The 2019-2020 Miami Heat had one of the best playoff runs of all time. Coming in at the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, Miami defied all odds on their way to the NBA Finals. In this playoff run, a superstar was born and young stars formed right in front of our eyes. The fifth seeded Miami Heat became the second highest seed to ever win the Eastern Conference, behind the eight seeded New York Knicks in 1999.
Eastern Conference First Round: #4 Indiana Pacers (4-0 Miami Heat)
In the first round of the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat were matched up with the fourth seeded Indiana Pacers. The main storyline of this series was focused on Jimmy Butler and TJ Warren due to a regular season meeting where there was some bad blood between the two.
- Point guard Goran Dragic averaged 22.8 points per game on 48% shooting and it was evident that the Dragon was here to play. A key player off of the bench in the regular season, Dragic was promoted to starter for the playoffs.
- Guard Jimmy Butler was getting to the line at will. He shot 42 free throws in four games, which led the Heat to dominate the series.
Eastern Conference Semifinals: #1 Milwaukee Bucks (4-1 Miami Heat)
The Miami Heat were up against the #1 overall seed in the entire NBA: the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks finished the season with a 56-17 record — the best record in the league.
- Jimmy Butler took over the series and averaged 23.4 points per game, showcasing the ability everybody wanted to see. 39% of Butler’s points in the series came from the line, (46/117).
- Forward Jae Crowder played an instrumental role in this series. He was the primary defender on MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and held him to 20.1 points per game, a decline from his average of 29.5. Crowder held the MVP to 25 points on 9/22 shooting from the field in their matchup time. The 6’6 forward shot 43% on three pointers (22/51) and gave the Heat a good defender that could also shoot the ball.
Eastern Conference Finals: #3 Boston Celtics (4-2 Miami Heat)
Just four wins away from the NBA Finals, the Miami Heat had to go through the third seeded Boston Celtics to get there. Led by Jayson Tatum, many predicted that the Celtics would be the team moving on in the series.
- Center Bam Adebayo was the best player for the Heat in this series. Adebayo would be matched up with Daniel Theis. Before the series began, an anonymous NBA scout called the matchup “a wash” and said that Theis would win the matchup. This must have given Adebayo fuel, as he finished the series with averages of 21.8 points per game, 11 rebounds per game, 5.2 assists per game, 1.7 steals per game, as well as a block per game.
- 19-year-old rookie shooting guard Tyler Herro would have the best game of his young career in Game 4. Herro had 36 points on 14-21 shooting while coming off of the bench. Showing off his skill, many have declared him the steal of the draft who fell to the Heat at pick 13.
NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers (4-2 Los Angeles Lakers)
After winning the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat were up against the Los Angeles Lakers for the NBA Finals. The Miami Heat would be ravaged by injuries this series, but a superstar would be formed in front of everyone’s eyes.
- Playing with a shorthanded team against two top players in the NBA, Jimmy Butler solidified himself as a superstar in this series. With two of the Heat’s best players, Adebayo and Dragic, injured in Game 1, Butler put the Heat on his back. In the Heat’s two wins, he had two triple doubles, scoring 35 and 40 points in those games. Butler did all he could, but the Lakers were just too much. What makes this series impressive for Butler is the fact that he was primarily guarded by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, two of the best defenders in the entire NBA. One of the best individual NBA Finals series ever, Jimmy Butler finished the Finals with averages of 26.2 points per game, 9.8 assists per game, 8.3 rebounds per game, and 2.2 steals per game.
Coming into the 2019-2020 season, expectations for Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat were relatively low. Many expected the Miami Heat to make the playoffs, but lose in either of the first two rounds. The Heat shattered those predictions, winning the Eastern Conference and making it to the NBA Finals. Though they didn’t come away with the championship, the Heat are a young team with maximum cap space available in 2021’s free agency. 2021’s free agency includes multiple superstars, like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Added onto the emergence of young players like Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn, it’s safe to say that the Heat can only improve from here on out. Although the 2020 season was a success for the underdog Miami Heat, there won’t be much satisfaction in Miami’s organization until a championship is won.
