NBA: 10 big questions after the first month of the season

10 big questions after the first month of the 2020-21 NBA season

After a pre-Christmas start to the 2020-21 NBA season, we are roughly one month into the new campaign. While there are certainly some expected trends that have taken place to begin the season, there are many unexpected storylines that have dominated the first month.

You know, along with trying to figure out what an NBA season looks like in the middle of a global pandemic. As we begin the “second month” of the new season, we explore 10 of the biggest questions that remain after the first few weeks.

Are the Miami Heat bad?

The Miami Heat is 6-8 and out of the top 8 in the Eastern Conference. After winning the East and pushing the Los Angeles Lakers to six games in the NBA Finals, I’m not sure many expected this from the Heat. Nevertheless, this is where they are. In fairness, it should be stated that Jimmy Butler has missed a ton of time for the Heat.

Jimmy has only played in six games for the Heat so far this season and it’s thrown the team in a funk. However, there’s something off with this team. They haven’t found a rhythm on either end of the floor and have been arguably the biggest disappointment in the Eastern Conference this season.

Miami is ranked 24th on offense and 19th on defense. They have a -3.9 net rating and are struggling across the board – except for Ban Adebayo, who has been absurd this season. That said, I’m not sure this is a bad team. The Heat simply might not have the same magic from last season, it so appears.