FanPost

Miami Myth

I have a long drive that I make a couple of times per week, and I listen to a number of basketball podcasts on those drives. The Celtics' next opponent, the Miami Heat, have been a little disappointing this season, so they get talked about. Frequently national NBA podcasters will give them the benefit of the doubt because of their previous performances. But how good have the Heat actually been? They went to the bubble Finals, and did have to beat the Bucks to get there, but that Bucks team didn't have Jrue Holiday yet. The Celtics' team they beat in the ECF were limping along with an injured Kemba and Hayward ... and they were starting Theis. Last season they made the ECF again and gave the Celtics a pretty good fight. (The idea that the Heat were a Jimmy Butler 3 away from advancing, he's a terrible 3 point shooter, is absolute nonsense. That shot was at best a 1 in 4 shot for that guy, and there was plenty of time left on the clock. They needed a series of miracles just to get to that shot.)

In reality the Heat have not been a consistent year in and year out contender. The playoffs between the bubble and last season they lost in the first round in one of the most lopsided series I've ever seen. They lost by an average of 20.4 points per game. Since LeBron left in 2014 the Heat have missed the playoffs 3 times (37.5% of the time). They have won 6 playoff series during that span. The Celtics have been to the playoffs every one of those years, and have won 10 series.

The Heat have been very good since they got Butler, but they've also had a down season, and might be having another. The idea that they are a model franchise that always deserves the benefit of the doubt is one of the most annoying "truisms" in the NBA. They are an up and down franchise that had a great a 4 year run when LeBron decided to play for them. Maybe the Heat give the Celtics a tough game or two this week, or maybe they even win. It won't change my opinion of them as an overhyped franchise.

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