Ex-NBA Champion Picks Miami Heat to Win Eastern Conference

Former NBA world champion Kenny Smith has picked the Miami Heat to win the Eastern Conference. While the “NBA on TNT” analyst’s opinion is likely to change before the postseason, it still speaks volumes for a team that has been greatly disrespected.

The Heat own the No. 2 seed in the East 53 games into the 2021-22 campaign. Yet there is a general feeling around the league that they are paper tigers. They previously got a shout-out from Stan Van Gundy as legitimate “title contenders.” Smith’s prediction carries extra weight since he was a two-time champion as a member of the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995.

Remember, Miami’s projected starting five has only appeared in 15 games together this season. They have gone 10-5 in those games following lengthy absences from Bam Adebayo (25 games) and Jimmy Butler (19 games), plus P.J. Tucker missed seven games with a knee injury. And Kyle Lowry just returned on February 3 after dealing with a family issue. He’s been out 13 games in total. Duncan Robinson has only missed three games, although he’s endured a horrid shooting slump. Their chemistry is a work in progress.

“We OK,” Butler told Bally Sports. “I think whenever you put five really good basketball players out there on the floor, that play the right way — Kyle [Lowry] being the head of this thing as the point guard — we find a way to make it work. And we got right back in rhythm like we always do.”

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Butler Talks Tyler Herro’s All-Star Snub

Butler will be the only player heading to Cleveland for the NBA All-Star Game. He was voted in as a reserve for the Eastern Conference. It will mark Butler’s sixth appearance in the mid-season classic. The fact that Adebayo and Lowry didn’t make the cut can be blamed on injury, but what about Tyler Herro?

Herro is averaging 20.1 points and 4.0 assists in 33.0 minutes per game (all career highs) while shooting 37.1% from three-point land. More importantly, the 22-year-old has anchored the second unit without complaint. Butler definitely thought Herro got snubbed.

“I think he’s been playing at an All-Star level,” Butler said. “He’s definitely been keeping us above water, keeping us above float with the amount of guys we’ve had in and out of the lineup. He deserves it and he’s got a long career. He’ll be a multiple All-Star.”

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Heat-Hornets Final Injury Report

The Heat was set to play a road game against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday (February 5) at 7 p.m. Jimmy Butler (toe) and Caleb Martin (Achilles) were both marked available to play 90 minutes prior to tip-off. Reserve center Omer Yurtseven was cleared from health and safety protocols while P.J. Tucker (knee) was listed as questionable.

Meanwhile, the Hornets are almost 100% healthy heading into the contest. The only player out is Josh McDaniels who is dealing with an ankle sprain. They are expected to trot out a starting five of Miles Bridges, Mason Plumlee, LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward.

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