Predicting the Miami Heat's Final 2014-15 Record
The Miami Heat will enter the 2014-15 NBA season with a lot to prove.
With LeBron James now a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, it seems many believe the Heat's days of contending in the Eastern Conference are over.
The reality is Pat Riley and the Heat responded well after losing James and will field a roster capable of earning a top-four playoff seed.
We're going to find out if they can reach that potential. We'll be taking a look at Miami's schedule and predicting how the Heat will perform month by month, ultimately coming to a projected regular-season record and playoff seed.
October/November
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The Heat don't exactly have an easy start to the season. Miami has 11 matchups against teams that made the 2014 NBA postseason during October and November.
Fortunately for Miami, three of its toughest games (Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors) are at home. Also, though teams such as the Brooklyn Nets and Indiana Pacers were playoff teams a year ago, the Heat should be able to handle them in their diminished state.
The marquee matchup for the Heat is the Nov. 20 showdown with the Clippers. Miami can make a strong statement with a victory over an elite Los Angeles team.
October/November Record: 10-6
December
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Life gets a bit easier for Miami in December. The Heat have eight games versus 2013 playoff teams. Plus, matchups against bottom-feeders such as the Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz should make for easy wins.
Still, Miami has two of its biggest games of the season in December. A Dec. 14 matchup against the Chicago Bulls at the AmericanAirlines Arena will be a good test for the team, and the Heat's Christmas Day game against LeBron and the Cavaliers is perhaps the most anticipated game of the entire 2014-15 NBA schedule.
The Cavs game could be a real turning point for Miami's season. A win could give them the confidence they need to contend in the Eastern Conference, but a loss might show them that no matter how good they are, James' team is still better.
December Record: 10-7
January
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The Heat better hope they are hitting their stride come January because Miami has little room for error during the first month of 2015.
Ten of the Heat's 13 games come against playoff teams. Additionally, Miami has to deal with a West Coast road trip that features the Portland Trail Blazers, Clippers and Warriors.
Unfortunately for the Heat, it doesn't get much easier after the road trip. Miami faces off against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers and Bulls in its next four games.
January will almost certainly be Miami's worst month of the season.
January Record: 5-8
February
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Fortunately for Miami, its grueling January is followed by a fairly easy February.
Outside of games versus the Cavs and San Antonio Spurs, the Heat don't have too much to worry about. The Spurs and Hawks are the only playoff teams from 2013 that Miami faces during the month.
This is where the Heat will have to pile up wins if they want to compete for a top seed in the East. Even if Miami drops its games against the Cavs and Spurs, the potential for a great month is here, and the Heat have to take advantage of it.
February Record: 9-3
March
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March should prove to be more difficult than February for the Heat, but not terribly so.
Miami has to face off against the Spurs, Cavs and Thunder this month, but only seven playoff teams from 2013 in total, so a high winning percentage is well within reach.
That's especially true when considering 10 of Miami's games this month are at home.
The Heat have been one of the most dominant home teams in recent years, and it will certainly be interesting to see if they can remain very successful at the AmericanAirlines Arena without James.
March Record: 10-6
April
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The Heat close out the regular season with an eight-game April. Miami faces off against four playoff teams, including Lance Stephenson's Hornets, during this stretch, so it's not as if Miami can just put it in cruise control.
As was the case in December, the Heat's most important games this month come versus the Bulls and the Cavaliers. Beating one or both of those teams could give Miami an important confidence boost heading into the postseason.
April Record: 5-3
Final Record: 49-33, No. 3 seed in Eastern Conference
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