After a phenomenal first few months of the 2019-20 NBA campaign, the Miami Heat have suffered a fall from grace. They were in sole ownership of the second seed in the Eastern Conference leading up to Christmas, but since the dawn of the new decade, Miami has been mediocre.
The Heat are just 12-13 since the beginning of 2020 and have dropped all the way to the fourth seed. Eric Spoelstra's crew must find a way to replicate some of their early-season success in order to establish themselves as a legit contender.
With that being said, here are four keys to the rest of the season in South Beach.
1. Beat sub .500 teams more consistently
In the last week alone, Miami has lost to the Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Cleveland Cavaliers. All three of these teams are bottom dwellers and own a top-five worst record in the league. Stringing together losses against easy competition is unacceptable for a Heat squad fighting for not only playoff-position but postseason guarantee. Playing down to one's competition is oftentimes a signal of a lack of effort, and this case is no exception. Miami needs to finish the season competing at a high level, and that starts with taking care business versus inferior clubs.
2. Get a healthy Tyler Herro back
The rookie sharpshooter has been out with an ankle injury since Feb. 3, and his absence has played a factor in the team's struggles. Herro is averaging 13.1 points on 39.3% shooting from deep this season, and considering Miami ranks in the middle of the pack in terms of points per game in 2019-20, his teammates will surely be relieved to see the 20-year-old return to the hardwood. His playmaking ability is extremely valuable to a Heat team that is not exactly rife with shot creators. Herro is one of the few players for Coach Spoelstra who can create his own shot, a skill that has proven to be instrumental to success in the regular season and beyond.
3. Ramp up the defensive intensity
The Heat have been abysmal on the defensive side of the ball during recent outings. In their two most recent games, which were against the Timberwolves and Cavs, they let up 129 and 126 points. Unsurprisingly, the collective lackadaisical efforts resulted in a pair of losses for Miami. In order for them to get back on track on this end, Jimmy Butler needs to step up and stress the importance of playing both ends. He is the vocal leader for this ballclub and arguably their best defender, and thus it could be beneficial for him to implore his teammates to perform with more tenacity and effort on defense.
4. Continue to win at home
Miami has a home record of 23-4, the third-best in the NBA. With 14 of the Heat's final 24 games slated to take place in American Airlines Arena, they have an advantage over those close to usurping them in the standings. The Sixers have three less home games left, and the Indiana Pacers who are 1.5 games back have four less.
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