NBA.com Predicts Similar Fate For Miami Heat This Season

The Miami Heat have been projected to finish eighth in the Eastern Conference according to NBA Power Rankings released last week. The Boston Celtics are picked to win the Conference for the second consecutive season.

May 1, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) shoots as Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) looks on during the first quarter of game five of the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports / Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat are projected as a play-in team once again next season.

In an early release of its Power Rankings, NBA.com's John Schuhmann projects the Heat as a No. 8 seed facing the Boston Celtics in the first round again in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Last year the Celtics eliminated the Heat in five games.

"The Heat are one of six teams that have ranked in the bottom 10 offensively in each of the last two seasons," Schuhmann said, "They can be trusted to rank in the top defensively again (they’ve done so in eight of the last nine years), but they can’t hang with the best teams in the East with another worse-than-average offense."

The Heat should get an added boost with a healthy Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier. Both were sidelined because of injuries for last year's series. Both could have helped out Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, who were left alone against the eventual champion Celtics.

Another year of growth from Jaime Jaquez and Nikola Jovic could also help the Heat. They drafted Kel'El Ware out of Indiana at No. 15, so he is expected to contribute this season.

Are the Heat ready to contend with the likes of the Celtics, New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks? Probably not right now. But their development could help the process.

It should be an interesting season.

Scott Salomon is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at sas@southfloridamedianetwork.com.

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