Miami Heat: Improved defense will be key to snapping out of slow start

If the Miami Heat wants to snap out of its slow start to the season, they’re going to need to rely on their defense.

Over the course of the last couple of decades or so, if there’s one element of the game that the Miami Heat has been able to rely on year in and year out, it’s been their defense. It’s been their calling card of sorts.

Stars have shuffled in and out of the Heat organization, but effort and grit on the defensive end are what have kept this franchise steady. Although to start this season, that hasn’t been the case. And, in fact, one of the main reasons why the Heat finds themselves 0-2 through the first two games of the season is due to their inconsistent – or simply put, bad – defense.

And if the Heat has any interest in shaking off this slow start to the season, they’re going to have to begin their turnaround by organizing themselves on that end of the floor.

The Miami Heat’s turnaround will be on the defensive end

In their two losses to start the season (Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics), there’s one thing that has been constant – they’ve been pretty bad defensively. Through two games, Miami ranks in the bottom third of the league on that end of the floor.

Even though they’re even worse offensively (ranked 24th in the league in offensive rating), that will come. The shooting will pick up as the likes of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo get comfortable on the floor.

But defensively, there’s no excuse.

Miami is generally known for being a tough-nosed defensive team. They’ve been everything but that as both the Bulls and Celtics managed to get to the rim at will in the first two games of the season.

It’s concerning that the Heat entered the season with this notion of casualness. Especially after losing PJ Tucker during the offseason. But maybe there’s a transition that will need to take place. After all, they are getting used to the new starting lineup – which now features Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin.

Maybe it all begins to turn around for the Heat against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night. Maybe not.

One thing is for certain, though. If the Heat is going to shake off this cold start to the season, it’s going to start on the defensive end.