I do think Miami’s best basketball is ahead of them. They are showing signs of improvement on both ends of the court and they are mostly healthy. Coach Erik Spoelstra is finding the right lineups and right buttons to push.

More importantly, though, they are clearly not at the same level as the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers. Even if the Heat are a solid playoff team (I think they are), it would take something rather miraculous to beat one of those teams – likely the top two seeds in the East – in a playoff series and make the Eastern Conference finals.

Related Posts

OCTOBER BOMBSHELL: Colin Cowherd just dropped a wild proposal — a Jimmy Butler–led Warriors trade package to land Giannis Antetokounmpo, a move so insane it could rewrite the NBA’s balance of power and send shockwaves from Milwaukee to the Bay…ll

Fox Sports 1’s Colin Cowherd offers a Jimmy Butler-led Warriors trade package for Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo

OCTOBER LINEUP SHOCK: Steve Kerr finally breaks the silence — revealing his bold plan to push Moses Moody into the starting lineup, a move that could shake up the Warriors’ rotation and signal a new era of youth, grit, and Golden State fire…ll

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr revealed what his starting lineup would have been regarding Moses Moody availability.

✅🚨 TIME UPDATE: Golden State Warriors vs. Denver Nuggets at Chase Center — Tip-Off Time Officially Set!

1. Match Details The Warriors will host the Nuggets on Friday, October 24, 2025, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. This game features two Western Conference…

SHAQ CALLS OUT DEANDRE AYTON WITH TOUGH LOVE AFTER LAKERS’ SLOW START — his brutally honest message left fans buzzing, and some believe it could be the wake-up call Ayton desperately needs.

Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal had a candid message for Lakers big man Deandre Ayton following his first game in the purple and gold. “Listen Deandre,” O’Neal said on…

🛑 POSTGAME REACTION: LAKERS’ MARK WILLIAMS MISTAKE CRUSHED THEM IN DISAPPOINTING SEASON OPENER — fans couldn’t believe how one decision flipped the entire momentum, and even LeBron looked frustrated as the night slipped away.

Charlotte Hornetѕ, Mark Wіllіamѕ | рaraѕ Grіffіn/Gettyіmageѕ The NBA іѕ back, although the Charlotte Hornetѕ weren’t рart of the oрenіng nіght ѕlate. That gave fanѕ the oррortunіty…

OCTOBER REALITY CHECK: Coach Billy Donovan hits pause on the hype — says it’s too soon to crown Matas Buzelis, even after his electric debut, reminding everyone that flashes aren’t the finish line…ll

Even though Matas Buzlies is talented, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan says he is still very much a work in progress.