Bill Simmons’ skepticism about the Miami Heat raises a question that goes beyond finding someone to guard Jayson Tatum: Can Miami finish games with a lineup that makes opponents uncomfortable at both ends?
Simmons discussed the Eastern Conference with Zach Lowe on the Sept. 22 edition of “The Bill Simmons Podcast.”
Bill Simmons just had the most EMBARRASSING Miami Heat segments of all time with Zach Lowe:
“Who’s playing defense on this team? Who’s guarding Jayson Tatum? Andrew Wiggins? Ok. Wiggins did guard Tatum well 4 years ago. Giannis, Bam, Wiggins, Mitchell, Larsson, that’s my crunch… https://t.co/ViymHVAPoq pic.twitter.com/cAlJDeB3sU
— Heat Central (@TheHeatCentral) September 22, 2026
“Who’s playing defense on this team?” asked Bill Simmons. “Who’s guarding Jayson Tatum? Andrew Wiggins? OK. Andrew Wiggins did guard Jayson Tatum well four years ago. So Giannis, Bam, Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell and Pelle Larsson, that’s my crunch time five with maybe Klay Thompson in there. Welcome to the play-in.”
Bam Adebayo and Giannis give Miami a defensive foundation
Adebayo has six career All-Defensive selections. Antetokounmpo has five and a Defensive Player of the Year award.
Those credentials give Miami a basis for defensive optimism, although fitting the pieces together still matters. Against a scorer such as Tatum, the question extends beyond the initial assignment to who handles a screen and who protects the basket behind the play.
For example, with Wiggins on Tatum and Adebayo defending the screener, Miami could switch while keeping Antetokounmpo available to help. An opponent could counter by pulling Antetokounmpo’s assignment outside or involving a smaller defender in the action.
That is a hypothetical matchup, not a Heat coverage that has been announced. The distinction matters when evaluating Simmons’ criticism.
Miami can identify players for difficult assignments; the test is whether its coverage survives the opponent’s attempt to change those assignments. Individual recognition does not settle that, but it makes the defensive personnel harder to dismiss.
The shooting numbers reveal the lineup’s trade-offs
The offensive question requires a closer look at shooting accuracy and volume. These are individual 2025-26 regular-season results, not statistics for a unit that played together.
| Player and source | 3-point percentage | 3-point attempts per game |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Wiggins | 41.4% | 4.9 |
| Davion Mitchell | 39.5% | 3.3 |
| Bam Adebayo | 31.7% | 5.5 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 33.3% | 1.3 |
Wiggins and Mitchell provide reasons to question any assumption that opponents can simply leave Miami’s perimeter players open. Adebayo’s combination of volume and accuracy presents a different issue: Taking the shot is only part of making his defender reluctant to leave him.
The percentages cannot show how closely each attempt was guarded or how an opponent would adjust in a playoff series. They establish shooting production, while the practical spacing question is whether defenders stay close enough to those shooters to open a driving lane.
That affects the responsibilities around Antetokounmpo. If a defender helps on his drive, the next pass needs to produce a shot, a cut or another attack before the defense recovers.
Larsson’s place in the proposed five would depend partly on how effectively he handles those opportunities, rather than on his defensive assignment alone.
One possible way to involve both big men is an Antetokounmpo-Adebayo pick-and-roll. If two defenders follow the ball, the screener could receive a quick pass and make the next decision closer to the basket.
That offers an alternative to asking one big man to stand outside while the other attacks. Its effectiveness would depend on where the other three players stand and how their defenders react.
A cut can punish a defender watching the ball, but a poorly timed one can crowd the same lane the ball handler is trying to use. Miami’s offseason workouts and team gatherings offer a start on familiarity; game possessions will show whether that timing holds up under pressure.
Miami has more than one closing-lineup option
Simmons’ proposed group is not an announced Heat closing lineup. Miami also lists Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. on its roster, giving the team other combinations to consider.
The cost of a substitution depends on who comes out. Changing a guard preserves the frontcourt pairing but can alter ball-handling and defensive assignments.
Removing a bigger player changes the spacing while shifting more rebounding and interior defensive responsibility to those who remain. Protecting a lead and needing a basket may also call for different groups, especially when a timeout allows another substitution.
Miami does not have to settle on one five-man answer for every final possession. The useful test of Simmons’ skepticism will be whether the Heat can generate quality shots with the personnel they need to make stops.
The defensive credentials support optimism, while the shooting evidence explains why the offensive fit deserves scrutiny. Both belong in the assessment before projecting where Miami will finish.
