Miami, FL

My Bad: I Cursed The Miami Heat

Published

2 years ago

January 30, 2024

Just by nature of what I do here at Defector, sometimes I am wrong about something in a way that creates a lasting, bylined record of my wrongness. It makes sense: When I write about a team or player in any sport, it is usually because they are in a period of interesting ascendancy. When their fortunes turn after I write about them, sometimes immediately so, and sometimes so quickly that it seems as if it’s happened because I wrote about them, it’s generally just because that ascendancy has ended, and they are back to normal. This happens, and is natural; sports seasons are long and grueling beasts with many phases. So I don’t beat myself up if I write about a team that immediately goes into the shitter. I’m not clairvoyant, and this isn’t gambling advice. (Stop gambling!)

That said, none of this explains how badly I have seem to have jinxed the Miami Heat over the last two weeks.

Since I wrote about Tyler Herro’s post-injury resurgence and Miami’s 8-2 record in games in which he scored 20-plus points, the Heat have lost every single game they have played, most recently dropping Monday night’s home game against the Phoenix Suns, 118-105. Their losing streak now sits at seven games, with the team’s last win coming on Jan. 15 to the Nets. In that time, Miami has been held under 100 points on offense three times, and have only hit the 110 mark once, in a 143-110 loss to Boston on Jan. 25. They are giving up an embarrassing 118 points per game, which if you recall the bit from just now about how much they’re scoring is “not what you want.” Their average margin of defeat is 16.3 points.

Everything is bad, essentially, and it’s coming from all angles. Since I wrote about Herro most recently, let’s start with him. Since his 29-point game against Brooklyn, he has only cracked 20 points once—that was in Miami’s closest loss in this streak, a 109-108 loss to Atlanta on Jan. 19—and has appeared to lose his shooting touch entirely. In a way, his struggles validate my previous article; if Herro struggles as badly as he has, Miami has a tough time beating opponents. I just didn’t see this swoon coming immediately.

Elsewhere, the addition of Terry Rozier has been a net negative so far. That failure goes beyond his own personal struggles, mighty though they have been. In four games with Miami, the former Hornets guard has put up three stinkers, only coming up somewhat big against the Suns with a 21-point “explosion.” Otherwise, he has shot around the 30 percent mark from the field, and his lack of height—he’s listed at 6-foot-1, which seems generous—has made a small team even smaller.

Rozier and Herro are both starting these days, but they probably should not be. The starting lineup on Monday night featured those two poor defenders, along with Haywood Highsmith—who is good on defense but close to a zero on offense—alongside the star duo of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. That Adebayo continues to be the tallest player on the floor for Miami is a longer-term problem, one that exhausts the 26-year-old in all the ways you’d expect; it seems, in this case, to have led to his traditional midseason slump. Butler has been his usual self for the most part, but has disappeared a few times during this streak, failing to crack 20 points four times around three 25-plus games.

Something important to note here is that Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami’s incredible rookie find, missed two weeks during the losing streak due to a groin injury, and only rejoined the rotation on Saturday against the Knicks. He’s still finding his feet again after the layoff, and has been a non-factor in the two games since returning, but he helps give Miami size and play-making that they are currently missing. That’s a lot to put on a rookie, though, especially one who is decidedly a role player and probably not a burgeoning star. But that’s how bad things have gotten in Miami.

Where’s the fix here? That’s what Erik Spoelstra, fresh off his massive contract extension, must figure out between now and the playoffs. Miami is (probably) not in danger of missing the play-in games, but that’s more down to how bad the bottom of the Eastern Conference is. Still, being able to lose seven straight and still be in seventh place with a 4.5-game cushion from missing out does give Spoelstra time to experiment with rotations and strategies. Perhaps he will realize that the Rozier-Herro experiment doesn’t work, and bump one to a staggered bench role would help inject the backups with some pace and scoring. Jaquez getting back into the mix would also help alleviate some of those size disadvantages for Miami; last year’s playoff hero Caleb Martin could catch fire.

