The Miami Heat weathered the storm and is ready to hit their stride

The Miami Heat has weathered the storm and is ready to hit their stride. 

Just a few weeks ago, it appeared that perhaps the Miami Heat weren’t going to live up to its pre-season expectations.

The team was ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference and had just lost both Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo to injury. At best, the Heat needed to do what they could to remain at or slightly above .500 to not be viewed as an outright disappointment.

However, on the eve of Bam’s return (he’s missed the team’s last 21 games), the Heat has accomplished that and then some. During Bam’s absence, the Heat went 14-7 as they have climbed all the way up to the 2-seed in the East.

Bam is back (officially Monday night), Jimmy is healthy, and the Heat appears ready to hit their stride as the second half of the season has arrived. Overall, the Heat is 13-4 in their last 17 games and playing much better despite fighting through injuries to key players, health and safety protocol, and playing the bulk of its first-half schedule on the road.

With how the Heat has been able to remain atop the Eastern Conference, there’s no question that Erik Spoelstra deserves some consideration for the NBA’s Coach of the Year award.

Of the 40 games remaining, the Heat has 26 of those games at home and they’ll certainly have the opportunity to take a stranglehold on one of the top 3 seeds in the Eastern Conference. Right now, they are sitting in solo second place and are only one game back of the Chicago Bulls – who they’ve already beaten twice in head-to-head games.

The Heat is healthy, playing at a high level, and is ready to hit their stride. The Eastern Conference needs to watch out and not sleep on how dangerous this team can be.