Miami Heat: Finding their historical precedent in the Detroit Pistons

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 15: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat and Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat react after their win over Boston Celtics during overtime in Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at The Field House at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 15, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

No top-five player

Historically a team needs a top-five player to be considered a title contender and at least one other top tier star for the casual fans to take notice. There is a reason teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers were considered favorites coming into the season. Even if you think less of Paul George or Khris Middleton than others, they are at a minimum consistently All-Star level performers.

Coming into the season the only player on the Miami Heat even close to this level was Jimmy Butler. He came to the team with a reputation for being tough to play with from not enjoying some of the players he would consider not as mentally tough as him and many believed he was just coming for the money. Besides an injury replacement appearance once for Goran Dragic, Butler was the only former All-Star on the team and many had him somewhere around the 10th-to-15th best player in the league.

For the Detroit Pistons, coming into the 2003-2004 season only Ben Wallace was a former All-Star and was considered in the latter portion of the top-10 players in the league at that time. He was a defensive menace but left plenty to be desired on the other end of the court. Despite having second-year budding menace Tayshaun Prince, Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton few believed in the team that got swept out of the 2003 Eastern Conference Finals as a true threat to the NBA Championship.

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Much like the Miami Heat they were just not perceived to have the star power. Forget that multiple Pistons would soon make the All-Star team and that Bam Adebayo would make his own first appearance there this season. Without the glitzy names, both teams did not get their just due until the postseason started.

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