So for those of you keeping score at home, the Heat could potentially find itself in a division featuring five playoff teams, and two 60-win teams. In other words, a division more competitive than the admissions board at an elite Japanese elementary school.
"So what? We have LeBron,” you might be saying. And although that is a fair counterargument to almost any discussion regarding the Heat’s schedule, consider this:
The Heat, like every other team in the NBA, will play more division games (four) against Southeast teams than against any other opponent in the league.
Put simply, it’s a big help to be in a weak division like Boston was last year and have the fortune to play 16 games against sub-par lottery teams.
Having more games against easier competition can make all the difference when it comes to playoff seeding, as Miami experienced firsthand last season, when it finished three games behind Boston and missed out on home court for its first round series against the Celtics.
In that instance, Boston’s favorable division made all the difference as the Celtics finished with a 13-3 division record, compared to the Heat’s 9-7 mark.
And although the Heat won’t be fighting for fourth place this year, every game will count in the quest for the league’s best record and home court throughout the playoffs.
You can follow me on Twitter @Miamibballguy
Contact Thomas at: thomasheatbeat@gmail.com.
As always, feel free to leave any thoughts or feelings below.
Comments
Indeed the Southeast will be tough. But most importantly, the east has gotten a lot better. I think Boston did not lose much with Tony Allen and made some great moves incl Shaq, Jermaine and the underrated addition of Delonte West. The Bulls became a powerhouse, and it is likely that CP3 and/or Melo move to the East. Nevertheless, should our big 3 remain healthy, I think we still win the conference, albeit not even close to matching the Bulls' 72 win record.
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