Bill Simmons expressed his confidence in the Miami Heat’s ability to repeat as the Eastern Conference’s “safest bet” in the NBA Finals, despite the team’s rocky start to the season.
In the most recent installment of his podcast, Simmons discussed the Heat in relation to the 1′ Thursday loss to the Indiana Pacers in the NBAin the NBA In-Season Tournament quarterfinals. Tyrese Haliburton of the Pacers scored 27 points and dished out 15 assists in that game, something Simmons says the Heat probably would not have let.
But even with some early-season losses to Caleb Martin, Tyler Herro, and other players, the Heat are still a formidable team in the conference. At their peak, they have demonstrated that they are capable of winning nine out of ten games in a stretch in November and going on a seven-game winning run.
They have only won two of their last six games, so they are having trouble right now. Adebayo’s absence has coincided with the latest decline.
“If I had to wager on a team, Miami would be my choice,” he declared. “I genuinely believe they are the safest option in the conference. They have two guys in the league’s top 20, I believe. They are aware of who they are. They wouldn’t allow the Haliburton event happen at that point if they played Indiana now.
“I simply believe that to be the current alpha in the East.” Last year, they reached the Finals. In my opinion, they are not worse. In many respects, I believe they are truly more fascinating than they were the previous year.
The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks are seen as the top favourites to win the Eastern Conference and go to the 2024 NBA Finals after the Bucks acquired Damian Lillard in a deal with the Portland Trail Blazers this summer, preventing the Heat from doing so. It was believed that Miami’s prospects of making a run at the Finals would be hampered by its inability to sign another star, namely Jrue Holiday or Bradley Beal, to join forces with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s great play as a rookie was mentioned as one of the factors contributing to the Heat’s continued success. Simmons further conjectured that Miami will boost its chances at some point in the season by making a trade.
It seems sense to give consideration to a club that finished as the No. 8 seed in the conference and made it to the Finals the previous season, as well as a team that has made three straight conference finals.
