The Miami Heat are surprisingly one of the best teams in the NBA

The Miami Heat have exceeded everyone’s expectations this season, currently sitting third in the East with an impressive 25-9 record

There are always lots of surprises that come with a new NBA season. Whether it’s a rookie lighting it up in his debut year like Ja Morant or a former first overall pick in Andrew Wiggins finally discovering his touch at the NBA level five seasons later, there are always many different cases of excitement.

Without a doubt, there is practically no one that could have predicted that the Miami Heat would be one of the best teams in a heavily-packed Eastern Conference. But Erik Spoelstra’s squad has been spectacular, sitting just five games behind the Milwaukee Bucks who are currently in first place.

The addition of Jimmy Butler in the offseason was a crucial signing for the Heat, giving them a franchise star who they can build around. That’s exactly what they’ve done and it’s been working wonders. The four-time All-Star leads Miami in points, assists, and steals per game, putting up more than 20 a night. Add in a whole first and second unit who all play their part and the Heat finally looks to have a legitimate team who can actually be a playoff contender this year.

Rookies showing out

Several youngsters are playing extremely well in South Beach, from undrafted rookie Kendrick Nunn to 2019 first-round pick Tyler Herro.

Nunn, who barely even started a game for the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G-League last season, could be the best feel-good story in the NBA this year. The 24-year-old is second on the Heat in scoring, dropping 16 points per contest and also dishing out 3.5 assists.

Nunn has also been productive from downtown, shooting 35 percent from the 3-point line on six attempts per game. Nunn has played 33 games this season and started every single one. Talk about a transformation from last season when he could barely see the court with Golden State’s affiliate.

Herro was a decorated college player at the University of Kentucky, most notably known for his ability to drain three’s at a high rate. The 19-year-old has continued that trend at the NBA level, dropping 13.2 points per game on an impressive 38.5 percent clip from 3-point range. He’s also playing 28.6 minutes per contest, proving to be one of Spoelstra’s most important bench players.

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Duncan Robinson meanwhile, who played in just 15 contests in his rookie season last year, has also been a very instrumental player for Miami as well. The 25-year-old has started 28 games at shooting guard, scoring 12.2 points per night. He leads the Heat with a stellar 46.8 3-point percentage, attempting over seven 3’s per game. Robinson is also very sharp from the charity stripe, shooting 95.7 percent from the line.

Nearly 82 percent of Robinson’s points this year have come from the 3-point line, which is the highest percentage of points from downtown among anyone in the NBA.

The Heat wouldn’t be in third place in the East if it wasn’t for the nightly production from these three youngsters. They have all exceeded expectations and will continue to be an important part of the Heat’s success moving forward.

Butler leading the veteran core

Part of the reason Miami’s rookies are enjoying so much success is because of the leader they have in Jimmy Butler. Along with his talents on the court, he’s a great mentor to the youngsters and there is no doubt he’s helped them embrace life in the NBA. Butler has been the heartbeat of Miami, scoring 20.8 points per game, while grabbing 6.6 boards and dishing out a team-best 6.8 assists.

He’s the ultimate player who is phenomenal on both sides of the ball, also snatching two steals per contest. His competitive nature and never give up attitude has definitely brought life to this team. You can see it in the way they play every single time they step on the hardwood this year.

Goran Dragic has once again been a big part of the Heat off the bench this year, posting 15.8 points and five assists per game. Dragic and Butler are definitely the two best playmakers on this team, constantly looking to find their sharpshooters on the perimeter for open looks.

Bam Adebayo has been a monster at the center position for Miami, trailing only Butler in minutes per game, while grabbing 10.6 rebounds and scoring 15.6 points a night. He’s also collected 4.6 dimes per contest, a very rare trait to see from a big man.

Relying on shooting

The Heat are second in the NBA in 3-point percentage at 38.3, thanks to the likes of Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro. They’re also second in the NBA in both true shooting percentage and effective field goal percentage. They are a very good shooting team, but with the likes of Butler and Adebayo, it makes them dynamic because they are players who like to get to the hoop or drain shots from mid-range.

Playoffs are definitely a reality

As of right now, Miami has the fourth-best record in the association. They aren’t showing any signs of slowing down either, beating the Raptors on Thursday night and going 7-3 in their last 10 games heading into Friday night’s tilt with Orlando.

It’s going to be difficult to beat out Milwaukee for an Eastern Conference title given how fantastic they have been this year led by the Greek Freak, but a second-place finish in the East is definitely possible. With more than half of a season left, it’s hard to predict where they will end up come April. But one thing is for sure. They will be playoff-bound if they continue to play outstanding basketball as they have been.