The Miami Heat have now played 20 regular season games. And though it’s not quite as bad as their start to the 2020-21 season — when Miami was 7-14 after 21 games — it is a disappointing start. Teams that come within a basket of a second Finals appearance in three years shouldn’t be 9-11.
Let’s get out all the caveats out of the way. Last night against the Washington Wizards, the Heat opened the fourth quarter of a tie game with both two-way players — Jamal Cain and Dru Smith — and Haywood Highsmith on the court.