Miami Heat: What were the best, worst lineups of 2023?

Happy New Year! While we are over one-third of the way into the 2023-24 NBA season, it’s always good to reflect and explore the past!

Earlier this week, we looked at the Miami Heat’s best moments of 2023–from Jan. 1 until Dec. 31. Today, we talk about … lineups!

In honor of 2023, we looked at the 41 Heat lineups that played at least 23 minutes over the last calendar year–from the regular season, playoffs and play-in–and sifted through which ones were the best … and which were not!

(Disclaimer: All stats are from PBP Stats unless otherwise stated.)

Best Lineups (based on NET Rating; min. 23 minutes, in honor of 2023):

• Tyler Herro-Max Strus-Jimmy Butler-Caleb Martin-Bam Adebayo (36 minutes; 38.8 NET)
• Gabe Vincent-Strus-Victor Oladipo-Jamal Cain-Adebayo (23 min, 35.9 NET)
• Kyle Lowry-Herro-Oladipo-Butler-Orlando Robinson (41 min; 35.1 NET)
• Josh Richardson-Jaime Jaquez-Butler-Duncan Robinson-Adebayo (23 min; 29.6 NET)
• Herro-Oladipo-Butler-Martin-Adebayo (26 min; 29.1 NET)
• Lowry-Herro-Strus-Martin-Adebayo (61 min; 22.9 NET)
• Lowry-Strus-Butler-Martin-Adebayo (89 min; 21.9 NET)
• Lowry-Jaquez-Butler-Haywood Highsmith-Love (26 min; 20.0 NET)
• Jaquez-Richardson-Martin-Duncan-Orlando (43 min; 19.2 NET)
• Lowry-Herro-Butler-Love-Adebayo (38 min; 19.1 NET)

Worst Lineups (min. 23 minutes):

• Lowry-Vincent-Strus-Butler-Adebayo (43 minutes; -32.1 NET)
• Oladipo-Herro-Strus-Martin-Cody Zeller (42 min; -21.9)
• Lowry-Butler-Duncan-Martin-Zeller (38 min; -16.5)
• Vincent-Strus-Oladipo-Highsmith-Adebayo (39 min; -15.9)
• Lowry-Strus-Butler-Martin-Love (40 min; -13.6)
• Jaquez-Richardson-Duncan-Highsmith-Adebayo (37 min; -10.9)
• Lowry-Martin-Duncan-Highsmith-Adebayo (32 min; -10.7)
• Lowry-Herro-Butler-Martin-Adebayo (140 min; -6.8)
• Richardson-Jaquez-Martin-Duncan-Adebayo (54 min; -4.9)
• Vincent-Oladipo-Strus-Martin_Adebayo (72 min; -2.8)

Best Offensive Lineups (based on offensive rating; min. 23 minutes):

• Herro-Strus-Butler-Martin-Adebayo (36 minutes; 142.7 ORTG)
• Vincent-Strus-Oladipo-Cain-Adebayo (23 min; 140.4)
• Herro-Oladipo-Butler-Martin-Adebayo (26 min; 140.4)
• Lowry-Herro-Oladipo-Butler-Orlando (41 min; 139.1)
• Richardson-Jaquez-Butler-Duncan-Adebayo (23 min; 136.4)
• Vincent-Strus-Butler-Highsmith-Adebayo (35 min; 132.4)
• Lowry-Herro-Strus-Martin-Adebayo (61 min; 130.8)
• Lowry-Jaquez-Martin-Butler-Love (59 min; 130.2)
• Lowry-Jaquez-Butler-Highsmith-Love (26 min; 130.0)
• Lowry-Herro-Oladipo-Butler-Adebayo (44 min; 129.1)

Worst Offensive Lineups (min. 23 minutes):

• Vincent-Oladipo-Strus-Highsmith-Adebayo (39 minutes; 90.5 ORTG)
• Oladipo-Herro-Strus-Martin-Zeller (42 min; 90.9)
• Richardson-Jaquez-Duncan-Highsmith-Adebayo (37 min; 102.6)
• Lowry Vincent-Strus-Butler-Adebayo (43 min; 103.7)
• Lowry-Herro-Jaquez-Martin-Adbeayo (32 min; 104.7)
• Lowry-Duncan-Butler-Martin-Zeller (38 min; 107.9)
• Lowry-Herro-Butler-Martin-Adebayo (140 min; 108.2)
• Lowry-Duncan-Martin-Highsmith-Adebayo (32 min; 108.3)
• Vincent-Herro-Strus-Highsmith-Adebayo (50 min; 108.4)
• Vincent-Oladipo-Strus-Martin-Adebayo (72 min.; 110.1)

Best Defensive Lineups (based on defensive rating; min. 23 minutes):

• Lowry-Strus-Butler-Martin-Adebayo (89 minutes; 96.5 DRTG)
• Richardson-Jaquez-Martin-Robinson-Orlando (43 min; 96.6)
• Lowry-Herro-Jaquez-Martin-Adebayo (32 min; 98.5)
• Vincent-Herro-Strus-Highsmith-Adebayo (50 min; 99.0)
• Lowry-Herro-Oladipo-Butler-Orlando (41 min; 101.3)
• Herro-Strus-Butler-Martin-Adebayo (36 min; 103.9)
• Vincent-Oladipo-Strus-Cain-Adebayo (23 min; 104.6)
• Lowry-Vincent-Butler-Martin-Adebayo (31 min; 104.9)
• Vincent-Oladipo-Strus-Highsmith-Adebayo (39 min; 106.3)
• Lowry-Herro-Butler-Love-Adebayo (38 min; 106.6)

Worst Defensive Lineups (min. 23 minutes):

• Lowry-Vincent-Strus-Butler-Adebayo (43 minutes; 135.8 DRTG)
• Lowry-Strus-Butler-Martin-Love (40 min; 130.7)
• Lowry-Herro-Butler-Highsmith-Adebayo (51 min; 125.3)
• Lowry-Butler-Martin-Duncan-Zeller (38 min; 124.4)
• Richardson-Jaquez-Martin-Duncan-Adebayo (54 min; 122.3)
• Lowry-Jaquez-Butler-Martin-Love (59 min; 121.0)
• Vincent-Duncan-Butler-Martin-Adebayo (35 min; 120.9)
• Lowry-Oladipo-Herro-Butler-Adebayo (44 min; 120.7)
• Lowry-Strus-Butler-Martin-Zeller (51 min; 119.8)
• Lowry-Duncan-Martin-Highsmith-Adebayo (32 min; 119.1)

All that said, there’s always going to be missing context with each lineup: What was the game situation with the lineups deployed? How many possessions (or minutes) were they out there for a time? Who was the opponent? What was their shot diet? How efficient were they? Is Erik Spoelstra testing a pairing/group together or does he trust it in a certain situation? So on and so forth.

The Heat have had plenty of lineup fluctuation throughout the last year. For reference, the Miami Heat had 213 lineups play at least five minutes, 109 that played at least 10 and 47 that played at least 20. Its most frequent five-man lineup featured Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, Jimmy Butler, Kevin Love and Bam Adebayo, which posted a 110.9 offensive rating and a 107.2 defensive rating in 249 minutes.

Whether it was a number or lineup–what stood out most to you? Let us know in the comments below!

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