It seems ages ago when the Miami Heat were in the NBA Finals. They were a feisty, bullheaded group that simply fell short of becoming champions in the bubble. After a short offseason and even a rockier 2021 season, the Heat were swept in the playoffs.
This season, the Heat are eager to reclaim their place among the best in the league. They are currently second in the East with a 5-1 record, owning a four-game winning streak.
The Heat head to Dallas to take on the Mavericks, 7:30 AM on NBA TV Philippines via Smart GigaPlay or Cignal TV.
Do-it-all forward Jimmy Butler has a lot to do with the success in Miami. Now in his 11th year in the league, he's putting up a personal-best 25.3 points per game on 52.9 percent shooting. This is a good sign indicating his aggressiveness and eagerness to score the ball. He's also posting 7.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 2.8 steals. Back in the 2020 Finals, he cemented himself as one of the league's elite by literally doing everything for his team. He seems hell-bent on becoming a champion this time around.
Butler will have to carry a heavier load if Bam Adebayo doesn't suit up tomorrow. The big man is listed as questionable because of a knee injury and didn't play in the Heat's last game versus the Grizzlies. Adebayo is producing 20.6 points and 14.0 rebounds so far.
The Heat, as do every other team in the league, will have their hands full against Luka Doncic. He continues to pace his team in three key categories: scoring (22.5), rebounds (8.5), and assists (7.5). Luka Magic is written all over the Mavericks' 4-2 start, including 3-0 on their home floor.
But as much as Luka continues to push his team upward, he still hasn't found a consistent partner. It's unfortunate that Kristaps Porzingis has been missing in action because of nagging back issues. In the three games he's played this season, he's averaging just a quiet 12.7 points. If Porzingis can come back healthy, this will surely help the Mavericks' cause.
The Heat and the Mavericks have been on the fringe of success the past three seasons. The Mavericks obviously want to maximize Luka Doncic early in his career. The Heat, meanwhile, have a shorter window given the collective age of their group. It's still early in the season, but the Heat are slowly moving up.
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