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The Miami Heat were busy in the offseason, adding the Toronto Raptors' star guard Kyle Lowry to their roster.
The Heat had to let go of veteran guard Goran Dragic and young forward Precious Achiuwa to make the deal happen. They also bolstered their defense, acquiring NBA champion PJ Tucker from the Milwaukee Bucks. Since then, the Miami Heat have elevated themselves to become title contenders.
The Heat are currently third in the Eastern Conference standings, winning 13 of their 21 games. They have been solid at both ends of the floor, and are second in the league in terms of rebounding percentage. The Miami Heat have had few players miss games due to injury, which is affecting their rotation. However, in a long regular season, these things tend to happen.
On that note, here's a look at three reasons why the Miami Heat are proving they are championship contenders this season:
#3 The Miami Heat's inspired offseason moves
The Miami Heat had a disappointing end to the 2020-21 playoffs, getting swept by the Milwaukee Bucks. The Heat had beaten the same team 4-1 in the previous year's playoffs, en route to the NBA Finals.
The major problem the Heat faced was playmaking, with their point guard Goran Dragic averaging only 2.8 assists in the series. It's safe to say that the Miami Heat have addressed this problem by adding pass-first point guard Kyle Lowry to their roster.
Apart from Lowry, the Heat also added PJ Tucker and Markieff Morris, who are both strong defenders and can shoot from the deep as well. All three signings are role players who have one thing in common: an NBA championship. When it comes to the playoffs, experience comes in handy, so having these three players improves their chances of winning this year's title.
#2 A strong second unit
Tyler Herro is playing with a chip on his shoulder this season. Last campaign, he failed to live up to expectations. Herro has turned things around this time, though.
He is the team's second-highest scorer, with an average of 21.8 points per game. Herro has gradually become the leader of the second unit, and is looking much better this season.
The Miami Heat will also be waiting for Victor Oladipo to return. He is a star guard and, if paired with Herro, could be key in providing depth to the roster. Youngsters like Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin could also be dependable at both ends of the floor. Erik Spoelstra has a good unit to mold throughout the regular season.
#1 Jimmy Butler is in his best shape
In his third season for the Miami Heat, Jimmy Butler is playing his best at both ends of the floor. He is averaging 23.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 17 games so far.
With Kyle Lowry on his side, scoring has become easier for Jimmy Butler, and he is making the most of it. Defensively, he is matching his best season in steals, with 2.1 per game.
Another area in which Jimmy Butler is vital for the Miami Heat is his leadership. The impact a leader can have is not something that can be quantified, but Jimmy Butler is someone who has the knack of bringing his teammates together.
We have heard from Tyler Herro in the past about how having Jimmy Butler as a mentor was such a boost during his rookie year.
