"The stat sheet, though, says Miami's new-look offense isn't what has fueled this sprint out of the starting blocks. Rather, it's the Heat's fourth-ranked defense, per NBA.com, doing the heaviest lifting. And when you think about both the identity of this franchise and the makeup of this roster, that totally makes sense. Moreover, it figures to be a reliable, sustainable strength of this squad, which may not be the case with the team's new offense."
"When prognosticators were predicting more mediocrity for Miami, those doom-and-gloom discussions always revolved around two things (which are functionally the same concern): the lack of a sure-fire superstar and an offense that typically grades out below-average. You rarely heard even a mention of the defense. Almost as if it was a given that this group would hold its own on that end of the floor. Because it sort of is."
Miami's early 2025-26 surge owes more to defense than to its offensive overhaul. The new offense has helped Jaime Jaquez Jr. regain form and showcased Norman Powell as a clear offseason steal. Statistical rankings place Miami's defense fourth in the league per NBA.com. The roster composition and coaching under Erik Spoelstra alongside Bam Adebayo emphasize defensive excellence. Heat culture's relentless work ethic consistently produces top-tier defense; the team has been a perennial stingy squad, last outside the top 10 in defensive efficiency in 2019-20 (12th). Offensive improvement aimed to achieve top-10 balance for championship viability.
Read at All U Can Heat
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