Despite a very rough start to the season, the Miami Heat have won 11 out of their last 13 games, sitting at fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings. It is certainly no surprise that the Miami Heat are showing to be one of the best fourth-quarter teams in the NBA, especially with the five-man unit of Jimmy Butler, Kelly Olynyk, Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson, and Bam Adebayo being available and healthy at the same time. Although missing out on a few games due to knee tendinitis, Bam Adebayo bounced back and became the youngest player in franchise history to reach 3,000 career points during Tuesday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, edging the Miami Heat legend D Wade.
Following some hurtful comments made by Meyers Leonard, the Miami Heat have traded Leonard to the Oklahoma City Thunder and a 2027 second-round draft pick in exchange for 16-year NBA veteran Trevor Ariza. In line with Head Coach Erik Spoelstra’s defensive strategy for the Heat, Ariza possesses the length and discipline to accelerate this goal.
In theory, Ariza fits right into what his team needs him to be on and off the court, as well as from both a defensive and offensive perspective. However, none of this can be proven until Ariza takes the court, especially with a loss in mobility from not having played in over a year. Regardless, the Heat have acquired someone with great value as Ariza has shown to positively influence and make significant contributions to the success of his former teams. There are certainly no doubts that Ariza is the veteran leader who can gain the respect of his teammates to move the needle for the Heat.
With the addition of the ‘Trophy Gold’ uniform, which represents the entire Heat organization’s championship mentality, and the Heat’s lively activity in the trading market, the second half of the season is filled with optimism. If the Heat continue to play their cards right, they stand as a viable contender for the championship throne after surrendering it back in 2013.
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