This 2024-25 season for the Miami Heat is past the point of no return. They have plummeted to the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and are currently viewed as a laughing stock across the league.
After Friday night’s matchup against the Houston Rockets, the Heat crumbled in the second half once again. They are now sporting the highest losing streak in the NBA at 10 games, along with owning their worst skid since 2008.
Similar to several of Miami’s losses during these games, they showed signs and played well for majority of the game.
Then the fourth quarter came around, where the Heat put up another classic goose egg and blew their size-able lead.
The Rockets finished the game on an 18-5 run, and were led by Fred VanVleet’s 37-point explosion. The former All-Star shot a sizzling 13 of 17 from the field and 9 of 11 from 3-point range to go along with three steals.
Amen Thompson also provided a boost for Houston, adding an 18/9/5 statline.
Andrew Wiggins did as much as he could to help the Heat breakthrough. He finished with a team-high 30 points on 77% shooting.
After returning from a few games absence due to an ankle injury, Wiggins was Miami’s best player on the court. He submitted the best individual quarter of his entire career during the loss, totaling 20 points on 100% from the field in the second period alone.
Kel’el Ware looked encouraging and dominant with a 16/14 double-double on 70%, along with two steals and two blocks.
Unfortunately, the help from established All-Star’s in Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro was virtually nonexistent. Adebayo had a quiet 16/6/6 line on 46% shooting.
Herro on the other hand, only added 8 points on 3 of 11 shooting. He has not looked like the version of himself that earned his first All-Star appearance earlier this season. These struggles have been evident ever since the All-Star break, as the decreased production has been noticeable on the court.
Miami shot nearly 70% from the field throughout the first three quarters, but saw that figure drop to 52% for the game after the fourth quarter. The Rockets shot 46% overall and 50% from 3-point range as a team— along with owning the rebounding battle with a 46-34 advantage.
The Heat will have yet another chance for their desperately overdue bounce back win versus the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. However, this has truly been one of the organization’s darkest stretches of play; arguably of all-time.
***
To check out our other content, click here.
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Twitter/X here!
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Instagram here!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel here!
Here’s the latest aggregate list of 2025 draft picks. Some in the 8-22 range look very interesting.
https://hoopshype.com/lists/aggregate-2025-nba-mock-draft-4-0-stock-status-before-march-madness/
The only thing we can hope for now is that the team DOES NOT MAKE THE PLAYOFFS! If the Heat can come away with a #8-#10 lottery pick and Golden State’s pick in the #20-#24 range, the team may be able to draft a good PG and a rotation PF/C for the future. As alternatives, one or both of those picks can be combined for a higher pick or combined with other players for an all-star two way player/closer. Wiggins and Mitchell have both played well since arriving in Miami. Therefore, I would add both names to the list of “keepers” along with Bam and Ware, assuming Mitchell can be signed to a team friendly contract.
I have been having second thoughts about Herro. I don’t know what is wrong with his shooting, but he hasn’t been the same shooter since the all-star break. Maybe because Butler is gone, defenses can focus more attention on shutting him down. Whatever the reason, his defense is OK but not great. He is one of those players whose defense suffers when his offense is off. Therefore, I’m thinking that in addition to everyone not named Bam, Ware, Wiggins or Mitchell, Herro’s name can be added to the list of players who should be traded this summer, if the price is right.
Meanwhile, let’s hope the team can get through the rest of the season in one piece so that all the players are healthy and available for this summer’s trading season. If nothing else, we can look forward to several players coming off the books by 2026. With a little luck and as long as Miami does not make any bad trades, draft picks or free agent signings, the Heat can again be in the playoff picture (and possibly a contender) by the 2026-2027 season. Note: Several top players will be free agents in the summer of 2026. See attached list.
https://hoopshype.com/lists/2026-nba-free-agent-rankings-the-best-players
This game was another indicator, where the problem is. This team needs a solid floor general. I m willing to say, if Dru wouldnt be injuried , Heat would be close to 50 % win ratio. And he is not even a solid floor general.
Herro was a disaster as playmaker last night, and never been a good one. Ditto for JJJ. It is painful to watch Herro driblling on the perimeter, and seeing Dunc playing all over and over again two man game with Bam. Even the dumpiest coach will prepare defence for those two plays.
Dunc and Herro are shooters, not playmakers. They need a ball in their hand for a second to get clear shot. And a point guard, which is able to deliver the ball at the right time.
With point guard of 33 years old Goran quality this would be a top 4 seed team.
I would like to see Miami trade for this guy. Tons of potential and shades of Dragic/Luka.
https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/nikola-topic
Topic’s rehab coming along well.
https://okcthunderwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/thunder/2025/03/22/kenrich-williams-impressed-with-nikola-topics-rehab-has-added-weight/82617911007/
Yes, maybe the most perspective player from Europe since Luka arrival, but he is in the wrong team. OKC will have him as a developing project.