That’s a lot of speculation, though, which is another part of what makes what I do here a bit more difficult. Sports are fluid, and the NBA season in particular is too long and too topsy-turvy to prognosticate about with any certainty. That goes doubly when trying to figure out how a team that historically doesn’t care much for the regular season, like Miami, will perform before the playoffs. I comfort myself, both as a writer and a Heat fan, in thinking about how bad last year’s team was in the regular season; you might have heard that they still made the NBA Finals from the eighth seed.

This team feels a bit different, though, at least right now. That’s because the problems are less due to effort or poor shooting, and more about roster construction. There’s no savior here, although someone like Martin recapturing his world-beating postseason form for the regular season would obviously help. Instead, Miami will have to make tactical changes to mask flaws, and that’s never a spot that a proud team with title aspirations, meager though they might be, wants to be in as the calendar turns to February. I’m not sure if Spoelstra will learn something from this stretch of bad games that unlocks his roster’s potential, but I am sure that I have learned a valuable lesson: Basing any articles on what Miami will do in the regular season is a fool’s errand, and I should be prepared to eat shit whenever I do so.

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Miami, FL

Every Dolphins head coach’s start in Miami from worst to best

Published

9 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Press Room

Every Dolphins head coach’s start in Miami from worst to best

Jeff Hafley became the 12th full-time head coach in Miami Dolphins history following the firing of Mike McDaniel in January.

Most of the previous coaches began their careers with a decent roster to work with. That isn’t the case for Hafley, who, like Brian Flores, will begin his NFL career with a gutted roster full of question marks but a better hope for the future.

Hafley will be safe in his job for at least three seasons, barring something unforeseen. Stephen Ross likes the direction the team is heading, and he understands that patience is needed. In 2019, his patience with Flores was quickly lost for many reasons.

Hafley will face one of the toughest schedules in the NFL this year. He isn’t likely to get off to a quick start in his coaching career. Looking at other former Dolphins’ coaches, it will be interesting to see how he stacks up, despite the roster.

Jeff Hafley has a tough road to make a first year impact as the Miami Dolphins head coach

Cam Cameron – 0-13

To be fair to Cameron, he did open his first and only season as the Dolphins’ HC with an overtime loss to the then Washington Redskins. Cameron started with 13 consecutive losses before beating the Ravens two weeks before the end of the season. Six of his losses were by three points.

Brian Flores – 0-7

Flores and the Dolphins’ management team gutted the roster. The epic 2019 rebuild never materialized on the field, but the Dolphins were not expected to do much that season. Flores’ hardliner decisions were a huge change to the previous coaching staff, eventually wearing thin.

The Dolphins managed to finish the year with five wins, which was a bigger accomplishment than many had believed possible. This is the season that Hafley will be compared to the most. He is inheriting the same level of roster experience, with a tough schedule. Five wins would be an exceptional start.

George Wilson – 0-5

Wilson spent the majority of his career coaching the NFL’s Detroit Lions before switching to the AFL’s Dolphins. He would spend three years coaching the Dolphins, but his first season wouldn’t see a victory until week six against the Broncos. Wilson lost his first five games, with the closest being a 5-point loss in week two to the Jets. Miami would beat the Broncos and Oilers in back-to-back weeks, then beat the Oilers again in the final game of the season, to finish 3-11.

Tony Sparano – 0-2

In what remains one of the best turnarounds in NFL history, Sparano inherited Cameron’s 1-11 roster. He led the Dolphins to an AFC East title and the playoffs in his first season, but he didn’t get off to a great start early.

Sparano’s Dolphins lost their first two games, but the implementation and debut of the WildCat would change their fortunes. Miami won nine of its final 10 games to finish 11-5.

Adam Gase – 0-2

Gase was supposed to be the next offensive genius. For a short time, he appeared to be heading in the direction of proving everyone right. The Dolphins got off to a slow start in his first season, eventually finishing 10-6. Miami took second place in the AFC East and earned a playoff spot, but the Dolphins lost in the Wild Card round to the Steelers.

