Analyst Rips The Miami Heat For Awful Display In Blowout Against Orlando Magic

Bryan Townes | 2 Hours Ago

Oct 23, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra looks on during the first half against the Orlando Magic at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

In a significant season with plenty of expectations and questions surrounding the Miami Heat, a blowout loss against the Orlando Magic is a terrible way to start the season. Several NBA analysts are beginning to raise warnings in case this is how they may look for the remainder of the season.

Kenny Beecham, host of the podcast Small Ball with Kenny Beecham, spoke about the Heat's horrible performance during their home opener. He mentioned he is one of the growing group of people who believe the Magic has taken over as the face of Florida basketball in the NBA.

“As excited as I was about the Orlando Magic, I’m equally disappointed in the Miami Heat,” Beecham said. “They were a team I had over the Orlando Magic. Sometimes, giving a bold prediction is stupid. In this game, they stunk.” 

One of his main criticisms of the Heat’s lousy performance was their trouble introducing a five-out offense into their system and misusing several players in the offensive set. Specifically, he referred to their two best players.

“And I talked about their new system where they are trying to get good with the times,” Beecham said. “Everybody and their mom is running five-out offenses, and so on and so forth. I have never ever in my years of watching basketball seen two all-star teammates be least involved in the offense ever. Jimmy Butler was seventh on the team in touches. Hayward Highsmith had more touches and time of possession with the ball than Jimmy Butler. That’s how bad it was.”

Beecham later explained what separates the Boston Celtics' five-out offense from the rest of the league. He felt the Heat’s five-out offense struggled mainly because they didn’t attack the basket enough.

“The reason the Celtics are so good and one of the reasons why their three-point shots matter and go in more than others is the way they’re generated,” Beecham said. “They have four people at all times that can get past their defender, put pressure on the rim, sink in the defense, and kick it out. The Miami Heat tried to run a five-out offense with no dribble penetration. Bam Adebayo, one of the better players in all of basketball, was a corner sitter in the first game of the season.”

Bryan Townes is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at btownesjr@gmail.com or on X @bryantownesjr11. Follow our coverage on Facebook.