![\"Miami](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1766174896_710_Screenshot-2025-12-1-3.40PM-1024x576.jpg\")
(Mandatory Credit: Nathaniel S. Butler\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n(Mandatory Credit: Nathaniel S. Butler\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
If I\u2019ve learned one thing from this season \u2014 or even the last 2-3 years \u2014 is that time flies, even when you\u2019re not having fun. It felt like yesterday when the somewhat new-look Miami Heat torched the Memphis Grizzlies in the second game of the season.<\/p>\n
Fast forward over five months later, the Heat are right back where they were to end last year: In the play-in, pigeoned in the 10-spot with a handful of games to go. To quote Rob Schneider from The Waterboy, \u201cOh no, we suck again!\u201d<\/p>\n
Even though we know they\u2019re destined for the play-in for the fourth-straight year, where do pundits have the Heat ranked relative to the rest of the NBA?! Let\u2019s examine!<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Heat still rank in the top 10 defensively, but they haven\u2019t been able to slow down the league\u2019s best offenses of late. Six of their last seven games have come against teams that rank in the top 11 offensively, and only\u00a0the Kings, Bucks and Pacers\u00a0have allowed more points per 100 possessions than Miami (127 points allowed per 100 possessions) over that stretch.\u201d<\/p>\n
ESPN<\/a>\u00a0(Ohm Youngmisuk): No. 17<\/p>\n \u201cMiami has to find a way to get back the rhythm it had during a seven-game winning streak at the start of March. It had lost seven of the past nine, but Monday\u2019s 119-109 win over Philadelphia was important in the East standings with the Sixers 1.5 games above Miami. The Heat now have to care of business with two tilts against Washington then see where they stand with two games at Toronto, one against the Celtics and the season-finale against the Hawks. Health, as always, is vital for the Heat.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s gotta be Adebayo, who has remained a rock for a Miami team that had to start the season without Tyler Herro and has been missing at least one of Andrew Wiggins or All-Star Norman Powell all month. Adebayo\u00a0didn\u2019t just drop 83 points in a game; he does what Miami needs on both ends of the floor to make the game easier for his teammates. Unfortunately, that task has been much harder lately, as the Heat continued their descent into their annual spring Play-In Tournament destination by collapsing defensively yet again. The Heat have lost seven of eight games, the latest at Indiana, while allowing at least 130 points in five of those losses.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Heat are 2-7 since Bam Adebayo\u2019s 83-point game, owners of a bottom-five defense in that span. \u2018It\u2019s extremely disappointing<\/a>,\u2019 said coach Erik Spoelstra. \u2018We\u2019ve put in the time. The guys have put in blood, sweat and tears to develop a top-four defense two weeks ago. And when we need it the most is when we\u2019ve let it disappear. And that\u2019s just unacceptable at this time.\u2019 Damn.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBad time to start struggling if you\u2019re the Heat. They had several games lined up against the league\u2019s best teams. It went as expected. Their lone win was over the Cavaliers. Norman Powell was the leading scorer with 19 points. That\u2019s kinda the problem in Miami. Good on them for fielding a competitive squad, but none of the veterans they have are true All-Star players. They could sneak into the playoffs again, but they likely won\u2019t get past the first round. Copy and paste that statement for Miami\u2019s last handful of years.\u201d<\/p>\n CBS Sports<\/a>\u00a0(Brad Botkin):\u00a0No. 18<\/p>\n Fansided<\/a> (Oliver Fox): No. 16<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n To check out our other content, click\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Twitter\/X\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Instagram\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Check out Hot Hot Hoops on Facebook\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Subscribe to our YouTube channel\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n \t\t\t