The Heat are back in the national spotlight and they’re here to stay
The Miami Heat haven’t played on Christmas Day since 2015 when, surprise, they defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 94-88.
Since then, Miami has made sure to remain a competitive bunch, never losing more than 43 games. But in that same time frame, the Heat exceeded 45 wins just once, coming in the season that featured their last Christmas day appearance.
They’ve been good and competitive. That doesn’t get you onto the brightest of national spotlights. Greatness and star power are two of the prerequisite needed to draw Adam Silver’s favor. Most teams tend to have one or the other. Miami has found a way to earn both in just one year.
Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo represented South Beach in the 2020 All-Star Game. Tyler Herro made a name for himself throughout the postseason as the fifth-seeded Heat shocked the world en route to the NBA Finals.
The reigning Eastern Conference champions put the league on notice down in the bubble. Considering how much room some of their best players still have to grow, odds are it’s just the beginning.