3 reasons the Heat’s bubble run wasn’t sustainable in 2021

2. COVID-19, injuries and a shortened offseason

The Heat advancing to last year’s NBA Finals meant they and the Los Angeles Lakers got the shortest offseason possible. The Finals finished in October, and the Heat were back in action two months later.

That was a situation where injuries were to be expected. But COVID-19 did not magically disappear either, and those health and safety protocols held plenty of players out. Losing key players for weeks at a time hurts any team, let alone one on such short rest.

Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic missed 20 games apiece. Herro missed 18 and Andre Iguodala was out for seven. Then there were the likes of Avery Bradley and Victor Oladipo, who were swapped for each other in a deal. All the two did in Miami was provide initial promise, only to fade away with injuries.

Butler alone missing so much time was enough to doom the Heat. It just seemed the team could never catch a break, and it’s a surprise they were even able to avoid the play-in tournament.