After upgrading their team by trading for veteran point guard Kyle Lowry, the Miami Heat appear to have increased their chances of returning to the NBA Finals.
According to one source, the team has the fourth-best odds of winning the Eastern Conference this coming season.
Heat given fourth-best odds to win the East next season at 11-to-1 behind the No. 1 Nets, No. 2 Bucks and No. 3 76ers, according to BetOnline.
— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) August 16, 2021
The Heat made an unexpected Cinderella run to the NBA Finals in 2020. However, this past season, the roster was besieged by health issues and got swept by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the postseason.
Even when Miami made its trip to the championship series, the team had a relative lack of firepower compared to that of other contenders, as it often got off to slow starts.
With Lowry on board, the Heat will have a third legitimate scoring option to take some pressure off team leader Jimmy Butler. Lowry also has the ability to get big man Bam Adebayo more easy baskets and make life easier for him.
Besides the Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, the Heat will have to hold off rising powers such as the Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks.