Speaking of herro. Caught the clip of Amen crossing Herro then giving him the “get a load of this guy finger point”
No disrespect but that is what I mean when I say Mia has too many of those guys and no amen thomspsons because pat lives vicariously through picks like Herro, jjj Duncan pelle etc etc. Mia needs the amens of the world. No Liam mcneeley egor whatever his last name is, no to the kon knuppels, Kasparas Jakucionis or the world call me what you want sorry not sorry
Seems to me he also lived vicariously through Magic, Kareem and Jamal. And Ewing, Starks, and Mason. And Zo, Timmy, and PJ. But, yes, I definitely agree we do need athletic 2-way players. But if we miraculously luck into the #1 pick, should we pass on that Flagg guy?
I just hope they get the 2 picks and use the higher one on a solid pg and the other on a quality backup pf/c. And then move some salary (and future pick[s] as needed) to sign an A or A+ player.
need less whitesiders 4 sure.just to many on roster
Is there white man cant jump idea?
Say what you want but there is one thing Heat does consistently well, and that’s pick the players to play for this team. You wont find many better players picked later then Herro, JJJ, Pelle, Jovic, but you will find a lot of worse ones picked before them.
One of the reasons why many of those players are not black is that many GMs prefer athletic players over skilled ones and pick those before.
The basketball game as is today is a game of skills, thats why the players like Luka or Jokic could be among the best. If you watched Matas Buzelis from Chicago lately, you will see how good player he is, despite his strange name.
You named 3 out of how many in the league? If the players you named for the heat are so good how come the heat lost 10 straight? Again I don’t care how you feel Mia needs athletic 2 way players not the shit they have now. Again amen literally gave herro the “this guy” finger point. Too many herro type players not enough if any amen type players which is desperately needed on this team. If y’all are ok with those players I better not see one negative comment about them from you nor reality no more. Crying about the position Mia is in now and don’t wanna hear the reason their in this position every time you comment negatively about the roster I’m complying and pasting your comment
Those I mentioned are the best available for the picks Miami has. Thats all I said.
This is important, because the last real star Miami drafted was Wade in 2003.
That doesn’t mean that I m happy with all players and with the way team is playing.
At the moment none of the players in the team except maybe Ware and Mitchell doesn’t play as they should.
Why?
Because players not fit together, because they are not coached well, because they dont play well in their roles…… pick why something else.
But some of those players wins the title, and others played an important roles in teams reaching finals. They are not bad players.
They just don’t perform.
Herro was terrible last game, and he was bad before that, which is one of the reasons why Heat lost many of those games. Still, he is not a bad player.
I would have Thompson or similar player in this team. But of course, he was 4th pick, which Miami didn’t have almost 20 years. If you ask me, that kind of player is worth 15-20 pick, not 4th.
So Tyler herro is better than amen Thompson in your opinion
when ty has fresh legs he can beat anybody off the dribble.in the 4th qtr ty is little worn down doesnt have the explosion.after 60 games ditto.tys not an 82 game player he gets worn out or injured
He definitely needs a better player to be playing with him. As you have mentioned, he is more a #2 or #3 option.
If they get the higher pick in the 8 to 10 range, I hope they don’t trade it because that could be a foundation piece now and in the future. If they could do a package with the later pick, I’d be fine with that, but I would also be 100% fine if they kept both and ended up with a solid point guard with the higher pick and an athletic pf/center with the latter pick. And, in this draft, getting both of those are distinct possibilities.
Whose your top 3 rated pg’s in our range?
Fears, Fland, Demin.
Ware should play 35+ minutes here on out that’s the only thing I care about rn is his development, like some have said here. He’s also the only one I’d keep everyone else and I mean everyone can go
I can understand why you would want such a total rebuild and agree that Ware should get a lot of minutes (plus Keshad, Christopher, Stevens). But I assume that your idea of getting rid of everyone is strictly hypothetical, because that won’t happen. Changes are critically important in the offseason for sure though.
And despite my varying concerns about Riley and Spo, I don’t realistically think either will be gone next season unless they choose to do so.
tys body after 60 games is not the same as game 1.he either gets hurt or fizzles out at the end.dunc has great endurance and motor is the same from game 1 tp game 82 a great quality of duncs.if ty is on the team next year his mins need to go down and give him some days off.the old expression rest is the best.as for next year if bam and ty would be traded i wouldnt blink an eye.if ware was traded id be upset.everybodys on the table except ware.if bam and ty were true stars we wouldnt be a 10 th seed.if jimmy was into it wed be a top 6 team.bam and ty are not special jimmy was