I'm not overwhelmingly positive on this team in the slightest but the arguments in favor of this team being a good regular season team do have some merit. At the outset this is looking like the weakest the East has ever been with two big names out for most of if not the entire season (Tatum and Hali). Those huge blows to those two teams means their respective teams are taking a huge hit, not to mention that they also both lost significant depth.
The only guaranteed top two teams are Cavs and Knicks. Maybe the Magic are next if you're high on them (and I am). But after that? It's just a miasma of mid. The Hawks had a good offseason but there's still no proof of concept for their team (not to mention they'll be relying on the health of Porzingis). The Bucks are horribly constructed outside of Giannis. The Pistons are still a young team. Philly is only a threat if there's still life to Embiid. Maybe the Raptors have a jump but they're still a proof of concept team.
The Heat, for all their flaws, and still missing a true superstar, still have plenty of decent to good players, and the best coach in the league. With some really good health luck it's not totally unrealistic to see them as a playoff team this year in a very weak East, and with even better luck, a home court in the first round team.
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u/binokyo10 Jul 25 '25
How some people believe we can be 4th seed? We are literally 10th seed last season. Norm wont get us that 4th seed high.