The Miami Heat enter 2026 largely viewed as a middle-of-the-pack team, according to multiple power rankings. (Mandatory Credit: Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images)
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a safe and sound holiday!
The Miami Heat ended 2025 strong on a three-game win streak, getting back to their old fast-paced identity they momentarily lost throughout December. Miami is currently 18-15 with sole possession of the No. 7 seed in the East.
Where do the Miami Heat rank among different experts’ power rankings as we enter 2026?! Let’s examine!
“This season began with a jolt, but a five-game losing streak this month brought the Heat back to .500. Teams know the Heat are playing fast now, but the jury is still out on whether Miami is talented enough to sustain the success it had to begin this season.”
“The Miami Heat have sort of papered over their years-long struggle with offense by playing at the league’s fastest pace, but they still rank in the bottom half of the league in points per 100 possessions. … If they don’t get a midseason breakout on that end from someone like Andrew Wiggins, Jaime Jaquez Jr. or Bam Adebayo, it’s hard to imagine the Heat breaking free of the middle of the NBA’s pack.”
“The Heat scored just 91 points on 95 possessions in their loss to the Raptors on Tuesday, both their slowest-paced and worst offensive game of the season. But they picked the pace back up in their weekend back-to-back, averaging 110 offensive possessions per game and scoring 121.8 points per 100 possessions over the two wins. They’re now 13-5 when they’ve played at a pace of at least 103 possessions per 48 minutes and 4-10 when they’ve played slower.“
CBS Sports (Brad Botkin): No. 18
“Miami answered a three-game losing streak with a three-game win streak including a 24-point win over the Nuggets (Jokić got hurt and only played 19 minutes, but still that’s a big win). Miami is hanging around the play-in line, currently No. 7 but tied in the loss column with No. 6 Orlando.”
ESPN (Ohm Youngmisuk): No. 15
“Ware is still only 21 and has flashed massive potential. Entering Tuesday’s game against Toronto, Ware went on a three-game double-double tear. He had 28 points and 19 rebounds in a loss to the Knicks, and in a loss to Boston, Ware put up 24 points and 14 rebounds. Before that, in a win at Brooklyn, Ware had 22 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks. During that same span, the 7-footer buried a combined 12-of-16 from beyond the arc. Of course, the issue is consistency, effort and delivering what Erik Spoelstra needs. Just before that massive three-game stretch, Ware had a combined 19 points in the four games prior. The slumping Heat will need a consistently impactful Ware to get back on the right track.”
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