Five months after the Miami Heat were defeated in the 2023 NBA Finals, they will attempt to win a far less significant championship. The Heat and the rest of the league will be part of the new NBA In-Season Tournament, which starts in early November.

The Heat's 2023 In-Season Tournament schedule starts on Nov. 3 with a game against the Washington Wizards. Miami's tournament games with the New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks are on the national TV schedule. The Heat will also face the Charlotte Hornets as part of East Group B.

Eight teams will advance beyond group play to the knockout stage; the six group winners and the top second-place finisher from each conference. Those eight teams will compete in a single-elimination bracket, culminating with the semifinals and championship game in Las Vegas. The title will be determined on Dec 9, and the champion will receive the NBA Cup.

As the reigning Eastern Conference champions, Miami should presumably be one of the favorites to win the 2023 NBA Cup. In reality, there are a few reasons why the Heat won't win the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament.

The Heat's group is too difficult 

When it comes to the East groups, Group B clearly has the best trio of teams. The Heat, Bucks and Knicks were all top-five seeds in last year's playoffs. The Philadelphia 76ers are the class of East Group A and are in a state of flux among the James Harden trade mess. The Boston Celtics are the only team in Group C that won a 2023 postseason game.

At least one of the Heat, Bucks and Knicks won't advance beyond group play. There's a one out of three chance that two of those teams will fail to qualify for the knockout stage. Given Milwaukee's regular-season dominance (In-Season Tournament games are also regular-season games), the Bucks should be clear favorites to win Group B.

It's possible that the Heat will be considered the best team in Group B when the In-Season Tournament finally arrives. Damian Lillard has yet to be traded, and Miami remains his most logical destination. Lillard might make the Heat a championship contender, but there would likely be an adjustment period as he gets acclimated to the team. That period would coincide with the In-Season Tournament, potentially hurting the Heat's chances to advance.

The Heat won't be motivated to win the NBA In-Season Tournament

Miami's ultimate goal is to win the NBA Finals. The regular season hasn't meant much to the Heat over the last few years, as evidenced by the team competing in the 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament. It's hard to believe that Miami will view the essentially meaningless NBA Cup any differently. With the exception of bragging rights and some extra money for the players, winning the In-Season Tournament doesn't offer any great reward.

There's a reason why Jimmy Butler is referred to as “Playoff Jimmy” when the regular season concludes. The Heat's best player turns it on when Miami is ready to make a championship run. Butler has looked like the second coming of Michael Jordan at times during the playoffs. He's never been part of an All-NBA First Team

The Bucks are in a similar boat, prioritizing an NBA championship over everything. But Milwaukee will have some added motivation when it faces Miami for the first time since being embarrassed by the Heat in the first round of the playoffs. The same goes for the Knicks, which were eliminated by the Heat in a six-game, second-round series.