Remainder of November a true test for the Miami Heat

With their brutal six-game road trip in the rear vision mirror, the Miami Heat must quickly regroup for a challenging finish to November.

For a road trip encompassing six games in 10 days, a 3-3 record at first glance is a serviceable result for the Miami Heat.

So while returning home to South Beach will be fully embraced following their longest trip of the season, things don’t get any easier for the Heat as they look to improve upon their 6-7 season record.

Here’s a quick snapshot of what faces the Heat for the remainder of November:

• Nov. 15. vs Washington Wizards
• Nov. 17. at Washington Wizards
• Nov. 19. vs Indiana Pacers
• Nov. 22. vs Boston Celtics
• Nov. 24. at Minnesota Timberwolves
• Nov. 26. at Chicago Bulls
• Nov. 28. at Cleveland Cavaliers
• Nov. 30. at New York Knicks

While the 3-3 road trip could ultimately have been more successful, the Heat nonetheless made strides in certain areas. As head coach Erik Spoelstra noted following their most recent loss to the Detroit Pistons:

"“We grew….I think we’re a better ball club now, I think that’s ultimately what you want. We know pretty clearly what our identity is … what type of pace we need to play at, what type of game we need to play.”"

Furthermore, the Heat’s resident television announcers in Eric Reid and Tony Fiorentino made some interesting comments in the following clip after the Pistons’ loss:

As Fiorentino mentioned, the loss of swingman Rodney McGruder on the eve of the season, having started during all of the preseason, clearly threw some of Spoelstra’s rotations out of whack.

Before looking forward, here are some of the other things the Heat learned from their six-game trip:

Hassan Whiteside is the Heat’s most influential player

While it may sound simplistic, here’s a comparison of Whiteside’s numbers during the Heat’s wins and losses during the trip:

• 3 Wins: 17.3 PPG, 15.7 RPG, 3.0 BPG, 2.3 SPG, 58.8 FG%, Net Rating +11.1
• 3 Losses: 12.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.7 BPG, 1.0 SPG, 47.1 FG%, Net Rating -14.3

Case in point: Whiteside’s worst performance was his disastrous three-point, six-rebound performance on 1-of-9 shooting against the defending champion Golden State Warriors where his head was seemingly not in the game from the tipoff.

Contrast this with his performance the following game, when he registered a season-high 20 rebounds, along with three blocks and three steals, as the Heat pulled out a vital win against the Utah Jazz. As Spoelstra noted after the game:

"“I would say Hassan’s eight-point game is one of the most inspiring games he’s had in a Miami Heat uniform, really anchored our defense. Guys were making inspiring plays because of what they saw him doing. It was great to see. It’s not one of those box scores from a points standpoint that will jump off the page, but his impact was incredible.”"

Justise Winslow‘s shooting still a major concern

Now into his third season, and 13 games removed from a season-ending shoulder injury, Winslow’s shooting shows no signs of improving.

Given confidence by coach Spoelstra this trip by starting five out of six games, Winslow nonetheless unable to grasp this opportunity. Averaging 23.8 minutes per game, Winslow shot just 33.3 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from the free throw line. While his perimeter shooting has simply not developed since being taken No. 10 overall in 2015, Winslow’s finishing around the rim has also cost him, particularly during this trip.

On shots taken within five feet of the rim, Winslow converted on just 7-of-17 at a 41.2 percent clip. Considering he was starting at the 4-spot, these numbers just don’t cut it.

Dion Waiters‘ improved defensive standing

Entering this trip, Waiters’ performance at the defensive end of the floor had simply not been up to anyone’s standards. Through his first seven games of the season, Waiters had registered a defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) of 110.1. But after missing two games of the trip for the birth of his daughter, Waiters’ defensive performance went through the roof.

Over the final three games, Waiters posted an incredible defensive rating of 81.5. In fact, the Heat were 49.6 points per 100 possessions better off defensively when Waiters was on the floor during this three-game span.

Looking ahead, it’s clear the Heat have their hands full in the ensuing schedule. A pair of games against the Wizards, who are currently in third place in the Eastern Conference and hold a three-game win streak, will be great test of their current standing.

Furthermore, they finish the month again on the road with a four-game road trip featuring games against the Timberwolves and the Cavaliers. This is certain to give the Heat a greater indication of the strength of their roster composition as Dec. 15 approaches, when players who signed deals over the summer are eligible to be traded.

Next: 2017-18 Week 5 NBA Power Rankings

Considering team president Pat Riley‘s propensity to pull the trigger and not settle for mediocrity, these coming weeks could prove all the more interesting for a variety of reasons.