Miami Heat: 5 predictions for 2019-20 NBA season
By Simon Smith
5. Heat to finish top-10 in free-throw percentage
Considering Miami’s results over the past three seasons, this may seem a stretch.
While it’s not completely at the top of the list of reasons why they’ve missed out on the postseason in two of the past three seasons, here’s how the Heat have fared overall from the charity stripe:
- 2016-17: 70.6 percent (30th)
- 2017-18: 75.5 percent (22nd)
- 2018-19: 69.5 percent (30th)
Even though the Heat ranked just 22nd in the league with 21.7 free throw attempts per game, the departing trio of Whiteside, Wade and Richardson ranked first, second and third on the team respectively in attempts per game last season. While Richardson’s 86.1 percent return was excellent, Whiteside at 44.9 percent, and Wade at 70.8 percent, each represented as a negative in this department.
Some key players new to the team this season have proven to be excellent in this area. Over his eight seasons in the league, Jimmy Butler has converted at an 83.5 percent clip from the line, with his 5.6 attempts per game last season far surpassing anyone on the Heat roster last season.
Furthermore, first-round draft pick Tyler Herro has already demonstrated his excellence from the free-throw line, hitting all five of his attempts over two games, carrying over from his elite 93.5 percent accuracy during his sole season at Kentucky.
As a point of reference, the Heat posted a 2-15 record during the 2018-19 season when they shot at a 60 percent clip or less from the free-throw line.
But given some of the players that have departed, and as a result, some of the players they’ve been replaced with, the Heat have every chance to storm up the rankings to finish in the top-10 in free-throw percentage.