David Ramiland Wes Goldberg here, the hosts of the daily Locked On Heat podcast, with your daily Locked On Heat newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Heat and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Can the Heat Find a Way to Beat Indiana Twice?
Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.|Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
In the latest crossover episode of Locked on Heat and Locked on Pacers, the hosts dive into a two-game set versus the Indiana Pacers.The series has significant implications for Miami: aside from helping salvage a six-game road trip during which the team has a 1-3 record thus far, beating an Indiana team that is struggling to find their identity early on the season, would help Miami’s push up the Eastern Conference standings.
- Miami Heat’s Struggles: The Heat haven’t been performing as expected this season. Key issues include:
- Bam Adebayo’s scoring struggles.
- Tyler Herro’s success not translating to team wins.
- Jimmy Butler’s inconsistent performance and injury concerns.
- Overall team identity and coaching challenges.
- Pacers’ Offensive Woes: The Pacers are also facing challenges, particularly with their offense:
- Tyrese Haliburton’s shooting struggles have impacted the team’s performance.
- The bench, which was a strength last season, hasn’t been as effective.
- Changes in pace and style of play have affected their offensive rhythm.
- Injury Concerns: Both teams are dealing with injuries that are affecting their performance. The Heat’s Butler is out, and the Pacers are missing key reserve centers.
- NBA Cup Excitement: Despite initial skepticism, the NBA Cup is gaining traction. The hosts discussed how the tournament could motivate teams and create more engaging games for fans.
- Future Outlook: Both teams have the potential to turn their seasons around, especially given the current state of the Eastern Conference. The upcoming games could be pivotal in shaping their trajectories.
That’s the gist of the first part of the episode. It’s clear both teams have some hurdles to overcome, but there’s also a lot of potential for exciting basketball ahead. Stay tuned for more updates and enjoy the games this weekend!
I held off on writing about the apparent rash, or rise, of early-season athlete injuries because there’s always some recency bias involved when the subject comes up. Are there really more injuries this year than any other? Do we have the data to support it? Is there a new, underlying cause? Or are injuries due to the same compounding mix of bad luck and the NBA’s 82-game schedule running into a long postseason, running into the offseason, running back into a brand new long regular season and the erosion of bodies this eventually leads to?
A report early this week showed early-season injuries were up 35%, and indeed ESPN’s list of injuries, at a glance, looks like a ferocious Christmas tree, lit up in blazing reds and yellows. A handful of teams (the Grizzlies, Pelicans, Raptors) are cobbling together rosters game-to-game depending on who’s still healthy. TrueHoop’s Henry Abbott ran a draft of the injured list this week and each team reads like an All-Star squad on steroids, and when Abbott printed out the league’s official injury report it was 10 pages long.
Injuries are definitely up — but why?
The Paris Olympics proved extra playing time for a few top-tier stars, but most of them remain healthy. The early season schedule hasn’t served up any more back-to-backs to longer road game stretches, which tend to be more gruelling on athletes, than usual. However, when everything appears to be normal and the bodily price is anything but, perhaps it’s time to examine that “normal”.
The NBA’s current schedule of 82 games was adopted in 1967. Already, I’m sure your brain is picturing black and white basketball, that’s good. When you picture that grainy, glitchy footage, how fast is it going? The reality is that the game used to be a lot slower. Not just in its mechanics (think of an offensive passing sequence, the ball flipping from set of hands to hands at a speed that can be hard to follow), but the athleticism too. Bodies were moving slower. The game was still physical — the trope of players from the 80s and 90s complaining about the “softness” of current athletes is a trope for a reason — but full tilt sprinting, cutting, complex rotations, these weren’t the norm. Given that, the bodily mechanics were different. Guys weren’t stopping on a dime, pivoting hard, having to force their ligaments and muscles and bones into exacting motions with all sorts of volatile force behind them.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Analysis Erik Spoelstra’s uncharacteristic decisions this season have fans scratching their heads. Dive into the five key moves that have everyone talking about the Heat’s strategy. (All U Can Heat)
Fans The Miami Heat have unveiled their new City Edition “Culture” jerseys, and fans are buzzing.
Preview The Heat head to Indiana to take on the Pacers in the group stage of the NBA Cup. Read the preview.(NBA)
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) holds his leg after a hard following a play against the Golden State Warriors during the first quarter at Paycom Center.|Photo by Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
This week in the fantasy basketball world has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows. A major talking point has been Chet Holmgren’s unfortunate injury, which has fantasy managers scrambling for replacements as the Oklahoma City Thunder adjust with potential lineup changes. Keep an eye on players like Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace — who might see increased minutes — and consider them as temporary pickups in deeper leagues.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Heat podcasts.
Signs That Bam Adebayo & the Miami Heat Will Be Better
It’s been a difficult start to the season for the Miami Heat and Bam Adebayo’s offensive struggles are front and center. With two road games coming up against the Indiana Pacers, fans are eager to know if and when Adebayo will bounce back. Join Wes Goldberg and David Ramil as they drill down into Bam’s advanced stats before moving on to some of the most troubling advanced stats impacting the Heat, Jimmy Butler and others.
How Erik Spoelstra’s Mistake Cost the Miami Heat and Squandered Tyler Herro’s Big Night
Another heartbreaking loss for the Miami Heat, who lost in the final seconds to the Detroit Pistons after a disastrous chain of events to end the game including an uncharacteristic mistake by Erik Spoelstra. Wes Goldberg and David Ramil react to the loss, ask if the Heat should trust Tyler Herro with more of the offense, and if a starting lineup change is in order.
Heat Beat Wolves, Nikola Jovic Game-Winner!
The Miami Heat beat the Timberwolves, 95-94, after Nikola Jovic hit the game-winning layup and free throw to end a 3-game losing streak and help salvage a brutal 6-game road trip. Are the lineup changes the start of something positive for Miami?
