Main Story

Miami’s 0-3 start reflects more than cold shooting: the Heat are missing open 3s, losing the rebounding battle and struggling to defend. The new pairing of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo has yet to click, while coach Erik Spoelstra continues testing defensive schemes. The early problems are compounding, leaving Miami with little margin for error.

By the Numbers
  • Miami is 0-3, its first such start since 2007-08, and has the NBA’s worst point differential: minus-47.
  • The Heat are shooting 29.2% on open and wide-open 3-pointers combined.
  • When Antetokounmpo and Adebayo share the floor, Miami is minus-40; with either one playing without the other, it is minus-15.
  • The Heat rank third-worst in defensive rating and total rebound percentage.
Yes, But

An 0-3 start is not automatically fatal: 11 teams have reached the postseason after starting 0-3 with a point differential of minus-45 or worse. But only one of those teams reached the conference finals, underscoring how steep Miami’s climb could be.

State of Play
  • Miami is creating open shots but failing to convert them, weakening the spacing around Antetokounmpo.
  • Poor box-outs and defensive rebounding are giving opponents extra chances.
  • The defense is allowing a league-high volume of 3-point makes, while Spoelstra experiments with different schemes.
What's Next

The Heat need their shooters to capitalize on the looks they’re getting, improve their work on the defensive glass and build chemistry between Antetokounmpo and Adebayo. Spoelstra’s adjustments will matter, but the team’s pace will be difficult to sustain if its defense keeps giving up clean looks and easy second chances.

Bottom Line

Miami’s shooting slump may pass, but the rebounding and defensive issues demand a more immediate response. Until the Heat defend consistently and make opponents pay for the open looks they create, their new star pairing won’t be enough to turn the season around.