Fansided

NBA Power Rankings: Warriors suffer biggest loss of season

By Brandon Jefferson

Feb 17, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; Stephen Curry during the All Star media availability at the Ritz Carlton. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 17, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; Stephen Curry during the All Star media availability at the Ritz Carlton. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 16
Next
Dion Waiters
Jan 28, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters (11) makes a three point basket as Detroit Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) looks on during the first half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
15

Miami Heat 27-33

Last week: 5-3
Last rank: 20th

The Miami Heat, or as I like to call them: The Fighting Dion Waiters of South Beach, are getting closer and closer to sneaking in and snatching the eighth seed in the East. They only trail the Detroit Pistons by a couple of games and aside from the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs there really hasn’t been a hotter team in the month of February than the Heat. Goran Dragic is back to playing at an All-Star level, Hassan Whiteside is still tall and athletic and Waiters has so much confidence I’m surprised his head isn’t as big as Jimmy Neutron’s.

All the credit in the world for this turnaround has to be given to Miami’s head coach, Erik Spoelstra. Spoelstra has cemented himself as one of the great coaches in professional sports today. He doesn’t get enough credit for his role in making the big three of Chris Bosh, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade coexist on the court and he isn’t getting enough credit for making Dragic, Whiteside and Waiters into a potential playoff team.

Praises aside, it’s been fun to watch Miami be the NBA’s version of The Little Engine That Could, but could all this fun have a negative impact on the Heat’s future? Many believed that with Bosh likely forced into retirement due to blood clots and Justise Winslow being out all year that this would quickly become a rebuilding season for Miami. With talents like Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball, Jayson Tatum, Josh Jackson and others available in the 2017 NBA Draft this season was the opportune time to bring the tanks to South Beach. As it stands, the Heat would be drafting in the middle of the first round and while there’s a chance they could hit big there each win they pile on now is at the cost of adding a potential franchise altering prospect this summer.

Home/NBA