Joe Philibin – 0-1

The start of Joe Philbin’s career in Miami was much like his final year, uninspiring. Miami lost their first game, but managed to turn the season into something promising. They finished 7-9, but had opportunities. Philbin wasn’t a bad coach; he just wasn’t a good one either.

Dave Wannstedt – 0-1

Wannstedt had the rare privilege of taking over a well-built roster. After spending a season working under Johnson as a Dolphins coach, he took over after Johnson abruptly retired from the league. He would win his first game, lose his second, and then run off four consecutive wins. Miami won the AFC East in 2000 and advanced to the playoffs, where they lost to the Raiders. They finished 11-5.

Don Shula – 0-1

Shula got off to a fast start after leading the Colts to Super Bowl III. The loss to the Jets was the catalyst for his departure. In Miami, Shula would become a legend. Taking over for Wilson, Shula lost his first game as the Dolphins’ HC.

The 27-14 drubbing of the Boston Patriots would lead to a four-game winning streak, followed by a three-game losing streak. In traditional Shula fashion, the Dolphins would turn it all around and run off six straight victories, earning them their first playoff appearance in franchise history with a 10-4 record.

Jimmy Johnson – 3-0

Many fans believed it was time for a coaching change, and so did owner Wayne Huizenga. Shula retired, and Johnson was the big-name hire. Johnson wasn’t able to develop the Dolphins into a dynasty as he did with the Cowboys; in fact, he couldn’t get them deep into the playoffs.

To a lesser degree, Johnson began making wholesale changes to the Dolphins roster to build it in his own vision. His first season was an average .500 at 8-8, but his quick start had fans believing the right decision was made. Johnson’s team won three straight to kick off the coach’s career in Miami, but they would only win five games the rest of the year.

Mike McDaniel – 3-0

McDaniel was the complete opposite of Flores. He inherited a good football team in need of direction. He was another offensive guru who didn’t come in kicking down doors like Flores, but instead brought a youthful energy that the players immediately gravitated toward.

Under McDaniel, the Dolphins would rattle off 9 wins and squeak into the playoffs, where they lost to the Bills by three, without their starting quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa. McDaniel’s exuberance was greatly needed, but as the seasons continued, his energy wasn’t enough to win games when the players needed more discipline. McDaniel couldn’t find the right balance between the two.

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Miami, FL

Bradley Beal to Miami Heat rumors draw skepticism

Published

19 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Press Room

Bradley Beal to Miami Heat rumors draw skepticism

Bradley Beal is reportedly a free agent after declining his player option to return to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Miami Heat have been linked to him with the start of NBA free agency looming.

Miami is looking to add floor spacers following its trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Beal fits the bill as he’s a career 37.6% shooter from beyond the arc and would provide the team with a lot of experience.

MORE: Projecting the 2026 Milwaukee Bucks starting lineup after Giannis Antetokounmpo trade

Underdog NBA shared the update reported by NBA Prime’s Chris Haynes on X. However, fans expressed skepticism about his fit and what he would bring to the franchise.

“Bradley Beal about to scam the Miami Heat like he did the Phoenix Suns and the LA Clippers,” one fan wrote.

“He said watch out like if Beal is still a good player,” a comment read.

“not a soul is worried about where bradley beal is going. we waiting on the jaylen brown trade,” one user said.

“That’s suppose to scare the Celtics ?” posted another.

“How can any team want this dude?” a comment read.

“Their whole team will be over 30 years old at this rate,” another fan commented.

Beal signed a two-year, $11 million deal with the Clippers on July 18, 2025. However, he played only six games last season as doctors performed a season-ending surgery to repair a hip fracture.

Bradley Beal’s career stats

The 33-year-old is coming off a major injury and hasn’t played a full season since 2018-19. However, he last received All-Star honors in 2021 and could still be a solid contributor if given ample playing time. Beal averages 21.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.1 3PM in his career.

He could sign a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal, which would give him a chance to secure a more lucrative contract if he performs well. A low-risk, high-reward scenario will work well for Miami as it maneuvers its salary cap situation.

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